The LIFE-MILCH study: first data on the exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in urine and breast milk (BM) from end of pregnancy to 12 months of life

Introduction: The ongoing LIFE-MILCH project (www.lifemilch.eu) focuses on detecting EDCs in mothers, in BM and in urine, and in infants from birth up to 12 months of age studying relationships with neurodevelopment, growth, distribution of adiposity, pubertal stages, ano-genital distances, life-style and professional sources of exposure (questionnaires) to establish a risk assessment model to prepare safety guidelines to optimize all benefits related with breastfeeding and preserve future health. Objective: To evaluate exposure to EDCs in mother’s and infant’s urine and in BM. Methods: These preliminary data are relative to 200/654 mother-infant dyads enrolled in Parma, Reggio Emilia and Cagliari, in Italy. Urine samples were collected and analyzed at recruitment/birth (T0), 1 (T1), 3 (T2) and 6 months (T3) in both the mothers and infants. BM was collected at T1, T2 and T3. In all biological samples bisphenol (BP) A, BPS, BPF, phthalates (PHTs) and their metabolites (dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthtalate (BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), monobutyl phthtalate (MBP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-oxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHOP)), parabens (PBs) (butylPB, isobutylPB), pesticides (glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid, glufosinate) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs), pyrethroids insecticides, and heavy metals were measured by LC-MS. Results: BPs were detected in 85,7% of the mother’s samples at T0, in 96,7% at T1, in 93,4% at T2. BPA was ubiquitous in mother’s urine and milk, at all times, and was detected in 32,1% of newborn’s urine, in 55,4% at T1, and increased at T2 and T3. BPS was detected in mother’s and infant’s urine and in BM at all times; BPS was detected in the newborns. Among PHTs, DBP was detected in 80% of BM samples at all times. MBP was detectable in 80% of mother’s urine samples at T0, and above 90% at all other times. BBP was detectable in BM only in 24,2% of samples at T1 and in 53,3% at T3. DEHP metabolites were found in urine and BM at all times. MBP was detectable in 85,4% of infant’s urine samples at birth and findings were similar at the following time points. PBs were almost absent in mother’s samples, but were detectable in infant’s urine samples and iBuPB reached a detection rate of 53,3% at T2. Heavy metals were not found. Conclusion: EDCs are present in BM, maternal and infant’s urine samples with some differences in exposure. Increasing awareness and prevention campaigns are of utmost importance.