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High levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; up to 208 pg/g fat) were measured in samples of breast milk collected in 1997 from 64 donors [41 first-time mothers (primiparae)] living on state farms in southern Kazakhstan. TCDD was the major contributor (70%) to the toxic equivalents, matching the congener patterns found in breast milk a...
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... Higher half-life (7 years for TCDD) of dioxins, their lipophilicity, and molecular planarity make them more resistant to enzymatic degradation in the human system and therefore tend to accumulate in the fat storage areas of the body (Baccarelli et al., 2004;Chevrier et al., 2014;Hooper et al., 1999;Milbrath et al., 2009;Panteleyev & Bickers, 2006;WHO, 2016). International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified 2,3,7,8 TCDD as Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans) (IARC, 1997). ...
... Among the three routes, ingestion constitutes the primary entry route, especially for animal-origin foods (AOFs) (Hays & Aylward, 2003). Earlier studies confirmed the presence of dioxins in human breast milk, which will further lead to health risks in neonates (Giovannini et al., 2014;Hooper et al., 1999;Nghi et al., 2015). Advanced technological instrumentation like high-resolution gas chromatograph (HRGC) coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has resulted in a more accurate confirmatory analysis for determining dioxin in AOFs. ...
Dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls are a group of lipophilic compounds classified under persistent environmental pollutants (POPs). Significant sources of dioxin emissions include industrial effluents, open burning practices, and biomedical and municipal waste incinerators. These emissions will enter the food chain and accumulate in animal-origin foods (AOFs). A systematic review was conducted to analyze the global levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in AOFs using PRISMA guidelines 2020. The data on the dioxin contamination in AOFs were extracted from 53 publications based on their presence in eggs, meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, marine fish and fish products, and freshwater fish and crabs. A gap analysis was conducted based on the systematic review to understand the grey areas to be focused on the future. No trend of dioxin contamination in AOFs was observed. A significant gap area was found in the need for nationwide data generation in countries without periodic monitoring of AOFs for dioxin contamination. Source apportionment studies need to be explored for the dioxin contamination of AOFs. Large-scale screening tests of AOFs using DR-CALUX based on market surveys are required for data generation. The outcomes of the study will be helpful for stakeholders and policyholders in framing new policies and guidelines for food safety in AOFs.
... Many environmental pollutants have endocrine-disrupting effects, and among dioxin compounds, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodizenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is the most toxic, causing a variety of adverse effects, including carcinogenicity, immunosuppression, and reproductive toxicity (Clark et al., 1991;Giri, 1986;Ohsako et al., 2010). TCDD has also been detected in human breast milk and foods (Hooper et al., 1999;Ohta et al., 2004;Yang et al., 2002). One study reported that pregnant mice administered TCDD exhibited teratogenic effects in the pups, such as cleft palate and hydronephrosis (Mimura et al., 1997). ...
The immune system is sensitive to many chemicals. Among dioxin compounds, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodizenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is the most toxic environmental pollutant. The effects of perinatal maternal exposure to dioxins may persist into childhood. However, there have been no reports to date on the effects of exposure to dioxins during infancy, when the immune organs are developing. Therefore, we investigated the effects of TCDD and antigen exposure during lactation on immune function, especially antibody production capacity, in adult mice. Beginning the day after delivery, lactating mothers were orally administered TCDD or a mixture of TCDD and ovalbumin (OVA) daily for 4 weeks, until the pups were weaned. At 6 weeks of age, progeny mice were orally administered OVA daily for 10 weeks, while non-progeny mice were orally administered OVA or a mixture of TCDD and OVA daily for 10 weeks. Production of serum OVA-specific IgG was examined weekly. The amount of TCDD transferred from the mother to the progeny via breast milk was determined by measuring TCDD in the gastric contents of the progeny. A trend toward increasing IgA titer was observed in TCDD-treated mice, and production of IgE was observed only in progeny whose mothers were treated with TCDD and OVA. The results suggest that exposure to TCDD and OVA in breast milk can affect immune function in newborns.
