Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate levels of pentabromodiphenyl ether (PBDEs) in breast milk samples from healthy mothers who had lived in Riyadh for the last 5 years. METHODS: In this cross sectional study, 75 samples were collected and were extracted, cleaned by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and PBDEs analysis was done using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Total PBDEs (∑PBDEs) ranged from 0.2 to 3.6 ng/g lipid weight (lw). BDE-47, -153, -99, and -209 were the dominant congeners. The mothers in this study consumed more meat (69%), followed by the egg (50%), and milk (36%). The majority of donors consumed fish (44%) and egg (33%) 2 times per week. The majority of the participating mothers had completed higher education (68%). All PBDE congeners were detected in the human breast milk samples with high detection frequency (98%). The dominant congener was BDE 47, accounting more than 39% of all BDE congeners, followed by BDE-99 and BDEs 153 which accounted for18% and 12% of the total BDE congeners respectively. CONCLUSION: Higher rates of meat and poultry consumption were positively associated with higher breast milk levels of ∑PBDEs. The significant levels of PBDEs that occur in the meat and poultry reared in Saudi Arabia need further investigation especially as Saudis among largest consumers of poultry meat.