QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF PHTHALATES, BISPHENOLS, PARABENS, PYRETHROIDS, PAHs, POLAR PESTICIDES AND METALS IN BABY BOTTLES AND INFANT FORMULA, TO DEFINE THEIR ROLE AS EDCs IN THE LIFE MILCH PROJECT

ABSTRACT The Workshop has been organized with the patronage of UENPS (Union of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies), UMEMPS (Union of Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean Pediatric Societies), SIP (Italian Society of Pediatrics), SIN (Italian Society of Neonatology), SIAIP (Italian Society of Pediatric Allergology and Immunology), SI-DOHaD (Italian Society of DOHaD [Developmental Origins of Health and Disease]), SIBioC (Italian Society of Clinical Biochemistry), S.I.P.Ped. (Italian Society of Pediatric Psychology), IAPS (Italian Arabian Society of Pediatrics), IRPS (Italian Romanian Pediatric Society), RSP (Romanian Society of Pediatrics). LECT 40. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF PHTHALATES, BISPHENOLS, PARABENS, PYRETHROIDS, PAHs, POLAR PESTICIDES AND METALS IN BABY BOTTLES AND INFANT FORMULA, TO DEFINE THEIR ROLE AS EDCs IN THE LIFE MILCH PROJECT • A.M. Papini (Florence, Italy) The EFSA and ECHA guidance document described, in 2018, the substances with endocrine disrupting properties in pesticides and biocides [1]. According to this latest document, an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) is a substance showing an adverse effect also at very low concentration in an intact organism, having an endocrine mode of action, i.e., altering the function(s) of the endocrine system. EDCs are highly heterogeneous, ubiquitous, and present in everyday life. In fact, they are used in different industrial processes: bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates are used as plasticizers in plastics and/or food storage materials; parabens in cosmetic and pharmaceutical preservatives; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) in industrial solvents and their byproducts; metals (i.e. Pb, Cd) in children’s products; pesticides (chlorpyrifos, glyphosate) and insecticides (pyrethroids) are extensively used by farmers. Thus, monitoring the levels of these different EDCs in pregnant women and/or in children can be essential to understand the EDCs impact on the health of infants (general health status, cognitive development, metabolic regulation, development of intolerances and allergies, etc.). The amount of EDCs in breast milk/infant formula was widely documented in the literature, but often such studies focus on a single group or at most two groups of EDCs. Considering that multiple exposures result in cumulative effects and synergistic effects can also be observed, the aim of our study performed in the context of Life MILCH project [2] is to increase knowledge concerning correlation between exposure to EDCs and damage to health, in particular to reduce the impacts of these chemicals on infants’ health, helping also the EU to improve the knowhow on multiple exposures and cumulative effects. Currently, EU chemical regulations do not generally consider these cumulative effects, notably for EDCs exposures. With this idea in mind and considering our previous experience [3-5], we proposed a series of sensitive and rapid methods for measuring EDCs levels. Appropriate methods for simultaneous identification of different EDCs group were set up. In particular, 6 UPLC-MS/MS and 1 ICP-AES were set up for a total of 56 chemicals: 14 phthalates, 4 bisphenols, 11 PAHs, 7 parabens, glyphosate and its major metabolites, 3 pyrethroid insecticides, 15 metals. These methods were applied to the quantification of EDCs in infant food, including breast milk, infant formula, and baby bottles.