Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Samples from Polish Lactating Women. Exposure Assessment and the Correlations Between Pollution Content and Data from the Medical Questionnaire

Chemical substances used in various industrial applications can pose serious environmental risks. Among them, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are of particular concern. These compounds have been detected in both environmental and biological samples, including human breast milk. In this study, seven PCBs (PCB 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180) were quantified in 67 breast milk samples from lactating mothers residing in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region of Poland. Quantification was performed using previously optimized and validated methods involving the QuEChERS technique and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The highest total PCB (ΣPCB) concentration observed was 732.79 ng/g lipid weight (lw), with a mean ΣPCB concentration of 118.90 ng/g lw across all samples. The study also explored associations between PCB concentrations, breast milk nutrient composition, lactation stage, parity, and other maternal and infant characteristics obtained from questionnaire data. These findings provide preliminary insights into factors that may be associated with PCB levels in breast milk and underscore the need for continued biomonitoring in larger, well-characterized populations.