Comparative survey of levels of chlorinated cyclodiene pesticides in breast milk from some cities of China, Korea and Japan

Exposure of mothers to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) was assessed by measuring the levels of 20 OCPs in 70 human breast milk samples pooled from 210 individuals from China, Korea and Japan. The OCPs were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in electron capture negative ionization (ECNI) monitoring. The results showed that β-hexachlorocyclohexane and hexachlorobenzene were one order of magnitude higher in China than in the other nations, whereas chlordanes and polychlorinated biphenyl levels were highest in Japan. Heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin, endrin, toxaphenes and mirex were detected in most samples, and levels of these chemicals were significantly higher in Japan (0.8–4.5 ng g−1 lipid), followed by Korea (0.2–4.7 ng g−1 lipid), and lowest in China (less than 1.0 ng g−1 lipid). α- and β-endosulfans were detected at a range of 0.9–1.5 ng g−1 lipid levels in all samples analyzed, and their levels were higher in Korean than in Chinese samples.

► Levels of chlorinated cyclodiene pesticides in Asian breast milk were measured.
► Heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin, endrin, toxaphenes and mirex detected in most samples.
► Levels significantly higher in Japanese, followed by Korean, then Chinese samples.
► α- and β-endosulfans detected at 0.9–1.5 ng g−1 lipid in the three countries.
► First report of endosulfan and toxaphene levels in human samples in Asia.