Monitoring of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, dioxin-like PCBs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in food and feed samples from Ismailia city, Egypt

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been determined using GC/HRMS in food (butter, seafood and meat) and feed samples (chicken, cattle and fish) purchased from Ismailia city, Egypt. PCDD/F concentrations in food samples ranged between 0.12 and 3.35 pg WHO TEQ/g wet w, while those in feed samples were between 0.08 and 0.2 pg WHO TEQ/g dry w. Levels of PCB TEQ ranged from 0.14 to 3.2 pg/g wet w in the food samples. The feed samples have an average of 0.35 pg PCB TEQ /g dry w. In this study, butter samples showed the highest contamination levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs. The PCBs contribution to the total TEQ was on average 63% in seafood and on average 49% for meat and butter. The highest contamination levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were found in butter samples. The butter TEQ content is several times higher than that reported in all EU countries and exceeded the EU limits, while the PCDD/F levels in seafood and the feed samples is far below the current EU limit. Generally, congener profiles in the food samples reflect the non-industrialized nature of the city and suggest solid waste burning as a significant source of emission. Nevertheless, the profiles for butter suggest an impact from various sources. In the case of the sum of 16 PAH contamination levels in food samples were in the range of 11.7-154.3 ng/g wet w and feed samples had a range of 116-393 ng/g dry w. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) has been detected in the range of 0.05-3.29 ng/g wet w in the food samples; butter showed the highest contamination which exceeded the EU standard set for fats and oil. Fingerprints of PAHs suggested both petrogenic and pyrolytic sources of contamination.     

Levels and congener distributions of PCDDs,PCDFs and non-ortho PCBs in Belgian foodstuffs--assessment of dietary intake

Congener-specific analyses of 7 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), 10 polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and 4 non-ortho (coplanar) polychlorinated biphenyls (cPCBs) were performed on 197 foodstuffs samples of animal origin from Belgium during years 2000 and 2001. All investigated matrices (except horse) present background levels lower than the Belgian non-commercialization value of 5 pg TEQ/g fat. Pork was the meat containing the lowest concentration of both PCDD/Fs and cPCBs. The mean background concentration of 2,3,7,8-TCDD toxicity equivalent in milk was 1.1 pg/g of fat, with a congener distribution typical of non-contaminated milk. The relative contribution of 2,3,7,8-TCDD, 2,3,7,8-TCDF, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD and 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF to the PCDD/Fs TEQ was 85+/-7.9% for all investigated matrices. The cPCBs contribution to the total TEQ was 47+/-19.0% for products of terrestrial species and 69+/-20.0% for aquatic species. Once the contribution of cPCBs was added to the TEQ, few foodstuffs such as horse, sheep, beef, eggs and cheese presented levels above the future European guidelines that currently only include PCDD/Fs but will be re-evaluated later in order to include 'dioxin-like' PCBs. Based on levels measured in the samples, the estimation of the dietary intake was 65.3 pg WHO-TEQ/day for PCDD/Fs only (1.00 pg WHO-TEQ/kg bw/day, for a 65 kg person) and 132.9 pg WHO-TEQ/day if cPCBs were included (2.04 pg WHO-TEQ/kg bw/day, for a 65 kg person). Meat (mainly beef), dairy products, and fish each account for roughly one third of the intake.     

Dietary intake of PCDDs, PCDFs and dioxin-like PCBs, due to the consumption of various marine organisms from Korea

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) residues were measured in 70 marine organisms (40 species) from Korean coastal waters. The PCDD/Fs residues in the organisms varied from 0.02 to 4.39 pg WHO-TEQ/g wet weight and the DL-PCBs residues varied from 0.008 to 6.0 pg WHO-TEQ/g wet weight. The levels in fish from Korean coastal waters were comparable to those found in other countries. Comparing organism groups, the highest PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs residues were recorded in crustaceans, followed by fish, cephalopods, bivalves and gastropods. Although the congener distributions of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs in the organism groups were different, the dominant contributors to the total TEQ concentrations in all groups were 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorinated dibenzofuran (PeCDF), 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PeCDD) and PCB 126. The dietary intake of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs from the consumption of marine organisms in Korea was estimated to be 0.68 pg WHO-TEQ/kg bodyweight/day. The contribution of DL-PCBs to the total dietary intake from all organisms groups averaged 60%. The relative contribution of each organism group to the total dietary intake was, in descending order: fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, bivalves and gastropods. The current dietary intake was lower than those in countries with a similar dietary pattern to Korea, but higher than those in countries with smaller quantities of seafood consumption.     

