Persistent organic chlorinated compound residues in the breast milk of female seasonal agricultural workers

Abstract

Objective: This retrospective descriptive study aimed to investigate organochlorine compounds in women who breastfeed and work as a seasonal agricultural worker (SAW). Methods: It was carried out on 100 woman working as SAW. Data were collected with a questionnaire by face-to-face interview and analyzed the residues of 27 items of organochlorine pesticides, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) metabolites and polychlorinated biphenyls, from persistent organic pollutants in mothers' 50mL breast milk. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and correlation analysis were used to evaluate data. Results: Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 28 component was determined in almost all women's milk and more than half of collected milk contained beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), PCB52, pp'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), PCB70, pp'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) ve Gamma HCH, respectively. Conclusion: It was recommended that necessary legal regulations and public information policy about that subject should exist.