Methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDE) in human milk from Bizerte, Tunisia

Methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) were determined in 36 human milk samples collected in 2010 from healthy mothers living in Bizerte region from Tunisia. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry working with negative ion chemical ionization (GC–NCI-MS) was used to identify and quantify residue levels on a lipid basis of organo-brominated compounds. Among the 8 examined MeO-PBDE congeners 6-MeO-BDE-47, 2′-MeO-BDE-68, 4′-MeO-BDE-49 and 5′-MeO-BDE-100 were detected in human milk at different levels and frequencies. This is the first study reporting 5′-MeO-BDE-100 and 4′-MeO-BDE-49 levels in human milk samples. Levels of ∑MeO-PBDEs ranged from 0.23 to 4.70ngg−1 lipid weight (lw) in the samples, with a mean and median value of 1.52 and 1.11ngg−1lw respectively. Concentrations of ∑MeO-PBDEs in human milk were negatively correlated with age of primapara mothers (p