Predictors of organochlorines in New York City pregnant women, 1998–2001

Organochlorine compounds (OCs) have been found widely in human tissues. However, levels have been rapidly declining since their virtual ban in the 1970s. We measured 1,1′-dichloro-2,2′-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and trans-nonachlor (TN) in 194 pregnant women in New York City and examined demographic and dietary predictors of their levels in serum. Serum OC levels were low (median μg/L: 0.64 DDE, 0.79 PCB); TN was largely below the level of detection (74%). In multivariate models, levels of OCs increased with age; DDE was higher in women not born in the US or Puerto Rico; PCB were higher in women who bought fresh fish and lower in those with higher body mass indices.