Quantification of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Commercial Cows' Milk from California by Gas Chromatography-Triple Quadruple Mass Spectrometry

PLoS One. 2017 Jan 13;12(1):e0170129. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170129. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

We determined 12 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and 19 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners in eight different brands of commercial whole milk (WM) and fat free milk (FFM) produced and distributed in California. Congeners were extracted using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) method, purified by gel permeation chromatography, and quantified using gas chromatography-triple quadruple mass spectrometry. PBDEs and PCBs were detected in all FFM and WM samples. The most prevalent PBDE congeners in WM were BDE-47 (geometric mean: 18.0 pg/mL, 0.51 ng/g lipid), BDE-99 (geometric mean: 9.9 pg/mL, 0.28 ng/g lipid), and BDE-49 (geometric mean: 6.0 pg/mL, 0.17 ng/g lipid). The dominant PCB congeners in WM were PCB-101(geometric mean: 23.6 pg/mL, 0.67 ng/g lipid), PCB-118 (geometric mean: 25.2 pg/mL, 0.72 ng/g lipid), and PCB-138 (geometric mean: 25.3 pg/mL, 0.72 ng/g lipid). The sum of all 19 PCB congeners in FFM and WM were several orders of magnitude below the U.S. FDA tolerance. The sum of PBDEs in milk samples suggest close proximity to industrial emissions, and confirm previous findings of elevated PBDE levels in California compared to other regions in the United States.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • California
  • Cattle
  • Endocrine Disruptors / analysis*
  • Environmental Pollutants / analysis*
  • Food Contamination*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / analysis*
  • Limit of Detection
  • Milk / chemistry*
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls / analysis*
  • United States
  • United States Food and Drug Administration

Substances

  • Endocrine Disruptors
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls