Serum Concentrations of Selected Persistent Organic Pollutants in a Sample of Pregnant Females and Changes in Their Concentrations during Gestation

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Environ Health Perspect
• Personal Author:
  Wang, Richard Y. ; Jain, Ram B. ; Wolkin, Amy F. ; Rubin, Carol H. ; Needham, Larry L.
• Description:
  Objectives
  
  In this study we evaluated the concentrations of selected persistent organic pollutants in a sample of first-time pregnant females residing in the United States and assessed differences in these concentrations in all pregnant females during gestation.
  
  Methods
  
  We reviewed demographic and laboratory data for pregnant females participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including concentrations of 25 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 6 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), 9 polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and 9 organochlorine pesticides. We report serum concentrations for first-time pregnant females (2001–2002; n = 49) and evaluate these concentrations in all pregnant females by trimester (1999–2002; n = 203) using a cross-sectional analysis.
  
  Results
  
  The chemicals with ≥ 60% detection included PCBs (congeners 126, 138/158, 153, 180), PCDDs/PCDFs [1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (1234678HpCDD), 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (123678HxCDD), 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzofuran (1234678HpCDF), 1,1′-(2,2-dichloroethenylidene)-bis(4-chlorobenzene) (p,p′-DDE)], and trans-nonachlor. The geometric mean concentration (95% confidence intervals) for 1234678HpCDD was 15.9 pg/g lipid (5.0–50.6 pg/g); for 123678HxCDD, 9.7 pg/g (5.5–17.1 pg/g); and for 1234678HpCDF, 5.4 pg/g (3.3–8.7 pg/g). The differences in concentrations of these chemicals by trimester were better accounted for with the use of lipid-adjusted units than with whole-weight units; however, the increase in the third-trimester concentration was greater for PCDDs/PCDFs (123678HxCDD, 1234678HpCDF) than for the highest concentration of indicator PCBs (138/158, 153, 180), even after adjusting for potential confounders.
  
  Conclusion
  
  The concentrations of these persistent organic pollutants in a sample of first-time pregnant females living in the United States suggest a decline in exposures to these chemicals since their ban or restricted use and emission. The redistribution of body burden for these and other persistent organic pollutants during pregnancy needs to be more carefully defined to improve the assessment of fetal exposure to them based on maternal serum concentrations. Additional studies are needed to further the understanding of the potential health consequences to the fetus from persistent organic pollutants.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Adult Benzofurans Dioxin Environmental Pollutants Female Females Humans Middle Aged Organochlorine Pesticides PCB Persistent Organic Pollutants Polychlorinated Biphenyls Pregnancy Pregnancy Trimesters Pregnant Research Serum Concentrations Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin Time Factors Young Adult

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• Source:
  Environ Health Perspect. 117(8):1244-1249.
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Volume:
  117
• Issue:
  8
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:744cfc7d07e2b2a1976e9b90a6b111fcfb994705e111dde2d7ed9ca15d2484ea
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/3798/cdc_3798_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 390.07 KB ]