Aral Sea
Mothers and babies health threatened. 30 years of cotton monocultures: DDT and Lindane. Pesticides found in breastmilk and cordblood
15.03.2004 |Annemarie Mohr
WECF and its partner in the Aral Sea region have carried out a pilot study together with Prof. R. E. Boersma of the Medical University of Groningen, the European Laboratory for Nutrients and the Research Institute on Health and Environment RIVM, based in the Netherlands. For this research blood and mothermilk of 50 mother child pairs have been tested on toxic pollution with persistent pesticides, PCBs, dioxin.s and heavy metals.
The research shows a link between the high levels of infant and maternal mortality in the region and environmental pollution with certain chemicals.
The research project is part of a long-term study of the Medical University of Groningen on the health effects of PCBs and Organochlorine toxins on the health of children. Children in 5 different countries have been followed since their birth till the age of 6.
The research was printed in a medical journal and summarized:
"Interpretation. This pilot study indicates that current exposure pattern in Karakalpakstan during the pre- and postnatal period is dominated by the exposure of notably HCB, a-HCH, b- HCH, pp-DDE, pp-DDT and the most toxic dioxin 2,3,7,8 TCDD".
Download the full version of the Aral Sea Report (doc.).
Read more about the Aral Sea project.