PCDD/F and "Dioxin-like" PCB emissions from iron ore sintering plants in the UK

Investigations have been carried out at the three Corus UK sinter plants over the period 2002-2004 to characterise the emissions of both 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs and WHO-12 PCBs, to estimate annual mass releases of these organic micro-pollutants using the I-TEF and WHO-TEF schemes, and to investigate the formation of PCBs in the iron ore sintering process. Results showed that the sintering of iron ore produces a characteristic WHO-12 PCB and PCDD/F congener pattern that is substantially the same for all UK sinter plants. With regard to WHO-12 PCBs, the most abundant congeners were typically PCBs 118 (6-9 ngNm(-3)), 105 (2-4 ngNm(-3)) and 77 (2-3 ngNm(-3)). All other WHO-12 PCBs were also detected at concentrations around 1 ngNm(-3). All sinter plants investigated exhibited very similar TEQ concentrations. WHO-12 PCB emissions were in the range 0.042-0.111 ngWHO-TEQNm(-3), whereas PCDD/F emissions ranged from 0.39 to 1.62 ngWHO-TEQNm(-3). PCDF congeners were the main contributors to the overall TEQ in sintering emissions (ca. 85%). Amongst WHO-12 PCBs, PCB 126 was the only noteworthy contributor to total TEQ (ca. 5-7%), a similar contribution to that from PCDDs. Based on the measurements that Corus UK has undertaken at these three sinter plants, annual mass releases of WHO-12 PCBs and PCDD/Fs have been calculated. For UK sinter plants, a total mass release of 29.5 g WHO-TEQ per annum [WHO-12 PCBs+PCDD/Fs] has been estimated, representing 9% of the total PCDD/F emissions to the UK atmosphere. Measurements were also carried out at a UK sinter plant to determine the windleg emission profile of WHO-12 PCBs. Results showed that WHO-12 PCBs were formed in the same regions of the sinter strand as 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs, indicating that there was a strong correlation between the formation of WHO-12 PCBs and PCDD/Fs in the iron ore sintering process.     

Levels of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs in Belgian and international fast food samples

Congener-specific analyses of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were performed on twenty-eight non-pooled fast food samples collected in Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, United States of America and Australia. PCDD/F and PCB concentrations for the four investigated types of meals were very low. PCDD/F values ranged from non-detected to 1.40 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat and from 0.79 to 2.08 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat for lower and upper bound, respectively. Major contributors to the PCDD/F TEQ were 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD, 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD, 2,3,7,8-TCDF and 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF. The relative contribution of PCBs to the total TEQ was 68%. For adults, an average estimated intake was 6.7 pg WHO-TEQ/kg bw/month, including consumption of all types of analyzed meals, representing 9.5% of the PTMI. For child, a value of 14.5 pg WHO-TEQ/kg bw/month was obtained, representing 20.6% of the PTMI.     

PCDD/F and PCB multi-media ambient concentrations, congener patterns and occurrence in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon (Etang de Thau, France)

Ambient concentrations, congener patterns and multi-media distribution of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were determined in air, water, sediment and mussels in a semi-enclosed marine ecosystem (Thau lagoon, France). summation operator2,3,7,8-PCDD/F and summation operator7ICES PCB air concentrations (0.2-1.4 and 31-57pg m(-3), respectively) were typical of rural areas. Concentrations in the water column were very low for PCDD/Fs (163-476fg L(-1)) and low for PCBs (138-708pg L(-1)). PCDD/F and PCB concentrations found in surface sediment (0.15-1.6 and 2.5-33ng g(-1) d.w., respectively) and mussel (13-21pg g(-1) d.w. and 10-39ng g(-1) d.w., respectively) were medium levels. PCDD/F congener patterns observed in air, water particulate phase and sediments were similar suggesting direct coupling among these compartments and atmospheric inputs of PCDD/Fs into the lagoon. Conversely, for the same set of samples, similar patterns were not observed for PCBs in the mentioned compartments.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran concentrations in common fish species in the Pearl River Delta area, China

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/Fs) concentrations in 31 fish samples from 19 commonly consumed freshwater and saltwater species from the Pearl River Delta Area were analyzed. The PCDD/Fs dietary intake from fish for the local population was evaluated to provide a database for setting the national PCDD/F limits in fish for the People's Republic of China. The median concentration from the 31 fish samples was 1.27 pg/g wet weight for the total of PCDD/Fs, and the median WHO-TEQ was 0.26 pg/g wet weight, and ranged from 0.063 to 1.30 pg WHO-TEQ/g wet weight. The dominant contributors to the WHO-TEQ were 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD and 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, which accounted for 38% and 28%, respectively. The dietary intake of PCDD/Fs from fish for local people was estimated to be 0.47 pg WHO-TEQ/kg bw x day. In view of the findings, the dietary of PCDD/Fs from other foods of animal origins in China should be studied in more detail as soon as possible in order that standards can be put forward to protect human health.     

