Toxic potency of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and polychlorinated biphenyls in food samples from Catalonia (Spain)

A surveillance program on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 29 foodstuff samples produced all over the four provinces in Catalonia (Spain) is presented. The study included the analyses of milk, egg, meat (beef, chicken, and pork), mussel, and olive oil samples. A previously developed method for the simultaneous analysis of the 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDDs/PCDFs and the dioxin-like PCBs, as well as the indicator PCBs, was employed. Total toxicity equivalent (TEQ) values were calculated using the toxicity equivalent factors (TEFs) proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for dioxin-like PCBs, PCDDs, and PCDFs. The TEQ(PCDD/F) levels were below the limits proposed in the draft of the EC regulation for food commercialization in the European countries. These limits are the following: 2 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat for pork, 3 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat for milk and chicken, 5 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat for egg and beef, and 3 pg WHO-TEQ/g whole product for fish. The contributions of PCDDs/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in the total toxicity of the samples were calculated for each matrix. The results showed that the TEQ(PCB) contribution varied from 27% in olive oil samples to 81% in mussel samples. These findings suggest that the regulation of TEQ contents in food should include not only the TEQ(PCDD/F), but also the TEQ(PCB).     

长江三角洲地区土壤环境质量与修复研究 Ⅱ.典型污染区农田生态系统中二噁英/呋喃(PCDD/Fs)的生物积累及其健康风险

对长江三角洲地区某典型污染区农田生态系统和部分农产品中多氯代二苯并二嘿英（PCDDs）／呋喃（PCDFs）的污染特征、生物富集及潜在健康风险进行了初步研究。结果表明，该地区局部农田土壤中PCDD／Fs含量及毒性当量平均达556 pg g^-1dw和TEQ 20．2 pg g^-1dw，已在不同农产品中明显积累，其中稻米中PCDD／Fs含量及毒性当量为50．7 pg g^-1dw和TEQ6．4 pg g^-1dw，蔬菜茎叶中为35．2 pg g^-1dw和TEQ6．7 pg g^-1dw；当地家禽鸡肉中PCDD／Fs含量及毒性当量为30．9 pg g^-1ww和TEQ5．7 pg g^-1ww。日允许摄入量（TDI）计算结果表明，经稻米-蔬菜、稻米-蔬菜-鱼腥草、稻米-蔬菜-鱼腥草-鸡肉三种暴露途径至人体的PCDD／Fs日摄入量分别为TEQ67．4、72．1、83．5Pg kg^-1d^-1，均远远超过世界卫生组织（WHO）制定的TDI标准（TEQ 1-4pg ks^-1d^-1）。该地区局部农田生态系统及部分农产品中存在二嘿英类（PCDD／Fs）污染，已构成较大的人体健康风险。     

Levels and trends of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Spanish commercial fish and shellfish products, 1995-2003

The polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD), dibenzofuran (PCDF), and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contents of 123 Spanish commercial salmon, tuna fish, sardine, oyster, mussel, and clam samples from 1995 to 2003 were investigated. A significant decrease of dioxin and non-ortho PCB concentrations in the studied species was found over the years. The decrease was greater in the case of dioxins than in that of non-ortho PCBs, especially during the early years of the study. PCB and PCDD/F concentrations in the years 2001-2003 were comparable to those reported in the literature for similar species collected after 1999. Mean PCB concentrations ranged from 3.46 ng/g of fresh weight (fw) in clams to 100 ng/g of fw in tuna fish. PCDD/F mean current levels ranged from 0.62 pg/g of fw in clams to 2.89 pg/g of fw in oysters. Toxic equivalent quantities (WHO-TEQ) ranged from 0.05 pg of WHO-TEQ(PCDD/Fs)/g of fw in clams to 0.5 pg of WHO-TEQ(PCDD/Fs)/g of fw in salmon (in the upper bound determination levels). When coplanar PCBs were included, the WHO-TEQ(PCDD/Fs+cop) (PCBs) values increased by a range of 1.7 times in oysters to 14.1 times in tuna fish. The decrease in dioxin concentrations suggests that efforts to control dioxin emissions and to reduce human exposure through foodstuffs are succeeding. The high contribution of PCBs to total WHO-TEQs in the fish and shellfish species investigated suggests that it is important to determine PCBs in foodstuffs, and especially in fish products, and they should be included in further research and future legislation.     

Ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in food

This paper reports on the applicability of gas chromatography coupled to ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry (GC/ITMS/MS) for the analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) in food. MS/MS parameters were selected to achieve the high sensitivity and selectivity required for food analysis. Good precision (RSD=5-18% for PCDD/Fs and 6-14% for dl-PCBs) and low limits of detection for PCDD/Fs (0.1-0.93 pg/g of fat) and dl-PCBs (0.1-0.89 pg/g of fat) were obtained. A comparative study of the congener-specific determination using both GC/ITMS/MS and GC-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC/HRMS) was performed by analyzing several matrices such as milk, fish oil, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, and a chicken compound feed, at low pg/g levels. The results using GC/ITMS/MS were in good agreement with those obtained by GC/HRMS. Consequently, GC/ITMS/MS is proposed for the analysis of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in food and feed samples.     

白银市不同功能区表层土壤中PCDD/Fs分布特征研究

采用高分辨气相色谱高分辨质谱联用仪（HRGC/HRMS）对白银市不同功能区土壤样品中的17种2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs的含量进行了测试,探讨了白银市典型区域表层土壤中PCDD/Fs的来源、分布特征。结果表明,白银市各类表层土壤中17种2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs的I-TEQ浓度范围为0.42～8.56pg（I-TEQ）·g-1,均值为2.28pg（I-TEQ）·g-1,其中,工业区土壤中PCDD/Fs含量为0.42～8.56pg（I-TEQ）·g-1,均值为3.37pg（I-TEQ）·g-1;城市生活区PCDD/Fs的含量为0.50～1.83pg（I-TEQ）·g-1,均值为1.31pg（I-TEQ）·g-1;农业区含量为0.49～1.33pg（I-TEQ）·g-1,均值为1.01pg（I-TEQ）·g-1;两个背景点PCDD/Fs的含量分别为0.60和1.10pg（I-TEQ）·g-1。研究区域内PCDD/Fs的含量呈现工业区〉城市生活区〉农业区〉背景区的趋势,高氯代的PCDD/Fs异构体对土壤中二恶英毒性当量的贡献率较大。     

广东省沿海城市居民膳食结构及食物污染状况的调研——对持久性卤代烃和重金属的人体暴露水平评价

自改革开放以来,广东沿海城市逐步成为经济发展的热点地区。飞速的经济发展、快速的城市化进程以及有机氯农药的历史使用等原因,使得广东省内环境介质受到持久性卤代烃和重金属污染,这些污染物最终主要通过食物影响到处于生物链终端的人类。本文运用随机抽样的方法对广东省经济较发达的12个沿海城市居民的膳食情况进行问卷调查,分析其膳食营养状况。同时,结合该地区食物中持久性卤代烃和重金属的污染水平,对居民通过食物摄人的污染物进行人体暴露水平评价。结果表明,广东省沿海城市居民对蛋类、豆制品、乳品及水果的消费量均高于广东省平均水平,而蔬菜、禽肉和谷物的摄入量却低于广东省平均水平。与国家推荐摄人量相比,居民对蔬菜的摄入量仅为推荐量的一半,乳品的摄入也明显偏低。若以每标准人为单位,广东省沿海居民日均摄入能量低于全国平均值,占参考摄入量的90％,视黄醇、硫胺素、核黄素的日均摄入量也低于我国推荐值,而蛋白质和脂肪的日均摄入量则明显超出推荐值。而且,广东省沿海城市居民每日通过食物对持久性卤代烃的摄人量没有超过世界粮农组织和世界卫生组织（FAO／WHO）规定的每日允许摄入量。讨论了膳食中铅、砷、镉、铬4种金属的人体暴露情况,金属铅、砷和铬的暴露水平处于安全线内,但是金属镉的日均摄入量与FAO／WHO规定的最大耐受量相同。     

Bioaccumulation of PCDD/Fs and Co-PCBs in Lower-Trophic-Level Organisms in Sendai Bay,Japan

In Sendai Bay, Japan, the total PCDD, PCDF, and Co-PCB (dioxins) concentrations in phytoplankton were equivalent to 150, 12, and 51 pg/g wet weight (ww), respectively. The average concentrations in seaweed were 3, 0.095, and 2.1 pg/g ww, respectively. The total concentrations in phytoplankton were much higher than those in seaweed, even though both groups are algae. The concentrations in zooplankton were 11, 1.1, and 110 pg/g ww, respectively. The total PCDD/F concentrations in zooplankton (primary consumers and lower-trophic-level invertebrates) were lower than in phytoplankton (primary producers), but the total Co-PCB concentration in zooplankton was higher than that in phytoplankton. The concentrations in mysids (secondary consumers and higher-trophic-level invertebrates) were 190, 18, and 290 pg/g ww, respectively. The average concentrations in shrimp (secondary consumers and higher-trophic-level invertebrates) were 120, 17, and 410 pg/g ww, respectively. The concentrations in higher-tropic-level invertebrates were higher than those in lower-trophic-level invertebrates. The average concentrations in sand lance were 4.5, 1.7, and 550 pg/g ww, respectively. The total PCDD concentration in sand lance was lower than that in zooplankton (prey of sand lance), but the total Co-PCB concentration in sand lance was higher than that in zooplankton. The bioaccumulation of PCDD congeners in sand lance differed from that of Co-PCB congeners. The bioaccumulation of PCDD/Fs from lower- to higher-trophic-level invertebrates through the food web differed from that from lower-trophic-level invertebrates to fish.     

Analysis of Organic Micropollutants in Sediment Samples of the Venice Lagoon, Italy

Surface sediment samples were collected at six locations of the Lagoon of Venice reflecting potential different contamination sources and representative of different hydrological situations. Analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), linear alkylbenzenes (LABS) and coprostanol have been carried out by gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS) to assess the influence of various pollution sources: urban, industrial and combustion processes. PAHs, PCBs, coprostanol, and LABS showed the highest levels in the sample collected within the city of Venice (Canal Grande) indicating a very heavy contamination due to combustion sources and to the domestic waste waters directly entering the canals of the city. The highest levels of PCDD/PCDFs were found in samples collected near the industrial area of Porto Marghera. The investigation on the PCDD/PCDFs homologue profiles suggested the presence of two different sources for these pollutants, one due to combustion processes and another one due to the chemical processes of Porto Marghera.     

长江三角洲地区土壤环境质量与修复研究I.典型污染区农田土壤中多氯代二苯并二噁英/呋喃(PCDD/Fs)组成和污染的初步研究

通过同位素稀释高分辨率气相色谱-质谱方法(HRGC/HRMS)对长江三角洲地区某典型污染区农田土壤中多氯代二苯并二英(PCDDs)/呋喃(PCDFs)组成、含量及毒性当量进行了初步研究。结果表明,该地区农田土壤中PCDD/Fs总含量的平均值达2639·1pgg-1dw,并检测出PCDD/Fs的四氯~八氯多种异构体。根据世界卫生组织毒性当量(TEQ,哺乳动物)计算结果显示,农田土壤中PCDD/Fs的毒性当量为TEQ20·8~21·3pgg-1dw,超过加拿大国家居住环境土壤二英含量控制标准的5倍多,其中2,3,4,7,8-PCDF和1,2,3,7,8-PCDD对PCDD/Fs的TEQ值贡献最大。该地区农田土壤中已经出现一定程度的二英/呋喃污染。     

