Monitoring of carcinogenic environmental pollutants in women's breast milk

This study was to investigate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) levels in women's breast milk. One hundred and twenty milk samples were collected from lactating women who were living around petrochemical factories and a sugar cane factory. The residues of PAHs in women's breast milk samples were determined using gas chromatography and PAH standards after extraction and saponification. Lead and cadmium levels were determined in the milk samples after digestion using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results revealed that different levels of acenaphthylene, fluorine, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, and benzo(g,h,i)perylene were detected in the women's breast milk. The total PAHs were significantly (P<0.05) increased in samples from women who were livingaround petrochemical factories and the sugar cane factory. The total carcinogenic PAH levels were significantly (P<0.05)increased (4.541±1.643 ng/ml) in samples from women living around the petrochemical factories than they were in samples from women living around thesugar cane factory (0.106±0.026 ng/ml). Lead and cadmium were detected in the milk samples collected from the studied areas but their levels were markedly higher in the samples from women living around the petrochemical factories (0.180±0.014 ng/ml). In conclusions, different compounds and levels of PAHs, Pb, and Cd could be detected in the breast milk samples of women who live in polluted areas.