Meconium: A Matrix Reflecting Potential Fetal Exposure to Organochlorine Pesticides and Its Metabolites

This study investigated the suitability of meconium as a matrix to reflect potential fetal exposure to organochlorine and its metabolites. With GC/MS methods, the process for separating and extracting meconium was explored repeatedly. The internal standard method and external standard method were introduced, and the ideal calibration curve (r=0.9885) for p,p′-DDE measurement was obtained with good validity and feasibility. Sixty samples collected during 1997–1998 from the Gynecological and Obstetrical Hospital, University of Rostock, were analyzed. We found three p,p′-DDE-positive samples and confirmed the results with mass spectrometry. Our findings, the first reported in the world, show that there exist residues organochlorine pesticide residue is present in human meconium 25 years after the use of organochlorine ceased. These results suggest that the pollution with organochlorine pesticides is a long-term global public health problem.