Levels of perfluorinated compounds in food and dietary intake of PFOS and PFOA in the Netherlands

This study presents concentrations of perfluorinated compounds in food and the dietary intake of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in The Netherlands. The concentrations of perfluorinated compounds in food were analyzed in pooled samples of foodstuffs randomly purchased in several Dutch retail store chains with nation-wide coverage. The concentrations analyzed for PFOS and PFOA were used to assess the exposure to these compounds in The Netherlands. As concentrations in drinking water in The Netherlands were missing for these compounds, conservative default concentrations of 7 pg/g for PFOS and 9 pg/g for PFOA, as reported by European Food Safety Authority, were used in the exposure assessment. In food, 6 out of 14 analyzed perfluorinated compounds could be quantified in the majority of the food categories (perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), PFOA, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoro-1-hexanesulfonate (PFHxS), and PFOS). The highest concentration of the sum of these six compounds was found in crustaceans (825 pg/g product, PFOS: 582 pg/g product) and in lean fish (481 pg/g product, PFOS: 308 pg/g product). Lower concentrations were found in beef, fatty fish, flour, butter, eggs, and cheese (concentrations between 20 and 100 pg/g product; PFOS, 29-82 pg/g product) and milk, pork, bakery products, chicken, vegetable, and industrial oils (concentration lower than 10 pg/g product; PFOS not detected). The median long-term intake for PFOS was 0.3 ng/kg bw/day and for PFOA 0.2 ng/kg bw/day. The corresponding high level intakes (99th percentile) were 0.6 and 0.5 ng/kg bw/day, respectively. These intakes were well below the tolerable daily intake values of both compounds (PFOS, 150 ng/kg bw/day; PFOA, 1500 ng/kg bw/day). The intake calculations quantified the contribution of drinking water to the PFOS and PFOA intake in The Netherlands. Important contributors of PFOA intake were vegetables/fruit and flour. Milk, beef, and lean fish were important contributors of PFOS intake.     

Heavy metal, total arsenic, and inorganic arsenic contents of algae food products

The total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury contents of 18 algae food products currently on sale in Spain were determined. The suitability of the analytical methodologies for this type of matrix was confirmed by evaluating their analytical characteristics. The concentration ranges found for each contaminant, expressed in milligrams per kilogram of dry weight, were as follows: total arsenic, 2.3-141; inorganic arsenic, 0.15-88; lead, < 0.05-1.33; cadmium, 0.03-1.9; and mercury, 0.004-0.04. There is currently no legislation in Spain regarding contaminants in algae food products, but some of the samples analyzed revealed Cd and inorganic As levels higher than those permitted by legislation in other countries. Given the high concentrations of inorganic As found in Hizikia fusiforme, a daily consumption of 1.7 g of the product would reach the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake recommended by the WHO for an average body weight of 68 kg. A more comprehensive study of the contents and toxicological implications of the inorganic As present in the algae food products currently sold in Spain may be necessary, which might then be the basis for the introduction of specific sales restrictions.     

Arsenic speciation in food and estimation of the dietary intake of inorganic arsenic in a rural village of West Bengal, India

Arsenic (As) species were quantified by HPLC-HG-AFS in water and vegetables from a rural area of West Bengal (India). Inorganic species predominated in vegetables (including rice) and drinking water; in fact, inorganic arsenic (i-As) represented more than 80% of the total arsenic (t-As) content. To evaluate i-As intake in an arsenic affected rural village, a food survey was carried out on 129 people (69 men and 60 women). The data from the survey showed that the basic diet, of this rural population, was mainly rice and vegetables, representing more than 50% of their total daily food intake. During the periods when nonvegetarian foods (fish and meat) were scarce, the importance of rice increased, and rice alone represented more than 70% of the total daily food intake. The food analysis and the food questionnaires administrated led us to establish a daily intake of i-As of about 170 microg i-As day (-1), which was above the tolerable daily intake of 150 microg i-As day (-1), generally admitted. Our results clearly demonstrated that food is a very important source of i-As and that this source should never be forgotten in populations depending heavily on vegetables (mainly rice) for their diet.     

Lead dietary intake in a Spanish population (Canary Islands)

For most people diet is the main route of exposure to trace metals, so information about dietary intake is also important to assess risks to human health for these elements. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of Pb in the foods and drinks of highest consumption in the authors' our community to estimate daily intakes of Pb for each of the seven Canary Islands. Four hundred and twenty samples were analyzed using GFAAS. The total Pb intake of the Canarian population is 72.8 microg/day, 29.12% (for a person of 70 kg body weight) of the provisional tolerable weekly intake limit of 25 microg/kg fixed by the FAO/WHO. The island that presents the highest lead intake is La Gomera, followed by Lanzarote, Tenerife, and Gran Canaria islands. These four islands present a lead dietary intake over the mean Pb intake for the whole archipelago. The islands with lower Pb intakes are La Palma and Fuerteventura, with intakes under 70 microg/day. These results have also been compared with the values found for other national and international communities.     

Daily intake of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead by consumption of edible marine species

The daily intake of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) through the consumption of 14 edible marine species by the general population of Catalonia, Spain, was estimated. Health risks derived from this intake were also assessed. In March-April 2005, samples of sardine, tuna, anchovy, mackerel, swordfish, salmon, hake, red mullet, sole, cuttlefish, squid, clam, mussel, and shrimp were randomly acquired in six cities of Catalonia. Concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb were determined by ICP-MS. On the basis of recent fish and seafood consumption data, the daily intake of these elements was calculated for eight age/sex groups of the population. The highest As concentrations were found in red mullet, 16.6 microg/g of fresh weight, whereas clam and mussel (0.14 and 0.13 microg/g of fresh weight, respectively) were the species with the highest Cd levels. In turn, swordfish (1.93 microg/g of fresh weight) and mussel and salmon (0.15 and 0.10 microg/g of fresh weight) showed the highest concentrations of Hg and Pb, respectively. The highest metal intake through fish and seafood consumption corresponded to As (217.7 microg/day), Cd (1.34 microg/day), and Pb (2.48 microg/day) for male seniors, whereas that of Hg was observed in male adults (9.89 microg/day). The daily intake through fish and seafood consumption of these elements was compared with the provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTWI). The intakes of As, Cd, Pb, and total Hg by the population of Catalonia were below the respective PTWI values. However, the estimated intake of methylmercury for boys, 1.96 microg/kg/week, was over the PTWI.     

Total and inorganic arsenic in marketed food and associated health risks for the Catalan (Spain) population

Inorganic arsenic (iAs) is considered to be a human carcinogen. In this paper, total (As) and iAs contents of 215 food products and drinks (i.e., seafood, fruits and vegetables, meat products, oils and fats, rice and rice products, seasonings, and alcoholic drinks) marketed in Catalonia (Spain) were quantified by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The analytical method described was used for different food products, obtaining feasible results without the need to couple LC-ICP-MS for iAs. Daily As and iAs intakes for the average adult Catalan consumer were estimated at 354 and 6.1 μg/day/person, respectively, using consumption data from the Catalan Nutrition Survey (ENCAT). The highest As content was found in seafood, contributing 96% of dietary As intake, whereas rice presented the highest iAs values, corresponding to 67% of dietary iAs intake. As cooking process may affect iAs content, boiled rice was evaluated, showing an iAs reduction (up to 86%) when using higher water volumes (30:1 water/rice ratio) than those used in previous studies. This iAs exposure was slightly below the exposure risk range stated by the European Food Safety Authority (0.3-8 μg/kg of body weight/day), although the possibility of a risk to the population with high rice consumption cannot be excluded.     

