A retrospective investigation into the occurrence and human exposure to polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) and PCBs through cod liver products (1972–2017) (original) (raw)
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Environmental Pollution, 2006
We measured plasma concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fishermen from the Finnish Baltic Sea area and fishermen fishing in inland lakes. The concentrations clearly correlated with the frequency of fish meals and consumption of Baltic fatty fish. The body burden of PCDD/Fs reached the median level of 170 pg/g toxic equivalents (I-TEq) in fat for Baltic Sea fishermen, with the maximum being 420 pg/g. Results for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (range = 4.9-110 pg/g fat) showed that lifetime exposure in a population consuming much Baltic fatty fish can reach the levels of exposures seen in Seveso, Italy, in 1976. After we summed the PCB-TEqs, the total median exposure of Baltic Sea fishermen increased to 290 pg/g TEq in fat, and the highest concentration was 880 pg/g. There was a noted individual variation in fishermen's PCDD/F congener patterns, and it was possible to associate this variation with congener patterns of PCDD/Fs in the fish species that the fisherman reported they had consumed. Linear regression models for ln WHO PCDD/F -TEq, ln WHO PCB -TEq, and ln total WHO-TEq, from the World Health Organization, explained 48%, 60%, and 53% of the variability, respectively. Age was the only significant predictor of ln WHO PCDD/F -TEq, whereas age, amount of fish eaten, and place of residence were significant predictors of ln WHO PCB -TEq, and ln total WHO-TEq. Key words: Baltic Sea, fish consumption, fisherman, modeling TEq, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins. Environ Health Perspect 110:355-361 (2002). [Online 7 March 2002] http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2002/110p355-361kiviranta/abstract.html
Human exposure to polychlorinated naphthalenes through the consumption of edible marine species
Chemosphere, 2007
The concentrations of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) were determined in samples of 14 edible marine species (sardine, tuna, anchovy, mackerel, swordfish, salmon, hake, red mullet, sole, cuttlefish, squid, clam, mussel and shrimp), which are widely consumed by the population of Catalonia, Spain. The daily intake of PCNs associated with this consumption was also determined. A total of 42 composite samples were analyzed by HRGC/HRMS. The highest PCN levels (ng/kg of fresh weight) were found in salmon (227) followed by mackerel and red mullet , while the lowest levels of total PCNs corresponded to shrimp (4.9) and cuttlefish (2.7). With the exception of cephalopods and shellfish species, in which tetra-CN was the predominant homologue, penta-CN (60%) was the predominant contributor to total PCNs. For a standard male adult, PCN intake through the consumption of edible marine species was 1.53 ng/ day. The highest contributions to this intake (ng/day) corresponded to salmon (0.41), sole (0.28) and tuna (0.24). Concerning health risks, species-specific TEFs such as those reported by WHO and NATO for PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs are not currently available for PCN congeners. Although in general terms the results of the present study do not seem to suggest specific risks derived from exposure to PCNs through fish and seafood consumption, to establish the contribution of individual PCN congeners to total TEQ is clearly necessary for the assessment of human health risks.
Journal of Food Science, 2021
Dietary intake of polychlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) from various foods (fish and seafood, meat and meat-based products, milk and dairy products, hen eggs, olive oil and fats) was investigated for various sex/age groups of the Italian population. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs and their contribution to total TEQ values varied depending on food matrix. Fish (0.50 pg WHO-TEQ/g wet weight) and seafood (0.16 pg WHO-TEQ/g wet weight) showed the highest mean concentrations of PCDD/Fs plus dl-PCBs, followed by meat (1.70 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid weight), meat based products (1.03 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid weight), milk and dairy products (0.78 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid weight), hen eggs (0.71 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid weight), fats (0.27 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid weight) and olive oil (0.09 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid weight). In all samples WHO-TEQ PCDD/F plus dl-PCB concentrations fulfilled the European Union food law, except in pork loin samples (1.39 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid weight). Differences in exposure depending on the sex/age groups (children > teenagers > adults > elders) and hypotheses considered (lower bound and upper bound) were encountered. Non-cancer risk values showed a low exposure. Carcinogenicity risk results revealed that highly exposed individuals were distributed over all sex/age groups, even though the proportion of individuals exceeding the safe limit was higher in children. These data once again underline the importance of trying to control the levels of these contaminants in fishery products, particularly in fish, who represents one of the main exposure sources for consumers. Practical Application: This paper may help the consumer in making food choices to minimize the exposure risk to dioxins, furans and PCBs K E Y W O R D S diet, dl-PCBs, food safety, PCDD/Fs, public health This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Journal of Food Science, 2009
Canadians are interested in improving their diet through the consumption of fish oil food supplements, which are marketed to be rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Convenience samples of omega-3 enriched dietary supplements (n = 30) were collected in Vancouver, Canada, between 2005 and 2007. All of the omega-3 supplements were analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and, although every sample was found to contain detectable residues of PBDEs, only 24 samples were found to have PCDD/F concentrations above the level of detection. PCDD/F concentrations ranged from 0.05 pg TEQ/g lipid to 45.7 pg TEQ/g lipid in salmon and shark oils, respectively. Maximum PBDE concentrations similarly were observed in shark oil (113 μg/kg lipid), however, most supplements had concentrations below 5 μg/kg lipid. Average PCDD/F and PBDE intake estimates, based on consumption of maximum supplement dose following product label recommendations, were 4.32 pg TEQ/d and 25.1 ng/d lipid, respectively.
