Effects of perinatal exposure to PCBs and dioxins on early human development

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins are hazardous compounds, which are widespread in the environment. Several experimental animal studies and a few human studies have shown deleterious effects on different organ systems. Before this study was started it was well known that the PCB and dioxin levels in animal products and human milk samples from the Netherlands belong to the highest background levels in the world. This was the reason that the Program Committee Toxicology (PCT) in co-operation with the Dutch Health Research Promotion Program (SGO) developed a large project in which the possible harmful effects of perinatal exposure of humans to PCBs and dioxins were investigated. The clinical part of the study involving human volunteers (mother-infant pairs) was done by the Department of Pediatrics of the Sophia Children's Hospital and Erasmus University Rotterdam, and by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Developmental Neurology of the University Hospital Groningen. The animal experimental part of the study was done by the Department of Toxicology of the Agricultural University Wageningen, the Department of Biological Toxicology of TNO in Zeist, and the Department of Neurotoxicology of MBL-TNO in Rijswijk. PCB measurements in human plasma were done by the Institute for Toxicology and Food of TNO in Zeist, the PCB and dioxin levels in human milk were analysed by the State Institute for Quality Control of Agricultural Products (RIKILT) in Wageningen.