Polychlorinated biphenyl and organochlorine pesticide levels in human breast milk from the Mediterranean city Antalya, Turkey.

In this study, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) levels were determined in 100 human milk samples from the city of Antalya. The levels of seven major PCB congeners; 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180 and nine OCPs, α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, HCB, heptachlor epoxide, p.p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, endosulfan-α and endosulfan-β were determined by gas chromatography with ECD detection. The levels of analyzed compounds were as follows: ΣPCBs 27.46 ± 11.58, ΣDDT 1,407 ± 123, and ΣBHC 160 ± 490 ng/g lipid wt.basis. PCB 153 and p,p'-DDE were the dominant contaminants. The results have been discussed and compared with similar studies from other regions of Turkey.