3. FOOD ChEMISTRy & bIOTEChNOLOGy 3.1. Lectures

Chem. Listy, 102, s265–s1311 (2008) Food Chemistry & Biotechnology
Table I
Levels of PBDEs, PCBs and OCPs determined in breast milk
and adipose tissue collected in the Czech Republic during the
year 2007 (ng g –1 lipid)
Breast milk Adipose tissue
Analyte
(n = 56) (n = 98)
Mean Median Mean Median
BDE 28 0.31 0.12 0.1 0.05
BDE 47 1.52 1.11 1.1 0.7
BDE 49 0.22 0.14 0.05 0.05
BDE 66 0.13 0.13 0.1 0.05
BDE 85 0.19 0.12 0.05 0.05
BDE 99 0.73 0.53 0.5 0.2
BDE 100 0.3 0.17 0.5 0.3
BDE 153 0.54 0.21 1.3 1
BDE 154 0.14 0.11 0.2 0.1
BDE 183 0.32 0.15 0.7 0.4
BDE 209 2.93 1.52 5.4 < 2
HBCD 0.22 0.13 1.2 < 0.5
PCB 28 2.3 1.56 2 1.8
PCB 52 2.36 1.64 1.6 1.3
PCB 101 2.73 2.34 4.2 1.9
PCB 118 17.84 13.43 17.7 14.3
PCB 138 143.61 119.84 121.6 110.1
PCB 153 229.81 202.76 233.6 219.8
PCB 180 192.98 166.67 245 230.7
HCB 40.78 34.72 120.4 72.1
b-HCH 11.28 8.31 23.9 17.5
p,p´-DDE 178.95 148.81 582.5 478.8
p,p´-DDD 4.26 3.94 1.7 1.3
p,p´-DDT 22.04 16.64 24.9 20.4
ng/g lipid
2,5
2
1,5
1
0,5
0
Czech
Republic
(2007)
Japan (2003–
2004)
BDE 47 BDE 99 BDE 100 BDE 153 BDE 154
Sweden
(1994)
Czech
Republic
(2007)
Japan (2004) Sweden
(2000–2001)
Fig. 1. PBDE congener profile in both examined matrices from
various countries
Generally, based on available studies, PBDE levels in
breast milk and adipose tissue samples collected within this
study were comparable to those reported in other European
countries but considerably lower (by almost one order of
magnitude) than results from the United States, probably
due to a less extensive use of this group of BFRs in common
goods and products 6-11 .
As compared to PBDEs, the levels of OCs (PCBs and
OCPs) were up to 2–3 orders of magnitude higher, obviously,
due to a relatively longer history of their intensive use in a
wide range of areas. Although PCBs, DDT and several other
s772
persistent OCs were banned many decades ago, and, in spite
of their decline witnessed in the Czech Republic alike worldwide,
these POPs are still persisting in very high quantities
in the environmental compartments. not surprisingly, their
transfer into the food chain still continues, what was documented
also in this study. The OCs pattern found in Czech
breast milk was: PCBs > DDTs > HCB > HCHs. The following
PCBs profile was found: CB 153 > CB 138 > CB 180 >
CB 118 > CB 101 ~ CB 52 ~ CB 28. The dominating PCB
congeners no. 153, 138 and 180 contributed together to the
total PCBs content by almost 80 %.
Regarding to other chlorinated POPs, p,p´-DDE was
their major representative in all analyzed samples. The contamination
input in the food chain obviously occurred many
years ago since the parent compound, p,p´-DDT, was significantly
lower. Other OCPs like HCB (hexachlorobenezene)
and β-HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane), were apparently in all
samples at levels above LOQs (see Table I).
The levels of PCBs were similar to those found in other
European countries. While no age dependency was found for
PBDEs, an increase of PCB and OCP levels with age was observed.
Different exposure routes of donors were documented
by the absence of the relationship between PCBs and OCPs.
Conclusions
This study reports the residue levels of PBDEs and
HBCD together with “classical” OCs in human adipose tissue
and breast milk samples obtained in the Czech Republic.
The results clearly show the ubiquitous occurrence of
BFRs in the general Czech population, BDE 153 and BDE 47
being the most abundant congeners in examined biotic samples.
Despite its broad use, BDE 209 was detected in only a
few adipose tissue samples.
The mean values of PBDEs in human fat from Czech
donors did not largely differ from those recorded from other
European countries
Also PCB and OCP levels were comparable to those
reported in similar studies conducted outside of the Czech
Republic. It should be noted that the production and use of
PCBs has been banned for three decades, whereas the use
and production of PBDEs still continues. In spite of the fact,
that penta- and octa-BDE technical mixtures were banned in
the EU four years ago, humans are still exposed in their daily
lives from food and emissions from various products into
their environment.
This research was supported by grants from the Ministry
of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic – BIO-
BROM (2B06151) and MSM 6046137305.
REFEREnCES
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2. World Health Organization, 1991.
3. Čajka T., Hajšlová J.: Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.
70, 913 (2003).