Congener-distribution patterns and risk assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls,dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in Korean human milk

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed by high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry in human milk samples from an urban and an industrial area in Korea. All PCB congeners were analyzed to characterize the congener distribution as well as to evaluate the toxic equivalent quotient (TEQ) values and the total concentration. In homologue distributions of PCBs, two distinct patterns were found. The mean concentrations of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were 15.13 and 5.64 TEQ pg/g fat (based on WHO TEF, 1997), respectively. The contamination in Korean human milk is comparable to that found in other countries. From these results a daily intake of 60 TEQ pg/kg/day for an infant was estimated. The assumptions were that the infant breast feeds for 1 year, has an average body weight of 10 kg during this period, and ingests 800 g/day of human milk containing a mean concentration of 20.84 TEQ (PCDD/Fs) pg/g fat (based on primipara mothers).     

PCDD/F and PCB history in dated sediments of a rural lake

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD), dibenzofurans (PCDF) and biphenyls (PCB) were analysed from a sediment core, which had been sampled from a remote lake in Finland. The deepest subsamples were analysed from a depth of 4.0 m, and were more than 8000 years old. At the surface of the sediment core, low levels of industrial background contamination were detected. The sum of 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs was 35 ng/kg d.w. (dry weight), or 1.2 ng/kg d.w. in WHO's toxicity equivalent, WHO-TEQ. The annual accumulation rate of 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs was 1.26 ng m(-2) a(-1). Deeper in the core, PCDD/F concentrations ranged between 2.11 and 11.1 ng/kg d.w. (0.24 and 1.70 ng/kg d.w. WHO-TEQ) and the accumulation rate was 0.11 ng m(-2) a(-1). A characteristic PCDD/F congener profile was found in all pre-industrial sediment layers. The order of concentrations was OCDD > 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD > 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD > 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD > 2,3,7,8-TCDD, and concentrations of 2,3,7,8-chlorinated dibenzofurans were below the detection limit. Similar congener profiles have previously been described in samples for which natural PCDD/F formation has been proposed. PCBs were present at low levels in all of the sediment samples. The sum of the PCB concentrations of the sediment subsamples ranged between 50 and 2540 ng/kg d.w., and the three predominant congeners in the core were PCBs 18, 52, and 110.     

Longitudinal increases in PCDD/F and dl-PCB concentrations in human milk in northern China

There is a dearth of information on the temporal changes in polychlorinated dibenzodioxin/furans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) contamination, in both environmental and biological specimens, in China. We compared the concentrations of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in human milk collected in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, in northern China in 2002 (n=30) and 2007 (n=20). The level of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs showed an increasing trend. The mean concentrations of PCDD/Fs plus dl-PCBs were 4.47 TEQ pg g(-1) fat and 6.24 TEQ pg g(-1) fat in human milk from Shijiazhuang in 2002 and in 2007, respectively. Based on statistical analysis of questionnaire data collected by in-person interviews with mothers, we found positive correlations between consumption of sea fish and PCDFs. The PCDDs, PCDFs, PCDD/Fs, and PCDD/Fs plus dl-PCBs levels in individuals consuming greater amounts of sea fish were higher than those consuming less sea fish, both with and without adjustments for potential confounding factors. Among 17 congeners of PCDD/Fs, the 2,3,7,8-TCDF, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF, 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF, and 2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF congener concentrations in 2007 increased 134%, 55%, 53%, 57%, 65% and 130% when compared to 2002 levels, respectively. The 2007 dl-PCB congener levels were greater than those of the 2002 samples, with the exception of PCB81 and PCB77. Specifically, PCB105, PCB114, PCB118, PCB123 and PCB156 had increased greater than twofold from 2002 to 2007. Continuous surveillance of PCDD/F and dl-PCB levels in human milk is needed to accurately evaluate both environmental contamination and the human health risk to neonates in China.     

