Concentrations of persistent organochlorine compounds in human milk and placenta are higher in Denmark than in Finland

BACKGROUND A significantly reduced male reproductive health status, including a higher prevalence of cryptorchidism and hypospadias, has been documented in Danish men compared with Finnish men. Exposure to environmental pollutants with endocrine disrupting activities has been suggested as a possible contributing factor. In this study, we investigated whether there was a difference in milk and placental concentrations of persistent organohalogen compounds, between the two countries. METHODS Organohalogens were analysed by high-resolution gas chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry in human milk samples from Finland (n = 65) and Denmark (n = 65) and in placentas from Finland (n = 112) and Denmark (n = 168). RESULTS 1,1-Dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p′-DDE) was the dominant pollutant. β-Hexa-chloro-cyclohexane (β-HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), endosulfan-I, dieldrin, oxychlordane (OXC), cis-heptachloroepoxide (c-HE) and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p′-DDT) were the other main organochlorines detected. Danish samples had significantly higher concentrations of p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDT, β-HCH, HCB, dieldrin, c-HE and OXC than did the Finnish samples. Levels of organobrominated compounds were very low and most were undetectable in the majority of samples. BB-153 and BB-155 were the most abundant polybromobiphenyl congeners. BB-153 was more abundant in Danish milk samples compared with Finnish samples, whereas BB-155 was more abundant in the Finnish milk. CONCLUSIONS The organochlorine levels were higher in Danish, than in Finnish, samples, suggesting a higher exposure for Danish infants.