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Blood concentrations and risk assessment of persistent organochlorine compounds in newborn boys in Turkey. A pilot study

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Abstract

Even early life in utero cannot provide a safe place for newborns. The first acquaintance with chemicals takes place in utero and/or with mother’s milk after delivery. Besides legislations and bans to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), these chemicals are still affecting the general population especially the children as they are one of the populations most susceptible to chemicals, and also the health problems may arise in the future. Our objective is to collect the first data in newborns in Turkey to determine baseline levels of POPs in the general population and estimate the potential cancer risk related to exposure. Twenty-nine organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and 18 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in blood samples of newborn boys (0–1 month old) who were born in İstanbul, Turkey, in 2010–2012 were evaluated with high-resolution gas chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). Results for analyzed chlorinated compounds are as follows: hexachlorocyclohexane (ΣHCH) 1828 ± 3650 pg/g lipid, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (ΣDDT) 10,000 ± 15,398 pg/g lipid, and ΣPCB 1068 ± 1823 pg/g lipid. 4,4′-DDT, 4,4′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (4,4′-DDE), hexachlorobenzene, and PCB 138 and 153 are the major contaminants. New POPs as lindane 61 ± 268 pg/g lipid, pentachlorobenzene 13 ± 74 pg/g lipid, and endosulfan 29 ± 106 pg/g lipid are also detected in blood. Estimated total risk for lifetime PCB exposure is less than 1 × 10−5, an acceptable risk. Blood concentration levels will be important base data in the assessment of health concerns of newborns as well as for studies about how endocrine disruptors affect humans.

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Acknowledgment

This project is a part of and granted by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK)-Helmholtz Research Institute joint research project.

Compliance with ethical standards

Participation of human subjects occurred after informed consent was received from each participant.

Disclaimer

The contents of this paper are solely the responsibility of the authors.

Conflict of interest

Author OK Ulutaş is granted by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK)-Helmholtz Research Institute joint research project. Otherwise, none of the authors has any actual or potential competing financial interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Yenimahalle, 06330, Ankara, Turkey

    Onur Kenan Ulutaş & İsmet Çok

  2. Department of Pediatrics, İstanbul Medical Faculty, İstanbul University, İstanbul, Turkey

    Feyza Darendeliler, Banu Aydin & Asuman Çoban

  3. Molecular Exposomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München – Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Ingolstädter Landstr 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany

    Bernhard Henkelmann & Karl-Werner Schramm

  4. Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan für Ernährung, Landnutzung und Umwelt, Department für Biowissenschaften, Technische Universität München, Weihenstephaner Steig 23, 85350, Freising, Germany

    Karl-Werner Schramm

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  1. Onur Kenan Ulutaş
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  2. İsmet Çok
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  3. Feyza Darendeliler
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Correspondence to Onur Kenan Ulutaş.

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Ulutaş, O.K., Çok, İ., Darendeliler, F. et al. Blood concentrations and risk assessment of persistent organochlorine compounds in newborn boys in Turkey. A pilot study. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 19896–19904 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5179-y

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