... Полихлорированные дифенилы (ПХД), тяжелые металлы и пестициды широко распространены в воде, почве [17,22,25,29] и эти химические соединения попали в пищевую цепочку [15,17,25]. Пищевые продукты в республике Каракалпакстан (Узбекистан) [24] и республике Казахстан [21] высокие значения этих химических соединений (например, ДДЭ и ТХДД) были обнаружены в образцах (в баранине, яйцах и хлопковом масле). Кроме того, диоксины хлорорганических пестицидов (β-ГХЦГ, ДДТ, ДДЭ, ТХДД) были обнаружены в крови и грудном молоке жителей Каракалпакстана [15]. ...
The growing part of the population is the most sensitive to environmental factors, so it is important to study the features of physical development of children and adolescents born and living in extreme environmental conditions. In spring 2023, we conducted a somatometric examination of 1523 adolescents 14-15 years old living in different districts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. It was found that the total body dimensions of adolescents living in an ecologically unfavorable area are statistically lower than those of their peers living in ecologically "clean" areas. In adolescents examined in different neighborhoods, body mass index (BMI) is not differentiated by various deviations. Consequently, living in certain areas of the Aral Sea region is not a factor contributing to underweight or overweight.
... Furthermore, studies on body burdening pollutants have shown traces of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) chemicals in the blood plasma of pregnant women [34]. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and persistent organic compound (POC) also have been found in breast milk [35]. The blood lipid among children in the study region contained DDT and HCH, typical organochlorine compounds' representatives [36]. ...
Once one of the largest saline lakes, the Aral Sea, was recognized as a significant environmental disaster as the water level decreased dramatically. Water level decrease increases water salinity, affecting biodiversity. Exposed lake beds become the source for fine dust picked up by the dust storms and spread across a long distance, affecting people’s health in surrounding areas. This review paper attempts to evaluate the potential links between the Aral Sea shrinking and the existing health issues in the case of Kazakhstan. The literature-based research revealed that the population of the Aral Sea basin region has been suffering from exposure to various pollutant residues for a long time. There is an apparent increase in morbidity and mortality rates in the region, especially in people suffering from chronic illness. Furthermore, the catastrophic desiccation of the Aral Sea has led to the sharp deterioration in living conditions and negative trends in the socio-economic situation of the region’s population. While the dust storms spread the polluted salts from the exposed bottom across the Aral Sea region, specific contaminants define the relevance and importance of public health problems linked to the basin rather than the Aral Sea drying process. There is, however, no clear evidence that associated dust storms are the only primary source of the deterioration of people’s health. Moreover, One Health approach seems to play a crucial role in achieving better outcomes in the health of people and the health of the environment.
... 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a typical immunosuppressive pollutant, has been confirmed to disturb the immune system in many model organisms by inhibiting host resistance to infection (Ross et al., 1996), suppressing humoral (Kaplan et al., 2011) and cell-mediated immune responses (Kerkvliet, 1995;Mustafa et al., 2011), promoting inflammation (Mustafa et al., 2011), and impairing natural killer (NK) cell activity and T lymphocyte function/development (Kerkvliet et al., 1996;Ross et al., 1996) etc. Despite of the strict control, TCDD that released from waste incineration, industrial processing and the soil and sediment contaminated by the past use of pesticides (Huang et al., 2015;Lv et al., 2011;Masho and Tohyama, 2003), was discovered in environmental, food and even human samples (serum, milk, and urine) (Hooper et al., 1999;Schecter et al., 2003;Young and Newton, 2004). Moreover, the highest detected concentration in serum from special populations, under occupational or accidental exposure, could be close to 3 μM (Halperin et al., 1998;Pelclova et al., 2011). ...
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a well-known immunotoxic environmental pollutant. However, most immunotoxicology studies of TCDD were based on the animal models and the inner mechanisms have just focused on a few genes/proteins. In this study, the immune functions of THP-1-derived macrophages was measured with in-vitro bioassays after 24-hour exposure of TCDD including environmentally relevant concentrations. RNA-seq and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis were used to characterize the immunotoxicity molecular mechanisms. Our study is the first report on the TCDD-induced effects of cell adhesion, morphology, and multiple cytokines/chemokines production on THP-1 macrophages. After TCDD treatment, we observed an inhibited cell adherence, probably attributed to the suppressed mRNA levels of adhesion molecules ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and CD11b, and a decrease in cell pseudopodia and expression of F-actin. The inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-10 and other 8 cytokines/chemokines regulating granulocytes/T cells and angiogenesis were disrupted by TCDD. Alternative splicing event was found to be a sensitive target for TCDD. Using WGCNA, we identified 10 hub genes (TNF, SRC, FGF2, PTGS2, CDH2, GNG11, BDNF, WNT5A, CXCR5 and RUNX2) highly relevant to these observed phenotypes, suggesting AhR less important in the effects TCDD have on THP-1 macrophages than in other cells. Our findings broaden the understanding of TCDD immunotoxicity on macrophages and provide new potential targets for clarifying the molecular mechanisms.
