ECEESPE2025 Poster Presentations Environmental Endocrinology (20 abstracts)
The LIFE-MILCH project: exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in breast milk samples from the risk assessment model
Maria Street 1 , Annalisa Pelosi 1 , Anna-Mariia Shulhai 1 , Francesca Alberghi 2 , Maria Maddalena Brambilla 1 , Veronica Buia 2 , Cecilia Catellani 2 , Emanuela Davolio 2 , Marta Fontana 2 , Francesca Nuti 3 , Silvia Paterlini 1 , Feliciana Real Fernandez 4 , Beatrice Righi 2 , Cecilia Rotteglia 2 , Chiara Sartori 2 , Chiara Scopa 1 , Alessandro De Fanti 2 , Vassilios Fanos 5 , Anna Maria Papini 3 & Paola Palanza 1
1University of Parma, Medicine and Surgery, Parma, Italy; 2Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy; 3Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy; 4ICCOM-CNR, Florence, Italy; 5Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
JOINT758
Introduction: The LIFE-MILCH project (www. lifemilch. eu) investigates exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals(EDCs) in mother-infant dyads during the first year of life. By analyzing EDC levels in breast milk(BM) and in mothers and infant urine samples, the study explores associations with neurodevelopment, growth, adiposity, pubertal stages, and genital features in infants. The first goal was to develop a risk assessment model to guide safety guidelines to optimize breastfeeding benefits while protecting long-term health. Here, we present data on exposure to EDCs in BM during the first 6 months of life.
Methods: We report data on 264/654 BM samples from the risk assessment model, enrolled in Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Cagliari in Italy. Healthy mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies were enrolled at 36-41 weeks of gestation. BM was collected at 1(T1), 3(T2), and 6 months(T3) after delivery. In all BM samples EDCs were measured by UPLC-MS/MS. Values were normalized to the blank; data > LOQ were further normalized for dilution. The analysis followed EFSA 2010 indications. Overall, Bisphenols (4congeners), Phthalates (PHTs) (14congeners), Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (11congeners), Parabens (7congeners), Pesticides (3congeners), and two pyrethroids have been assayed.
Results: The most relevant and persistent bisphenol was BPA, detected in 60. 0% of samples at T1 and in 51. 0% at T3. BPS was detected in 14. 2% of samples at T1 and in 18. 8% at T3. In all samples, PTHs were ubiquitously high:DBP was detected in 88. 1% of BM samples at T1, in 95. 8% at T2, and in 86. 1% at T3; DEP and MEP were detectable in 46. 9% and 31. 5% of samples at T1, and in 55. 9% and 24. 5% at T3; BBP increased from 19. 2% at T1 to 33. 9% at T3. DMP, MnOP, MBP, and MEHP were detectable in over 28% of samples at all time points. In contrast, MEOHP, MBzP, MMP, and MEHHP halved at T3 compared to T1. DEHP, DnOP, and PAHs, except the indenopyrene, were subtly detectable. Parabens were variably detected, with MePB and EtPB increasing from 47. 3% and 34. 6% at T1 to 55. 9% and 51. 8% at T3. Pesticides and pyrethroids were scarcely detected. Preliminary data showed no associations of EDCs with length, weight, head, and abdominal circumferences during the first 6 months of life.
Conclusion: Preliminary exposure data confirmed that BM contains numerous EDCs from the environment. Further research is warranted to understand the effects on health. This project will follow children over time to evaluate the influence of real-life exposure to multiple EDCs on health outcomes.
Volume 110
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Endocrine Abstracts
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