Milk-arterial plasma transfer of PCDDs and PCDFs in pigs

Polychlorodibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs) and Polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs) are ubiquitous in the environment. They are mainly formed as unwanted byproducts during various chemical, industrial, and combustion processes. Thus, these pollutants can be found in the food chain. The aim of this experiment was to study the transfer of PCDD/Fs from spiked milk to arterial blood in pigs, which are considered as valid models for humans. Pigs were fed with 900 mL of milk spiked with a mixture of 17 dioxins. The levels of PCDD/Fs in the serum extracts were determined using HRGC/HRMS prior to consumption of the milk, and at 3, 5, and 7 h after milk ingestion. Concentrations of PCDD/Fs in arterial plasma increased from 3 h to 5 h and decreased at 7 h. At time point 5 h, concentrations were found between 500 and 10000 pg x g(-1) fat. The transfer ratio was usually found between 0.7 and 3%. Related to the different milk concentrations, results of this study indicate a similar behavior of the studied molecules.     

Survey of total and inorganic arsenic content in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) from Norwegian fiords: revelation of unusual high levels of inorganic arsenic

The present study reports the findings of unusual high levels of inorganic arsenic in samples of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.). A total of 175 pooled samples of blue mussels from various locations along the Norwegian coastline were analyzed for their content of total arsenic and inorganic arsenic. Total arsenic was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) following microwave-assisted acidic digestion of the samples. Inorganic arsenic was determined using an anion-exchange HPLC-ICPMS method following microwave-assisted alkaline solubilization of the samples. For the majority of the samples (78%) the concentration of total arsenic was below 3 mg kg(-1) wet weight (ww) and inorganic arsenic constituted <9% of the total arsenic (i.e., <0.25 mg kg(-1) ww). However, in some samples higher concentrations of total arsenic were found (up to 13.8 mg kg(-1) ww) and the inorganic arsenic content constituted up to 42% of the total arsenic (up to 5.8 mg kg(-1) ww). These are among the highest inorganic arsenic concentrations reported so far for marine animals. The findings of samples with concentrations of inorganic arsenic above 0.53 mg kg(-1) ww were restricted to sampling sites from two counties, Sogn and Fjordane and Hordaland, whereas samples from the rest of the country showed lower inorganic arsenic concentrations. Consumption of a meal containing 200 g of the blue mussels with the highest content of inorganic arsenic would for a 70 kg person lead to a 10% excess of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) value for inorganic arsenic of 15 microg kg(-1) of body weight week(-1).     

Contamination by PAHs,PCBs, PCPs and heavy metals in the mecoácfin lake estuarine water and sediments after oil spilling