... Vegetarian and vegan diets are associated with major risk of nutritional deficiencies compared to omnivorous one, but update evidences highlight that if adequately supplemented, vegetarian and vegan diets could be considered safe for mothers and the offspring health during pregnancy and lactation [9, 149,150]. Plant-based diets have been reported to contain more folate, fiber, antioxidants, and carotenoids and less saturated fatty acids, protein, and cholesterol [151], on the other hand, a low content of essential micronutrients especially in terms of iron, zinc, vitamin B12 [152], vitamin D, omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids, calcium, and iodine has been described inn vegetarian diet [153]. For this reason, micronutrient deficiencies might not be underestimated [149]. ...
The benefits of human milk for both mother and infant are widely acknowledged. Human milk could represent a link between maternal and offspring health. The triad mother-breast milk-infant is an interconnected system in which maternal diet and lifestyle might have effects on infant’s health outcome. This link could be in part explained by epigenetics, even if the underlining mechanisms have not been fully clarified yet. The aim of this paper is to update the association between maternal diet and human milk, pointing out how maternal diet and lifestyle could be associated with breast-milk composition, hence with offspring’s health outcome.
... However, it can help us to imagine the scale of the problem with DL PCBs contamination in Mangystau Region, particularly at certain sites, such as Tauchik, Baskuduk, and Kuryk. Hooper, Chuvakova et al. (1999) observed high levels of TCDD in food in areas where pesticides are applied in the cotton-growing region of southern Kazakhstan, and daily intake by women reached 175 pg WHO-TEQ per day (2.5 pg WHO-TEQ kg -1 of body weight for a person weighing 70kg). The mean value for daily intake of PCDD/Fs and DL PCBs from camel milk in our study is close to that level and the median value exceeds one quarter of that level. ...
... The mean value for daily intake of PCDD/Fs and DL PCBs from camel milk in our study is close to that level and the median value exceeds one quarter of that level. For the sample from Tauchik, the daily intake of dioxin-like compounds in camel milk is almost double the daily intake of these compounds by women from the cotton-growing region of southern Kazakhstan (Hooper, Chuvakova et al. 1999). The difference is in the prevalence of chemicals in total WHO-TEQ: DL PCBs prevail in camel milk samples from the Mangystau Region (see Table 11), while PCDD/Fs prevailed in the study by Hooper, Chuvakova et al. (1999) from the cotton-growing region. ...
... For the sample from Tauchik, the daily intake of dioxin-like compounds in camel milk is almost double the daily intake of these compounds by women from the cotton-growing region of southern Kazakhstan (Hooper, Chuvakova et al. 1999). The difference is in the prevalence of chemicals in total WHO-TEQ: DL PCBs prevail in camel milk samples from the Mangystau Region (see Table 11), while PCDD/Fs prevailed in the study by Hooper, Chuvakova et al. (1999) from the cotton-growing region. ...
Mangystau Region is among the parts of Kazakhstan with large oil and mining activities where the toxic
legacy “hot spots” from the country’s Soviet era can be found. Toxic contamination of food represents
one of the major challenges in designing a sustainable future for the region. Nurseitova, Konuspayeva et
al. (2016) recently tried to assess the risks of toxic contamination in Kazakhstan for livestock production
as a food source and concluded that „the assessment of contamination risk is not yet known in the situation
of Kazakhstan“. Arnika, EcoMuseum and CINEST too found serious gaps in knowledge about the
level of food contamination, particularly by PCBs, PCDD/Fs, and PAHs, in Kazakhstan. We believe that
this study, together with previous reports published by Arnika, EcoMuseum and CINEST (Arnika, AWHHE
et al. 2015, Arnika, EcoMuseum et al. 2015), contributes to an overall evaluation of toxic contamination
risks in certain regions of Kazakhstan.
