Determination of toxaphene in human milk from Nicaragua and in fish and marine animals from the northeastern Atlantic and the North sea

Tabulated and chromatographic data are presented on the concentrations of toxaphene (poly-chlorinated monoterpenes, chlorobornanes) in samples of human milk in Nicaragua and in fish, porpoises and dolphins from the northeast Atlantic ocean and the North sea. The human milk samples contained relatively high concentrations of toxaphene, compared with data reported for other countries. The lack of correlation between toxaphene concentrations in the milk and the number of children the mothers had, suggested that a regular high intake of toxaphene compensated for elimination of toxaphene from the mother through the milk. The concentrations of toxaphene in fish from the Atlantic and North sea increased with increase of distance from the continent of Europe, suggesting that there was aerial transport of toxaphene from the American continent towards Europe.