Influence of Breastfeeding Time on Levels of Organochlorine Pesticides in Human Milk of a Mexican Population

Abstract

This study was conducted with the objective of determining whether there is a depuration of organochlorine pesticides in breast milk according to breastfeeding time. In total, 171 samples from mothers that lived in the State of Guerrero, Mexico were analyzed. There was a weak negative relationship between pp¿DDE (r =-0.216) and R-DDT (r =-0.222) concentrations with the days of lactation. In a comparison analysis, a statistically signi¿cant decrease of pp¿DDT and pp¿DDE levels was observed, as well as the R-DDT from the ¿rst to the ¿fth week of lactation. A reduction of 0.188 mg/kg lipid of pp¿DDE and 0.181 mg/kg lipid of R-DDT per week was obtained. HCB, b-HCH and op¿DDT concentrations were low and had no major ¿uctuations between subgroups.