Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in human milk from Italian women: Influence of cigarette smoking and residential area

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 67; no. 7; pp. 1265 - 1274
• Main Authors: Zanieri, L., Galvan, P., Checchini, L., Cincinelli, A., Lepri, L., Donzelli, G.P., Del Bubba, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Breast milk; Carcinogens - analysis; Cigarette smoke; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Environmental Exposure; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Italy - epidemiology; Lactation - physiology; Lipids - analysis; Medical sciences; Milk, Human - chemistry; PAH; Parity; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Pregnancy; Rural areas; Rural Population; Smoking - metabolism; Tobacco, tobacco smoking; Toxic equivalent factors; Toxicology; Traffic; Urban areas; Urban Population; Italy; Europe; Italy, Tuscany; Toxic equivalent factors; Urban areas; Rural areas; PAH; Traffic; Cigarette smoke; Breast milk; Tobacco smoking; Motor vehicle; Urban area; Epidemiology; Persistent organic pollutant; Cigarette; Residential zone; Rural area; Woman; Fumes; Organic compounds; Human; Hydrocarbon; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Tobacco; Human milk; Road traffic; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.12.011

The presence of PAH in breast milk collected from 32 smoking and non-smoking lactating women, residing in urban and rural areas of Tuscany (Italy) was investigated. The results indicated a significant contribution of tobacco smoke to the PAH contamination of milk: the condensate contained in the cigarettes smoked daily by each subject was strongly related with the polynuclear hydrocarbon content ( R 2 = 0.92, P < 0.005). An experiment carried out under controlled exposure conditions to cigarette smoke allowed to demonstrate that individual metabolic activity and smoking habits affect the PAH concentration in milk samples. Mothers living in rural environments showed significantly lower PAH concentrations than those observed in urban subjects. The risk evaluation due to PAH ingestion via breast milk was assessed on the basis of the acceptable daily intake of Benzo( a)pyrene in drinking water, evidencing that a hazard cannot be excluded for heavy smokers residing in urban areas.