Organochlorine pesticide residues in human milk of mothers living in northern Tunisia.

The levels of 13 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were measured in breast milk from 87 Tunisian mothers throughout their lactation periods. Breast milk levels of OCP residues were determined using a validated methodology that included capillary column gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. All samples contained detectable residues of p,p'-DDE (2.421 mg/kg milk fat) and HCB (0.260 mg/kg milk fat). The other OCP residues were detected in the following order of frequency: Dieldrin 38%, beta-HCH 22.9% and gamma-HCH 6.8%. It was made an attempt to point out the relationship between some factors and the transfer of OCP residues into breast milk. In this study we found that concentrations of OCPs increased with mothers' age, these levels decreased with the number of children.