Human Exposure to Halogenated Aromatic Compounds

Rogan, W J.

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the DDT/DDE (DDE is the stored metabolite of DDT) family are toxic, widespread pollutants. Both pass from mother to child through the placenta and by contaminating breast milk. This project includes a study of subjects exposed to low levels of both compounds in North Carolina, a study in Mexico where levels of DDE are two to five times higher, and a study of persons poisoned by PCBs in Taiwan. PCBs and DDE can cause long term induction of steroid metabolizing enzymes. In North Carolina, we have collected data on onset of puberty in a cohort of children we have followed since 1978. In Mexico, in a preliminary analysis, we found that women who have higher levels of DDE in breast milk have shorter lactations, and we are finishing detailed analyses of those data. This is similar to what we found previously in North Carolina, and may be a result of the estrogenicity of o,p-DDE, since estrogens decrease milk volume. In Taiwan, an epidemic of 2000 cases of PCB poisoning occurred in 1979. We have completed follow-up of about 90% of the cohort, and have begun mortality analyses.

Funding Agency

• Agency: National Institute of Health (NIH)
• Institute: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
• Type: Intramural Research (Z01)
• Project #: 1Z01ES043002-17
• Application #: 3777507
• Support Year: 17
• Fiscal Year: 1993

Institution

• Name: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
• Country: United States

Publications

Chen, Aimin; Pennell, Michael L; Klebanoff, Mark A et al. (2006) Maternal smoking during pregnancy in relation to child overweight: follow-up to age 8 years. Int J Epidemiol 35:121-30

Chen, Aimin; Zhang, Jun; Zhou, Lifeng et al. (2005) DDT serum concentration and menstruation among young Chinese women. Environ Res 99:397-402

Rogan, Walter J; Chen, Aimin (2005) Health risks and benefits of bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane (DDT). Lancet 366:763-73

Chen, Aimin; Rogan, Walter J (2004) Breastfeeding and the risk of postneonatal death in the United States. Pediatrics 113:e435-9

Chen, Aimin; Rogan, Walter J (2003) Nonmalarial infant deaths and DDT use for malaria control. Emerg Infect Dis 9:960-4

Longnecker, Matthew P; Wolff, Mary S; Gladen, Beth C et al. (2003) Comparison of polychlorinated biphenyl levels across studies of human neurodevelopment. Environ Health Perspect 111:65-70

Rogan, Walter J; Ragan, N Beth (2003) Evidence of effects of environmental chemicals on the endocrine system in children. Pediatrics 112:247-52

Rice, Carol; Birnbaum, Linda S; Cogliano, James et al. (2003) Exposure assessment for endocrine disruptors: some considerations in the design of studies. Environ Health Perspect 111:1683-90

Lai, Te-Jen; Liu, Xianchen; Guo, Yueliang Leon et al. (2002) A cohort study of behavioral problems and intelligence in children with high prenatal polychlorinated biphenyl exposure. Arch Gen Psychiatry 59:1061-6

Liu, X; Sun, Z; Neiderhiser, J M et al. (2001) Behavioral and emotional problems in Chinese adolescents: parent and teacher reports. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 40:828-36