Contamination by PCBs and BFRs in Vietnamese Human Milk Associated with Recycling of E-waste

The present study investigated the human exposure to PCBs, PBDEs and HBCDs in three Vietnamese e-waste recycling sites (EWRS) using breast milk as bioindicator. The general contamination patterns followed the order of PCBs > PBDEs > HBCDs except for some recycling workers with higher levels of PBDEs than PCBs. Compared with the urban site, human exposure to PBDEs in two EWRS was significantly higher, up to two orders of difference for a number of recyclers. These highly PBDE-exposed individuals also had significantly higher levels of HBCDs than the urban population. In EWRS, PBDE and HBCD positively correlated with each other but not with PCBs, suggesting different sources of PCBs and BFRs. Levels of pentato deca-PCBs were found to be associated with consumption of lipid-rich food whereas levels of the lower PCB congeners and BFRs were related to recycling activities. Comparing the estimated daily intake of PBDEs with their reference doses, potential health risks associated with feeding mother milk were suggested for children of Bui Dau recycler mothers. To our knowledge, these preliminary results are the first to be reported on human exposure to BFRs related to e-waste recycling in Vietnam.