Zetterström R
Department of Paediatrics, Karolinska Hospital Stockholm, Sweden.
Acta Paediatr Suppl. 1999 May;88(429):49-54. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1999.tb01290.x.
Environmental pollutants, which may occur in breast milk and in various food products and drinking water, and which are also transferred to the foetus, constitute a severe threat to the health of infants and children. Among such compounds, various organochlorines, such as pesticides for the control of parasites (DDTs, HCHs), and products of industry and agriculture, such as dioxins and dioxin-like compounds (PCBs), are much discussed, in addition to organic mercury and heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium. The consequences of acute exposure to PCB have been documented in Japan following the ingestion of rice oil contaminated by PCBs. In Sweden birthweight has been found to be reduced and the perinatal mortality rate higher than expected in regions with high consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea. In addition, from studies around Lake Michigan, it has been shown that children who have been exposed to PCBs in utero have retarded cognitive development. In the Aral Sea basin in Central Asia people have been subjected to long-term exposure to various pesticides, which have been distributed over the cotton fields in huge quantities. Organochlorines are resistant to breakdown in nature, thus they enter the food chain, eventually entering the human diet, and they may also be inhaled from dust. Such compounds accumulate in the foetus by placental transport and continue to do so postnatally if the infants are breastfed, as they may be present in high concentrations in human milk. The health of children living in the Aral Sea region is reported to be poor, with high morbidity and mortality and a high rate of chronic diseases and retarded mental and physical development. However, in addition to being subjected to environmental pollution, these children also suffer from health hazards related to poverty. Through epidemiological studies it may be possible to obtain information about to what extent exposure to environmental pollution from organochlorines contributes to the poor health of people living in the Aral Sea region.
环境污染物可能存在于母乳、各类食品和饮用水中，还会传递给胎儿，对婴幼儿的健康构成严重威胁。在这类化合物中，除了有机汞和铅、镉等重金属外，各种有机氯化合物备受关注，比如用于控制寄生虫的农药（滴滴涕、六六六），以及工农业产品，如二恶英和类二恶英化合物（多氯联苯）。在日本，曾有因摄入受多氯联苯污染的米糠油而导致急性多氯联苯暴露的记录。在瑞典，人们发现波罗的海高脂肪鱼类消费量大的地区，新生儿体重降低，围产期死亡率高于预期。此外，密歇根湖周边的研究表明，子宫内接触多氯联苯的儿童认知发育迟缓。在中亚的咸海流域，人们长期接触大量施用于棉田的各种农药。有机氯在自然环境中不易分解，从而进入食物链，最终进入人类饮食，还可能通过灰尘吸入。这类化合物通过胎盘转运在胎儿体内蓄积，如果婴儿进行母乳喂养，产后也会继续蓄积，因为它们可能在母乳中高浓度存在。据报道，咸海地区儿童健康状况不佳，发病率和死亡率高，慢性病发病率高，身心发育迟缓。然而，这些儿童除了遭受环境污染外，还面临与贫困相关的健康危害。通过流行病学研究，或许有可能了解有机氯环境污染在多大程度上导致了咸海地区居民健康状况不佳。