In this study, we have focused on camel milk contamination as it is a significant part of the diet in
Mangystau Region which is the main target area of the project ‘‘Enforcing citizens’ rights and public participation in decision making on environmental issues – practical implementation of Aarhus Convention
in Mangystau’’.
Levels of PCDD/Fs and heavy metals, with exception of zinc level in the sample from Kyzyl Tube, we have
found were lower than the levels reported by the previous broader studies led by Ghaukar Konuspayeva
in cooperation with other scientists (Konuspayeva, Faye et al. 2009, Konuspayeva, Faye et al. 2011,
Konuspayeva, Jurjanz et al. 2011, Konuspayeva, Faye et al. 2011 a). Levels of both DL and NDL PCBs
were much higher in our samples than the results published for samples collected in the wider area of
Kazakhstan (Konuspayeva, Faye et al. 2011, Konuspayeva, Faye et al. 2011 a), the same applying for PAHs
(Konuspayeva, Jurjanz et al. 2011). From the point of view of associated health risks assessed through
the dietary intake of discussed groups of chemicals, most significantly they come from exposure to DL
PCBs followed by the indicator PCBs (see section 4.2.5), while the health risk from exposure to PAHs
contained in camel milk is low as most dangerous PAH congeners do not accumulate in the milk of ruminants
due to their specific metabolism. Attention should also be paid to the zinc levels in camel milk from
Kyzyl Tube and Baskuduk. Exposure to other heavy metals, OCPs, and PCDD/Fs from the consumption of
camel milk in the Mangystau Region found by this study was low due to the relatively low levels of these
chemicals in camel milk/shubat samples collected at the six selected localities. However, limitations of
this study should be taken into account in the overall evaluation of the situation in Mangystau Region.
Worrying levels of PCBs also raise questions regarding the full inventory of PCBs sources in Kazakhstan
followed by their destruction and remediation of contaminated sites, given that the most likely sources
of contamination of camel milk are the obsolete stockpiles of PCBs and sites contaminated by PCBs, e.g.
capacitors with PCB oils
... For example, Weiss et al. (2003) compared three different cohorts, each consisting of 12 women who were nursing their new child; however the samples were pooled within each cohort so no individual data were available. Hooper et al. (1999) suggested that the TCDD off-loading rates from two nursing mothers were between 4 and 5 pg/g of lipid per month of nursing (Hooper et al. 1999). ...
... For example, Weiss et al. (2003) compared three different cohorts, each consisting of 12 women who were nursing their new child; however the samples were pooled within each cohort so no individual data were available. Hooper et al. (1999) suggested that the TCDD off-loading rates from two nursing mothers were between 4 and 5 pg/g of lipid per month of nursing (Hooper et al. 1999). ...
On July 10, 1976, an explosion at a chemical plant in Seveso, Italy, released up to 30kg of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-the most potent dioxin congener. Twenty years later, the Seveso Women's Health Study (SWHS) initiated a follow-up assessment of a cohort of female Seveso residents. Researchers collected serial blood, measured for TCDD levels, and recorded information about the women's medical history after the explosion. The study's aims were to: 1) modify the human PBPK model for TCDD (Emond et al. 2004; Emond et al. 2005; NCEA-USEPA, 2010) to include repetitive gestation and lactation; 2) simulate TCDD blood concentrations during different life stages including pregnancy and lactation, under different exposure scenarios; and 3) use this PBPK model to compare the influence of gestation and lactation on elimination of TCDD. After optimization of the model, it was assessed using data from the SWHS cohort. The 23 women in Subcohort A, were 4-39years old and in Subcohort B, the 18 women were 3-17years old when the explosion occurred. The model accurately predicted the blood concentrations during the 20years post-exposure, including periods of pregnancy and lactation. The model was also used to analyze the contribution of gestation and lactation to the mother's elimination of TCDD. The results suggest that gestation and lactation do not significantly impact TCDD blood elimination. Future efforts will focus on using additional data to evaluate the PBPK model and improving the mathematical descriptions of lactation and multiple gestations.
