Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

A study on the levels of a polybrominated biphenyl in Chinese human milk samples collected in 2007 and 2011

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The levels of a 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexabromobiphenyl (BB-153) were measured in human milk samples collected in 2007 and 2011 from residents in China by high-resolution gas chromatography–high-resolution mass chromatography (HRGC–HRMS) with isotope dilution. The median concentrations of BB-153 from the samples collected in 2007 and 2011 were 8.3 and 7.2 pg/g lipid weight, respectively. The levels of BB-153 in the human milk collected from rural areas were not significantly different to those collected from the urban areas in China. Meanwhile, significant positive correlations were found between the levels of BB-153 in human milk and the consumption of animal-origin foods. In the present study, the mean levels of BB-153 in human milk from Chinese mothers were found to be lower than those from European and American mothers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Boer, J. D., Boer, K. D., & Boon, J. P. (2000). Polybrominated biphenyls and diphenylethers. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bramwell, L., Fernandes, A., Rose, M., Harrad, S., & Pless-Mulloli, T. (2014). PBDEs and PBBs in human serum and breast milk from cohabiting UK couples. Chemosphere, 116, 67–74.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brilliant, L., Van Amburg, G., Isbister, J., Humphrey, H., Wilcox, K., Eyster, J., et al. (1978). Breast-milk monitoring to measure Michigan’s contamination with polybrominated biphenyls. The Lancet, 312(8091), 643–646.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, B., Porter, N., Symons, R., Marriott, P., Ades, P., Stevenson, G., et al. (2008). Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polybrominated biphenyls in Australian sewage sludge. Chemosphere, 73(6), 980–989.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Darnerud, P. O. (2003). Toxic effects of brominated flame retardants in man and in wildlife. Environment International, 29(6), 841.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dunckel, A. E. (1975). An updating on the polybrominated biphenyl disaster in Michigan. J. Amer. Vet. Med. Assoc., 167, 838–841.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fång, J., Nyberg, E., Winnberg, U., Bignert, A., & Bergman, Å. (2015). Spatial and temporal trends of the Stockholm Convention POPs in mothers’ milk—a global review. Environmental Science & Pollution Research, 22, 1–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez, M., Araque, P., Kiviranta, H., Molina-Molina, J., Rantakokko, P., Laine, O., et al. (2007). PBDEs and PBBs in the adipose tissue of women from Spain. Chemosphere, 66(2), 377–383.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Focant, J.-F., Sjödin, A., Turner, W. E., & Patterson, D. G. (2004). Measurement of selected polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polybrominated and polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides in human serum and milk using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography isotope dilution time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry, 76(21), 6313–6320.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gieroń, J., Grochowalski, A., & Chrząszcz, R. (2010). PBB levels in fish from the Baltic and north seas and in selected food products from Poland. Chemosphere, 78(10), 1272–1278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hakk, H., & Letcher, R. J. (2003). Metabolism in the toxicokinetics and fate of brominated flame retardants—a review. Environment International, 29(6), 801–828.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hardy, M. (2002). A comparison of the properties of the major commercial PBDPO/PBDE product to those of major PBB and PCB products. Chemosphere, 46(5), 717–728.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IARC (1987). Overall evaluations of carcinogenicity: an updating of IARC monographs. Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (pp. 321): http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/suppl7/suppl7.pdf.

  • Jacobson, J. L., Fein, G. G., Jacobson, S. W., Schwartz, P. M., & Dowler, J. K. (1984). The transfer of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) across the human placenta and into maternal milk. American Journal of Public Health, 74(4), 378–379.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, A. D., Terrell, M. L., Small, C. M., Cameron, L. L., & Marcus, M. (2009). Assessing inter-generational transfer of a brominated flame retardant. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 11(4), 802–807.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Konoplev, A. V., Volkova, E. F., Kochetkov, A. I., Pervunina, R. I., & Samsonov, D. P. (2012). Monitoring of persistent organic pollutants in the ambient air as an element of implementation of the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants. Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 6(5), 652–658.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lammel, G., & Lohmann, R. (2012). Identifying the research needs in the global assessment of toxic compounds 10 years after the signature of the Stockholm convention. Environmental Science & Pollution Research, 19(6), 1873–1874.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lenters, V., Thomsen, C., Smit, L. A. M., Bo, A. G. J., Pedersen, H. S., Ludwicki, J. K., et al. (2013). Serum concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and a polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) in men from Greenland, Poland and Ukraine. Environment International, 61(4), 8–16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li, J., Zhang, L., Wu, Y., Liu, Y., Zhou, P., Wen, S., et al. (2009). A national survey of polychlorinated dioxins, furans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) in human milk in China. Chemosphere, 75(9), 1236.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luross, J. M., Mehran, A., Sergeant, D. B., Cannon, C. M., Whittle, D. M., Solomon, K. R., et al. (2002). Spatial distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polybrominated biphenyls in lake trout from the Laurentian Great Lakes. Chemosphere, 46(5), 665–672.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nollet, L. M. (2011). Analysis of endocrine disrupting compounds in food. Wiley.