Congener-distribution patterns and risk assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls, dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in Korean human milk

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed by high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry in human milk samples from an urban and an industrial area in Korea. All PCB congeners were analyzed to characterize the congener distribution as well as to evaluate the toxic equivalent quotient (TEQ) values and the total concentration. In homologue distributions of PCBs, two distinct patterns were found. The mean concentrations of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were 15.13 and 5.64 TEQ pg/g fat (based on WHO TEF, 1997), respectively. The contamination in Korean human milk is comparable to that found in other countries. From these results a daily intake of 60 TEQ pg/kg/day for an infant was estimated. The assumptions were that the infant breast feeds for 1 year, has an average body weight of 10 kg during this period, and ingests 800 g/day of human milk containing a mean concentration of 20.84 TEQ (PCDD/Fs) pg/g fat (based on primipara mothers).     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, biphenyls, naphthalenes and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the edible fish caught from the Baltic Sea and lakes in Finland

A total of 156 fish composite samples were collected from five areas of the Baltic Sea and from three lakes and analysed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The European Union's maximum permissible level for PCDD/Fs, 4 pg WHO-TEQ/g fresh weight (fw), was exceeded in salmon, river lamprey and Baltic herring. In other species from the Baltic Sea, the 90th percentile was 3.42 pg WHO(PCDD/F)-TEQ/g fw. In the lake fish, the concentrations of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PCNs were only 29-46% of those in the same species caught from the Baltic Sea, whereas the concentrations of PBDEs in the lake fish were as high as in the Baltic Sea fish. Dioxin-like PCBs contributed to the total dioxin-like toxicity of PCBs and PCDD/Fs by 49+/-12% in all the analysed samples.     

Development and validation of a method for analysis of "dioxin-like" PCBs in environmental samples from the steel industry

A method, previously used for determination of 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), has been modified for quantitative analysis of "dioxin-like" polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) in environmental samples from the steel industry. The existing sample clean-up procedure, involving liquid chromatography on multi-layered silica and Florisil columns, has been extended to include a third chromatography stage on a basic alumina stationary phase. The additional clean-up stage is required for PCB analysis in order to eliminate interferences from relatively large concentrations of saturated cyclic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. Samples were analysed for WHO-12 congeners using high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) and standard solutions of the method US EPA 1668A. Replicate analysis of method blanks revealed background contamination for PCBs 118, 105 and 77, which are generally abundant in ambient air. These contaminants were taken into account using a subtraction method. The entire procedure was validated by replicate analysis (N = 3) of a certified reference sediment. The RSD for each WHO-12 congener was below 15%, 13C12-labelled PCB internal standard recoveries were in the range 70-95%. A waste dust sample collected in the electrostatic precipitator of a UK sinter plant was analysed for determination of PCDD/Fs and WHO-12 PCBs and exhibited a PCDD/F I-TEQ of 148.5 +/- 21.2 ngkg(-1) and a WHO-TEQ of 7.2 +/- 1.5 ngkg(-1). WHO-12 congeners contributed only 4.6% to the overall TEQ and PCB 126 was the major congener contributing to the WHO-TEQ (96%). The contribution to the overall TEQ of the waste dust sample was mainly attributed to PCDF followed by PCDD, which accounted for 86.6% and 8.7% to the overall TEQ, respectively.     

Congener profiles of PCBs and PCDD/Fs in Yucheng victims fifteen years after exposure to toxic rice-bran oils and their implications for epidemiologic studies

