| Abstract |
Samples of mother's milk were collected from Bayonne, NJ; Jersey City, NJ; Pittsburgh, PA; Baton Rouge, LA; and Charleston, WV, and analyzed for volatile (purgeables) and semivolatile (extractable) organics using glass capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/computer. In the volatile fraction, 26 halogenated hydrocarbons, 17 aldehydes, 20 ketones, 11 alcohols, 2 acids, 3 ethers, 1 epoxide, 14 furans, 26 other oxygenated compounds, 4 sulfur-containing compounds, 7 nitrogen-containing compounds, 13 alkanes, 12 alkenes, 7 alkynes, 11 cyclic hydrocarbons, and 15 aromatics were found, including major peaks for hexanal, limonene, dichlorobenzene, and some esters. The levels of dichlorobenzene appeared to be significantly higher in the samples from Jersey City and Bayonne than in samples from other sites. Jersey City samples also appeared to have significantly higher levels of tetrachloroethylene. Charleston and Jersey City samples appeared to have significantly higher levels of chloroform; however, chloroform was observed in the blanks at about 20% of that in the samples. Due to the small sample size and lack of control over the solicitation of sample donors, the data cannot be used to extrapolate to the general population. Fewer semivolatile compounds of interest were found. Polychlorinated naphthalenes, polybrominated biphenyls, chlorinated phenols, and other compounds were specifically sought and not detected (limit of detection about 20-100 ng/mL milk). Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and DDE were found. |