Food Chemistry, 2011
Concentrations and congener specific profiles of PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs were determined in various edible fish from the Adriatic Sea. PCBs were the dominant chemicals (116-1980 ng g À1 lipid wt), followed by PCDFs (ND-58.3 pg g À1 lipid wt) and PCDDs (ND-20 pg g À1 lipid wt). The levels of these contaminants varied among species. Benthic organisms possessed the highest concentrations, followed by demersal and pelagic fish species. PCB and PCDD/F accumulation pattern in the samples analysed showed a distribution typically reported for marine samples. The mean weekly intake of toxic equivalency (TEQ) was estimated to be 0.84 pg TEQs/kg bw/week. The dioxin-like PCBs accounted for more than 77% of this intake, followed by PCDDs (15.5%) and PCDFs (13.1%). In general, the samples analysed in this survey can be considered safe with regard to the levels obtained and the in-force legislation, nevertheless the consumption of some species may be of significance importance for consumer health.
Environment International, 2007
The concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and biphenyls (PCBs) in samples from 14 fish and seafood species widely consumed by the population of Catalonia, Spain, were measured. These samples were randomly purchased independently of their geographical origin. The intake of PCDD/Fs and PCBs through consumption of these species was also estimated for various age and sex groups of this population. The highest and lowest levels of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) were found in red mullet and shrimp, respectively. For a standard adult man (70 kg body weight), the intake of PCDD/Fs plus DL-PCBs through consumption of fish and other seafood was estimated to be 38.0 pg WHO-TEQ/day. Tuna, hake, and sardine were the species with the highest contribution to this intake. The results of this study indicate that, in general terms, the dietary habits of the population of Catalonia (Spain) regarding fish and seafood consumption do not contribute remarkably to increase PCDD/F and DL-PCB intake.
Occurrence of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PBDEs in fish meal, fish oil and fish feed in Northern Europe
We analysed polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/F, dioxins), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in 13 fish meal, five fish oil, and seven fish feed samples. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), organotin compounds (OTC), and perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) were analysed in ten fish meal, two fish oil, and two fish feed samples. All measured TEQ concentrations of PCDD/F and PCB were below the maximum levels set by Directive 2002/32/EC. There was no correlation between concentrations of WHO PCDD/F -TEQ and indicator PCB in our samples. The most common congeners among PBDEs were BDE-47 and BDE-100. BDE-209 was present in five fish meals of the ten analysed. Tributyltin (TBT) was the predominant congener in all samples except in three fish meals, where monobutyltin (MBT) was the major congener. Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) was the predominant congener in six fish meals of the ten analysed. There was large variation in concentrations and congener distributions of the studied compounds between our samples. Our results underline a need to pay special attention to the origin and purity of feed raw material of marine origin.
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2014
In this study, contamination levels were determined for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFASs) in traditional Greenland seafood items, such as raw and smoked fish fillet (salmon and halibut), whale and seal meat and narwhal mattak (skin and blubber). The daily intake of PCBs, PBDEs and PFASs through traditional seafood items in Greenland was assessed. Based on the presented levels of contaminants, in combination with earlier food intake studies, suggests that the daily exposure was below the tolerable daily intake threshold for all compounds. BDE-47 was the only PBDE-congener detected in all food items, except in smoked halibut. The levels of BDE-47 varied from < LOD in smoked halibut up to 18 ng/g lw in narwhal mattak and 21 ng/g lw in whale beef. ∑PCB were lowest in smoked halibut (37 ng/g lw) and highest in narwhal mattak with 1,146 ng/g lw. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the most common of the PFASs. However, ΣPFASs were below detection limits in most fish fillet samples, and varied from 2.9 ng/g ww in whale beef to 13.5 ng/g ww in seal beef. The present study shows that the exclusion from the diet of local food items such as intestines and blubber have a strong positive effect for the reduction of POPs levels in food, without a reducing the health benefits of traditional food intake considerably.