Environmental Health in Israel | 2014

Data on Human Biomonitoring in Israel Between 2010 and 2013 there were two major biomonitoring studies conducted in Israel: Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Breast Milk The study was conducted by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MoEP) as part of the World Health Organization (WHO) coordinated survey on POPs in breast milk. In 2012 breast milk was collected from 52 women who delivered at three hospitals in the central region of Israel and one pooled sample was analyzed for over 50 POPs including polybrominated dioxins and furans and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants). The major findings were:  Levels of indicator compounds (chlordanes, DDT compounds, hexachlorocyclohexanes, and PCBs) were comparable to and mostly lower than those reported in European countries.  Concentrations of indicator compounds declined significantly since 1982, with the decrease likely attributable to restrictions on agricultural, industrial, and other uses of many POPs in Israel. Persistent Organic Pollutants in Breast Milk in Israel, 1982 and 2012*  Figure 1 Source: Israeli Ministry of Health (8,9,10,11) Environmental Health in Israel 2014  Chapter 8 * Sum indicators for PCBs in 1982 assumed comparable to those in 2012. 1982 2012 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) 1700 1900 2300 2100 2000 2400 1800 2200 2500 100 500 900 1300 300 700 1100 1500 200 600 1000 1400 400 800 1200 1600 0 (1) Lipid content (%) (4) p,p’-DDE (7) beta-HCH (2) Oxy-chlordane (5) p,p’-DDT (8) gama-HCH (3) Trans-nonachlor (6) Hexachlorobenzene (9) indicator PCBs^ ng/g lipid wt - 58 -