In 1978-1979, a mass poisoning occurred in central Taiwan from rice-bran oil contaminated by heat-degraded PCBs was later called the Yucheng (oil disease in Chinese). Only a few studies have so far investigated the levels of specific polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) or polychlorinated dibenzodioxin/furan (PCDD/F) congeners in the Yucheng victims. This study aimed to investigate the serum residual levels of thirty-three PCBs and seventeen 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/F congeners in the Yucheng victims 15 years after the exposure. Forty-one blood samples were collected from individual Yucheng victims in 1994-1995. The mean levels of total 33 PCBs and 17 PCDD/Fs were 2468 ng/g lipid (13.3 ng/g sample) and 6550 pg/g lipid (30.9 pg/g sample) respectively. The higher levels were found in PCBs #99, #138, #153, #156, #170, #179, and #180 among 33 PCB congeners, while 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF, and OCDD had the higher concentrations among 17 PCDD/F congeners. The total TEQ was contributed in decreasing order by 10 PCDFs (44%), three non-ortho-PCBs (24%), six mono-ortho-PCBs (20%), and seven PCDDs (12%). The mean total PCB levels and TEQ value of the 17 PCDD/Fs in the Yucheng victims 15 years after the toxic exposure were still 9 and 46 times higher than those in the general population in Taiwan. Principle component analysis (PCA) indicated that seven PCB congeners, PCBs #99, #138, #153, #156, #170, #179, and #180, accounted for 73% of the total variances in PCBs. On the other hand, six PCDD/F congeners, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF, 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF, 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF, and OCDD, accounted for 97% of the total variances in PCDD/Fs. In addition, PCA revealed that at least three characteristic patterns of congener profiles for PCBs were observed among the Yucheng victims. Similar trend was also observed for PCDD/Fs. These patterns may reflect distinctive exposure scenarios and/or different metabolizing capabilities among the Yucheng victims. We suggest that these patterns, in contrast to total PCB and PCDD/F levels, may be valuable for the future epidemiologic studies when linking exposure with specific health effect.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in eggs of eight avian species from Dongting Lake, China

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were determined in eggs of eight avian species collected from Dongting Lake of China to assess residue levels, accumulation patterns, and toxic potential in different avian species. Concentrations of total 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs were in the range of 10.8-182pgg(-1) lipid weight. Eggs of great egret and lesser pied kingfisher contained higher levels of PCDD/Fs than eggs of other species, indicating the specific exposure and accumulation of PCDD/Fs relating to feeding habits and the life span. PCDD/Fs congener patterns varied among species. The patterns of PCDD/Fs in the eggs may be influenced by feeding habits, specific elimination, and metabolism. In general, concentrations of PCDDs were higher than those of PCDFs in avian eggs. On basis of lipid weight, total 2,3,7,8-TCDD toxic equivalents (TEQs) calculated based on the WHO TEFs for birds ranged from 2.04 to 42.0pgg(-1); and on basis of wet weight, total WHO-TEQs ranged from 0.19 to 1.59pgg(-1). 2,3,7,8-TCDF, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, 2,3,7,8-TCDD, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD were the major contributors to TEQ concentration in most avian eggs, whereas 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD also accounted for a major portion of TEQs in eggs of azure-winged magpie. Values of TEQs in avian eggs were lower than toxic threshold values, implying risk reduction and natural restoration of PCDD/Fs contamination in Dongting Lake region.     

Survey of commercial pasteurised cows' milk in Wallonia (Belgium) for the occurrence of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins,dibenzofurans and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls

Congener-specific analyses of 7 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), 10 polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and 4 non-ortho (coplanar) polychlorinated biphenyls (cPCBs) were performed on 35 samples of commercial long-life pasteurised cows' milk issued from eight different brands available in Walloon supermarkets (Belgium). The observed congener profile was characteristic of milk samples issued from industrialised countries with good inter and intra-brand reproducibility's. The PCDDs to PCDFs ratio was equal to 1.8 in concentration. The toxic equivalent (TEQ based on WHO-TEF) value for PCDD/Fs in all analysed milks was 1.09+/-0.30 pg TEQ/g fat (range 0.86-1.59), which is below the recommended EU non-commercialisation threshold value of 3 pg TEQ PCDD/Fs/g of milk fat. The mean TEQ value including cPCBs was 2.23+/-0.55 pg TEQ/g fat. These PCBs actually contributed for 49+/-8.6% of the total TEQ. Among PCDD/Fs and cPCBs, tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), pentachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin (PeCDD), pentachloro dibenzofurans (PeCDFs) and 3,3',4,4',5-pentachloro biphenyl (PCB-126) were the most important contributors to the TEQ. Estimated daily intake (EDI) due to consumption of such milks was 0.34 pg TEQ/kg of body weight/day for PCDD/Fs and 0.69 pg TEQ/kg of body weight/day when cPCBs were included.     

Concentration of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and dioxin-like PCBs in human adipose tissue from Turkish men

There is no previous report from Turkey on chemically determined polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in human tissues expressed as World Health Organization (WHO) toxic equivalents (TEQs). The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of PCDDs/Fs, and dioxin-like PCBs in the general adult Turkish population. For this reason we measured adipose tissue concentrations of PCDDs/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in 23 Turkish men living in Ankara,Turkey in 2004. PCDD/F concentrations ranged between 3.2 and 19.7 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat (5.34 and 42.7 WHO-TEQ/g fat, respectively, including dioxin-like PCBs). The mean concentrations of WHO(PCDD/F)-TEQ and WHO(PCB)-TEQ were 9.2 and 6.67 pg/g on a lipid basis , respectively. Samples were analyzed for PCDD/F and twelve dioxin-like PCB congeners using high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). This study is very important since it is the first report on PCDDs/Fs and dioxin-like PCB contamination in human adipose tissue from Turkey.     

