Persistent organic pollutants (POP) in breastmilk from primiparae women in Uppsala County, Sweden, 2002-2003

For risk assessment purposes, the Swedish National Food Administration has made recurrent measurements of levels of selected persistent organic pollutants (POP), chiefly polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and persistent pesticides, in human breast milk. Also polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and HBCD (hexabromocyclododecane), ubiquitously used flame retardants, have been added to this list because of results suggesting the PBDE group as candidate for a new environmental hazard. The ambition is to follow changes in the levels of these environmental contaminants in human breast milk and to establish a time trend. The aim is also to evaluate possible health risks for the mother and in particular for the breastfed infant. The first sampling of breast milk took part in Uppsala County in 1996-1998. About 300 primiparae participated in this large study that to some parts was financially supported by the Swedish EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The second sampling took part in Uppsala in 2000-2001 (N=31) and the third sampling was performed in Uppsala in 2002-2003 (N=31). The investigations in 2000-2001 and 2002-2003 were partly financed by the Swedish EPA. Possible regional trends are also going to be investigated by sampling of breast milk from different parts of Sweden. Samples have been obtained from Gothenburg mothers and sampling activities are proceeding in Lund (southern Sweden) and Lycksele (northern Sweden), also financially supported by the Swedish EPA. The following report summarises results from the sampling carried out in Uppsala in 2002-2003