Determination of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Human Breast Milk and Their Health Effects

Breast milk, the primary source of nutrition for infants, contains the ideal combination of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, and provides immunological and other health benefits that protect against infections. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are lipophilic organic compounds that accumulate in adipose tissue after being assimilated by the mother from the environment. Infants can be exposed to POP through breast milk, making breastfeeding a significant source of exposure. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the numerous POPs that are contaminated in breast milk, the analytical techniques used to detect them in breast milk, and the potential health impacts of these pollutants on mothers through bioaccumulation and on infants through breastfeeding. Peer-reviewed articles published between 1989 and 2023 that covered several key features, including methodologies, health consequences, and other significant factors, were abstracted to assess the major results and research gaps. The majority of research investigated the relationship between POP concentrations in breast milk and socio-demographic variables. The studies revealed that several Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), and their derivatives and industrial by-products such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can contaminate breast milk, posing potential health risks to infants exposed to POPs through breast milk in many regions of the world.