... In other countries, the detectable dioxin concentrations , in terms of chemical-TEQ (C-TEQ), have been 9.6–35 pg/g fat (PCDD/PCDF) in Sweden (Glynn et al. 2001), 9.9–48.5 pg/g fat (PCDD/PCDF/CoPCB) in Japan (Nakagawa et al. 1999), 16–40.2 pg/g fat (PCDD/PCDF) in the Republic of Uzbekistan (Ataniyazova et al. 2001), 21– 53 pg/g fat (PCDD/PCDF) in agricultural regions of southern Kazakhstan (Hooper et al. 1999), and5.9–17.1 pg/ g fat (PCDD/PCDF) in Spain (Schuhmacher et al. 1999). LaKind et al. (2001) reported a review of worldwide-data on C-TEQs (PCDD/PCDF) in breast milk. ...
The term “dioxins” is often used in a confusing way. In toxicological considerations—and also in the present report—the term
is used to designate the PCDDs, the PCDFs and the coplanar (“dioxin-like”) PCBs, since these classes of compounds show the
same type of toxicity. Because of the large number of congeners, relevant individual congeners are assigned with a toxic equivalency
factor (TEF) that relate their toxicity to that of tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) (2,3,7,8-TCDD) and are to be evaluated as dioxins. Each concentration of an individual congener in a mixture
is multiplied with its TEF, and the resulting TCDD equivalents are added up and expressed as WHO-endorsed toxic equivalents
(WHO-TEQ). Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are mainly the by-products of industrial processes (such as metallurgical
processing, bleaching of paper pulp, and the manufacturing of some herbicides and pesticides) but they can also result from
natural processes like volcanic eruptions and forest fires. Waste incineration, particularly if combustion is incomplete,
is among the largest contributors to the release of PCDDs and PCDFs into the environment. Due to their persistence, PCDDs,
PCDFs and PCBs are part of the so-called persistent organic pollutants group of compounds that also include some chlorinated
pesticides. Since they have a high lipophilicity and resist transformation, they bio-accumulate in animal and human adipose
tissues. Consumption of food is considered as the major source of non-occupational human exposure to PCDD/Fs with foodstuffs
from animal origin accounting for more than 90% of the human body burden. With meat, dairy, and fish products being the main
contributors. The aim of the present review was to summarize experimental data regarding dioxin emissions from contaminated
and uncontaminated biological and environmental samples, from the available literature. The information will be presented
chronologically with respect to distribution in human milk, serum; food, water, air, soils and sediments.
... Both values would exceed the WHO tolerable daily intake (TDI) (1-4 pg TEQ/kg body wt/day) (67) by at least 25 and 11 times, respectively. Assuming that 90% of the ingested dioxins are absorbed (68), the infant's exposure would still be serious. The WHO TDI includes the exposure to dioxin-like PCBs; thus, the EDI for TZ infants might underestimate the risk. ...
This study is one of the very few investigating the dioxin body burden of a group of child-bearing-aged women at an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site (Taizhou, Zhejiang Province) (24 +/- 2.83 years of age, 40% were primiparae) and a reference site (Lin'an city, Zhejiang Province, about 245 km away from Taizhou) (24 +/- 2.35 years of age, 100% were primiparae) in China. Five sets of samples (each set consisted of human milk, placenta, and hair) were collected from each site. Body burdens of people from the e-waste processing site (human milk, 21.02 +/- 13.81 pg WHO-TEQ1998/g fat (World Health Organization toxic equivalency 1998); placenta, 31.15 +/- 15.67 pg WHO-TEQ1998/g fat; hair, 33.82 +/- 17.74 pg WHO-TEQ1998/g dry wt) showed significantly higher levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/ Fs) than those from the reference site (human milk, 9.35 +/- 7.39 pg WHO-TEQ1998/g fat; placenta, 11.91 +/- 7.05 pg WHO-TEQ1998/g fat; hair, 5.59 +/- 4.36 pg WHO-TEQ1998/g dry wt) and were comparatively higher than other studies. The difference between the two sites was due to e-waste recycling operations, for example, open burning, which led to high background levels. Moreover, mothers from the e-waste recycling site consumed more foods of animal origin. The estimated daily intake of PCDD/Fs within 6 months by breastfed infants from the e-waste processing site was 2 times higher than that from the reference site. Both values exceeded the WHO tolerable daily intake for adults by at least 25 and 11 times, respectively. Our results implicated that e-waste recycling operations cause prominent PCDD/F levels in the environment and in humans. The elevated body burden may have health implications for the next generation.
