Research for Dioxins in Breast Milk
<Source>
Scientific study of Health and Welfare Ministry " Research for Dioxins in Breast Milk" brief of the results
August 2, 1999.
http://www.mhw.go.jp/houdou/1108/h0802-1_18.html (In Japanese)
<Outline>
1, Dioxins levels in Breast Milk
Method and Result
|
Subjects |
Contents |
|
Breast milk sample |
30 days after birth in 1999 |
|
Areas |
21 areas across the country |
Table 1: Dioxins levels in Breast Milk in
1998, (unit pg-TEQ/g fat)
|
Subjects |
PCDDs+PCDFs |
Co-PCBs |
Total |
|
Average level of Dioxins in Breast Milk |
12.2 |
10.0 |
22.2 |
The average level of PCDDs+PCDFs+Co-PCBs were 22.2 pg-TEQ/g fat of breast milk. Dioxin levels in breast milk were found to be more than 26 times higher than established national guidelines. Year-on-year pattern declined in comparison with 1997.
2, Chlorinated organic chemicals levels in Breast Milk
Table 2: Chlorinated organic chemicals levels
in Breast Milk in 1998, (unit: ng/g-fat basis)
|
Subjects |
Hexachlorocyclohexane, HCH* |
DDT** |
Dieldrin |
Heptachlor epoxide |
Chlordane*** |
|
Levels |
127.63 |
193.58 |
4.65 |
6.18 |
72.86 |
Table 3: Transition of average annual levels
with chlorinated organic chemicals, (unit:
microgram/g-fat basis)
|
year |
Average ages |
Hexachlorocyclohexane, HCH* |
DDT** |
Chlordane*** |
Heptachlor epoxide |
|
1989 |
26.6 |
1.347 |
0.951 |
0.0886 |
0.0124 |
|
1990 |
25.5 |
0.986 |
0.639 |
0.0682 |
0.0134 |
|
1991 |
26.9 |
0.854 |
0.688 |
0.0691 |
0.0094 |
|
1992 |
26.8 |
0.763 |
0.528 |
0.0619 |
0.0104 |
|
1993 |
27.0 |
0.442 |
0.644 |
0.0963 |
0.0126 |
|
1994 |
26.2 |
0.473 |
0.459 |
0.0882 |
0.0118 |
|
1995 |
27.0 |
0.316 |
0.0729 |
0.0146 |
- |
|
1996 |
27.5 |
0.270 |
0.283 |
0.0658 |
0.0079 |
|
1997 |
27.6 |
0.209 |
0.318 |
0.0700 |
0.0083 |
* Hexachlorocyclohexane: total of alpha-HCH, beta-HCH, gamma-HCH, delta-HCH
** DDT: total of p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, o,p'-DDT,
p,p'-DDT
*** Chlordane: total of trans-Chlordane,
cis-Chlordane, trans- Nonachlor, cis-Nonachlor,
Oxychlordane
The chlorinated organic chemicals levels in Breast Milk were far below ADI(acceptable daily intake).
3, Health effect study with one-year-old infant
Health inspections were conducted on 55 one-year-old infant who drank breast milk and on 32 one-year-old infant who drank artificial milk.
Table 4: Comparison between breast milk group
and artificial milk group for the immunity
function and the allergy
|
Group |
Value |
CD3(%) |
CD4(%) |
CD8(%) |
CD4/CD8 |
CD19(%) |
CD16(%) |
IgG(mg/dl) |
IgA(mg/dl) |
IgM(mg/dl) |
IgE(RIST)(U/ml)<5.0=5.0 |
|
Breast milk |
Average |
71.0 |
48.2 |
23.4 |
2.3 |
14.5 |
11.1 |
675.1 |
37.1 |
102.7 |
35.6 |
|
SD |
8.0 |
8.2 |
6.6 |
0.9 |
5.7 |
6.5 |
181.8 |
20.7 |
41.6 |
56.2 |
|
|
Artificial milk |
Average |
69.5 |
50.5 |
21.0 |
2.6 |
19.2 |
9.0 |
668.3 |
31.2 |
96.2 |
16.7 |
|
SD |
6.8 |
7.2 |
5.5 |
1.0 |
6.9 |
6.8 |
153.3 |
15.4 |
24.3 |
24.3 |
|
|
p-value |
0.396 |
0.204 |
0.091 |
0.129 |
0.001 |
0.168 |
0.860 |
0.166 |
0.426 |
0.075 |
|
This study does not support a positive association between breast milk and artificial milk relating to the immunity function and the allergy.
August 20, 1999
Author: Kenichi Azuma