Intake and fecal excretion of PCDDs, PCDFs, HCB and PCBs (138, 153, 180) in a breast-fed and a formula-fed infant.

Intake and fecal excretion of PCDDs, PCDFs, HCB and PCBs (IUPAC Nos. 138, 153, 180) were measured in a breast-fed and a formula-fed infant at the age of 1 and 5 months. As expected, the intake of these compounds was clearly higher in the breast-fed infant. In this baby an almost complete absorption was observed for lower chlorinated PCDDs and PCDFs and also for HCB and PCBs, whereas for hepta- and octachlorinated PCDDs and PCDFs fecal excretion was considerably higher (from 20% up to nearly 100% of the intake). Due to low concentrations in diet and feces of the formula-fed infant an evaluation was possible only for a few compounds at the age of 5 months. These values were in the same range when compared with those of the breast-fed infant. For collection of feces new cotton diapers were used which were pre-extracted in order to reduce the levels of polychlorinated compounds. Unexpectedly, after washing the tissue a much higher contamination was observed which made a calculation of fecal excretion rates in the formula-fed infant at the age of 1 month impossible.