Occurrence of PCBs, PCDD/Fs, PBDEs and DDTs in Spanish breast milk: enantiomeric fraction of chiral PCBs

Concentrations and congener specific profile of DDTs, PCBs and PCDD/Fs have been determined in a number of Spanish breast milk samples. The concentrations found indicate a decreasing tendency compared to previous data from the 1990s. Mean concentrations of 238 ng/g fat weight, 111 ng/g fat weight and 82.1 pg/g fat weight were found for DDTs, PCBs and 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs, respectively. When the WHO-TEQs were calculated, PCDD/Fs was the family contributing with the highest percentage to the total (62-84%), followed by the non-ortho PCBs (10-25%) and the mono-ortho PCBs (5-24%). The congener specific accumulation patterns found were comparable to those reported in other studies in industrialised countries. In addition, the levels of 9 PBDEs congeners have been also determined in the breast milk samples. The concentrations ranged from 0.04 to 1.38 ng/g fat weight. The enantiomeric enrichment of a number of chiral PCBs in the breast milk samples, including congeners 84, 91, 95, 132, 135, 149, 171, 174, 176 and 183, has also been studied, for some of them for the first time in this matrix.     

Dioxin and dioxin-like PCB exposure of non-breastfed Dutch infants

The exposure of humans to PCDD/Fs (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans) and dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs, i.e. polychlorinated non-ortho and mono-ortho biphenyls) occurs predominantly via the intake of food. Young children have a relatively high intake of these substances, due to their high food consumption per kilogram body weight. As the exposure of non-breastfed infants to these compounds has not been assessed before in The Netherlands, we studied the dietary intake of 17 PCDD/Fs and 11 dioxin-like PCBs in 188 Dutch non-breastfed infants between 4 and 13 months. The food intake of the infants was assessed by a 2-d food record. From these data PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB intake was calculated using PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB concentrations of food products sampled in 1998/1999 in The Netherlands. The long-term PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB exposure of the infants was calculated using the statistical exposure model (STEM). For infants of 5 months the chronic exposure to PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB was 1.1pg WHO-TEQ (toxic equivalents) per kilogram body weight (bw) per day (95th percentile: 1.7pg WHO-TEQ/kg bwxd), which mainly originated from infant formula and vegetables and increased to 2.3pg WHO-TEQ/kg bwxd (95th percentile 3.7pg WHO-TEQ/kg bwxd) for infants just over 1 year old eating the same food as their parents. The percentage of formula-fed infants with an exposure exceeding the TDI of 2pg WHO-TEQ/kg bwxd was 5% at 5 months, 49% at 9 months and 64% at 12 months.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and polychlorinated biphenyls levels in human breast milk from different regions of Turkey

Human breast milk offers the optimal nutrition for all infants and have been widely used in biomonitoring programs to assess human exposure to lipophylic environmental contaminants such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). There are no previous reports from Turkey on chemically determined levels of PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs in human breast milk expressed as World Health Organization (WHO) toxic equivalents (TEQ). To get an overview of the levels of these contaminants in Turkish human milk, samples from 51 Turkish women living in the Ankara, İstanbul, Antalya, Kahramanmaraş, and Afyon provinces were analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) throughout 2007. The mean concentrations of WHO_PCDD/F-TEQ and WHO_PCB-TEQ of all samples from the five regions were 7.5 and 3.1 pg g⁻¹ on a lipid basis, respectively. PCDD/F concentrations ranged between 0.78 and 29.3 pg WHO-TEQ g⁻¹ fat (1.7 and 36.2 pg WHO-TEQ g⁻¹ fat, respectively, including PCB). Of the five studied locations, the lowest levels of ∑TEQs (PCDD/F + PCB) were found in the Afyon (6.8 pg WHO-TEQ g⁻¹ fat) and the highest in the Antalya (15.6 pg WHO-TEQ g⁻¹ fat) province. The results have been discussed in terms of regions and PCDD/F and PCBs for which analyses had been made. The mean levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in Turkish human milk are comparable to that found in other countries.