  • Pratt, I., Anderson, W., Crowley, D., Daly, S., Evans, R., Fernandes, A., et al. (2013). Brominated and fluorinated organic pollutants in the breast milk of first-time Irish mothers: is there a relationship to levels in food? Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A(ahead-of-print), 1–11.

  • Salgado-Petinal, C., Llompart, M., García-Jares, C., García-Chao, M., & Cela, R. (2006). Simple approach for the determination of brominated flame retardants in environmental solid samples based on solvent extraction and solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A, 1124(1), 139–147.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shen, H., Main, K. M., Andersson, A.-M., Damgaard, I. N., Virtanen, H. E., Skakkebaek, N. E., et al. (2008). Concentrations of persistent organochlorine compounds in human milk and placenta are higher in Denmark than in Finland. Human Reproduction, 23(1), 201–210.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sjödin, A., Jones, R. S., Focant, J.-F., Lapeza, C., Wang, R. Y., & McGahee, E. E. (2004a). Retrospective time-trend study of polybrominated diphenyl ether and polybrominated and polychlorinated biphenyl levels in human serum from the United States. Environmental Health Perspectives, 112(6), 654.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sjödin, A., Jones, R. S., Lapeza, C. R., Focant, J.-F., McGahee, E. E., & Patterson, D. G. (2004b). Semiautomated high-throughput extraction and cleanup method for the measurement of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polybrominated biphenyls, and polychlorinated biphenyls in human serum. Analytical Chemistry, 76(7), 1921–1927.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sjödin, A., Wong, L.-Y., Jones, R. S., Park, A., Zhang, Y., Hodge, C., et al. (2008). Serum concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) in the United States population: 2003–2004. Environmental Science & Technology, 42(4), 1377–1384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vetter, W., Recke, R. V. D., Symons, R., & Pyecroft, S. (2008). Determination of polybrominated biphenyls in Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) by gas chromatography coupled to electron capture negative ion tandem mass spectrometry or electron ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 22(24), 4165–4170.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, R., & Needham, L. (2007). Environmental chemicals: from the environment to food, to breast milk, to the infant. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 10(8), 597–609.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (1994). Environmental health criteria 152. Polybrominated biphenyls. International Program on Chemical Safety, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland; 1994. http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc152.htm.

  • Wu, H.-Q., Huang, X.-L., Huang, F., & Lin, X.-S. (2007). Determination of polybromodiphenyl ethers and polybromobiphenyls in electrical and electronic equipments by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 35(3), 325–329.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, W., Xian, W., & Cai, Z. (2013). Analytical chemistry of the persistent organic pollutants identified in the Stockholm Convention: a review. Analytica Chimica Acta, 790(15), 1–13.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, Q., Qiu, X., Li, R., Liu, S., Li, K., & Wang, F., et al. (2013). Exposure to typical persistent organic pollutants from an electronic waste recycling site in northern china. Chemosphere, 91(2), 205–11.

  • Yun, S. H., Addink, R., McCabe, J. M., Ostaszewski, A., Mackenzie-Taylor, D., Taylor, A. B., et al. (2008). Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polybrominated biphenyls in sediment and floodplain soils of the Saginaw River watershed, Michigan, USA. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 55(1), 1–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, L., Li, J., Zhao, Y., Li, X., Yang, X., Wen, S., et al. (2011). A national survey of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Chinese mothers’ milk. Chemosphere, 84(5), 625–633.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, G., Wang, Z., Dong, M. H., Rao, K., Luo, J., Wang, D., et al. (2008). PBBs, PBDEs, and PCBs levels in hair of residents around e-waste disassembly sites in Zhejiang Province, China, and their potential sources. Science of the Total Environment, 397(1), 46–57.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, G., Wang, Z., Zhou, H., & Zhao, Q. (2009a). Burdens of PBBs, PBDEs, and PCBs in tissues of the cancer patients in the e-waste disassembly sites in Zhejiang, China. Science of the Total Environment, 407(17), 4831–4837.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, G., Zhou, H., Wang, D., Zha, J., Xu, Y., Rao, K., et al. (2009b). PBBs, PBDEs, and PCBs in foods collected from e-waste disassembly sites and daily intake by local residents. Science of the Total Environment, 407(8), 2565–2575.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhi-Xiong, S., Yong-Ning, W., Jing-Guang, L., Yun-Feng, Z., & Jin-Fang, F. (2009). Dietary exposure assessment of Chinese adults and nursing infants to tetrabromobisphenol-a and hexabromocyclododecanes: occurrence measurements in foods and human milk. Environmental Science & Technology, 43(12), 4314–4319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, P., Wu, Y., Yin, S., Li, J., Zhao, Y., Zhang, L., et al. (2011). National survey of the levels of persistent organochlorine pesticides in the breast milk of mothers in China. Environmental Pollution, 159(2), 524–531.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to all the volunteers in this study. This research was supported by the National Nature Science of Foundation of China (Grant No. 21407033 and No. 21361140359) and Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB01020300) and Hubei Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention funded project (Y2013W07).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Sheng Wen or Jingguang Li.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOC 30 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Liu, X., Wen, S., Li, J. et al. A study on the levels of a polybrominated biphenyl in Chinese human milk samples collected in 2007 and 2011. Environ Monit Assess 188, 515 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5530-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5530-x

Keywords

Navigation