Intention, Goal, Scope, Background  Environmental pollution caused by oil spills is a major ecological problem. Oil contamination in the environment is primarily evaluated by measuring the chemical concentrations of hydrocarbons. The results of chemical analyses are important for estimating water and sediment quality in the risk assessment to the flora and fauna of oil-contaminated sites. In the world there are lake ecosystems under permanent chemical stress due to urbanization and the oil industry. Studies, however, have been generally limited to petroleum compounds and have not considered other pollutants of the site like PCBs, polychlorinated pesticides and heavy metals. Objective  Water and sediment from stations in the Mecoacán Lake in the Mexican State of Tabasco were analyzed for polycy-clic aromatic compounds (PAHs), aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated pesticides (PCPs) and heavy metals. The objective of this study was to examine the contaminant levels of the samples collected in February 1993 and 1996 after oil spills at the Mecoacán petroleum region. The goals of this study were to reveal the effect of the spills on the distribution of the hydrocarbons and assess the toxi-cological significance of the levels found. In addition, our aim was to examine the distribution of the PAHs in sediments from Mecoacán originated from both pyrolytic and petrogenic sources. Methods  Samples were collected from 19 stations and prepared according to the CARIPOL (Caribbean Pollution) methodology of the United Nations Environmental Programme (1992) of the Great Caribbean Region for hydrocarbons in marine and coastal water, and sediments. The gas-chromatographic and atomic absorption analysis of the samples was performed after sampling. Results and Discussion  Concentrations of PAHs in water ranged from 0.2 to 0.8 μg/l in 1993 and from 0.3 to 2.8 μg/l in 1996. The concentration of the 16 EPA-PAHs varied from 0.1 to 36 mg/kg dry weight in the lake sediment samples collected in 1996, while those of AHs, PCBs and PCPs ranged from 0.1 to 67 mg/kg, 0.1 to 59 μg/kg and 6 to 370 μg/kg, respectively. The most abundant contaminants in water were benz[a]anthracene and pyrene, in 1993 and 1996, respectively; while in sediments collected in 1996: Pyrene, C₂₄, 2-chlorobiphenyl and endrin predominated. Heavy metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) were found at low concentrations. Benzo[a]pyrene was detected in some sediment samples in varying amounts (0.2 to 0.3 mg/kg). Conclusions  The maximum total PAH concentration in sediments was found at sites near the oil fields and the AH concentration near the urban zone. The mayor pollutants in sediments were PAHs and AHs, and taking into regard the detected PAHs near the oil fields, the source was the oil spilling. The mean total PAH value in Mecoacan sediments of 6.4 mg/kg did not exceed the median range effects value (ERM) for total PAHs of 44.8 mg/kg. The measured organochlorine compounds and heavy metals were present in amounts much inferior to the ERM values. This study confirms that contaminants concentration in sediments did not exceed the environmental quality guideline for the 50% probability and no adverse effect can be expected. Recommendation and Outlook  Analysis revealed no indication of a contribution of PAHs, PCBs, PCPs and heavy metals to acute sediment toxicity. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of continuous monitoring of ecosystems exposed to pollution to make pre-spill data available in order to evaluate the real consequence of the spilling and its effect on flora and fauna.     

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Trace Metals in Sediments from a Coastal Lagoon (Northern Adriatic, Italy)

Surface sediments (0–5 cm) were analysed to provide information on levels, spatial trends and sources of the 16 USEPA polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), 15 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and trace metals (copper, chromium, mercury, nickel and zinc) in channel and wetland habitats of Pialassa Baiona lagoon (Italy). The highest levels of PAHs, PCBs and Hg (3,032–87,150, n.d.–3,908 and 1.3–191 mg kg⁻¹) were mainly found at channel habitats close to industrial sources. Pyrogenic PAH inputs were significant, with a predominance of four-ring PAHs and combustion-related PAHs in both channel and wetland habitats. Among PCB congeners, chlorination class profiles show that penta- and hexachlorinated PCBs are the most prevalent homologues accounting for approximately 33% and 47% of the total PCB concentrations in channel sediments. Total toxicity equivalent factors (TEQs) of potentially carcinogenic PAHs varied from 348 to 7,879 μg kg⁻¹ and from 4.3 to 235 μg kg⁻¹ in channel and wetland sediments; calculated TEQs for dioxin-like PCB congeners at channel habitats ranged from n.d. to 86.7 μg kg⁻¹. Comparison of PAHs, PCBs and metal levels with Sediment Quality Guidelines suggests that more concern should be given to the southern area of the lagoon for potential risks of carcinogenic PAHs, dioxin-like PCBs and mercury.     

Levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in food of animal origin. The Swiss dioxin monitoring program

Between 1997 and 1999, several cases of dioxin contaminations in foodstuffs of animal origin occurred in Europe due to feed contaminated by several independent sources: citrus pulp pellets, fat containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), and kaolinitic clay as anti-caking agent in feedingstuffs. As a consequence of the latter, a survey on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) in food of animal origin was initiated by the Swiss authorities to assess the extent of PCDD/F contamination and to document the efficiency of the measures taken to ensure the decontamination of the food supply. Investigation of a total of 128 samples of cow's milk, poultry, eggs, and meat revealed several cases of residue levels distinctly above the background exposure limit of approximately 2.5 ng of I-TEQ/kg (fat basis). Particularly, elevated concentrations were found in eggs (maximum 13 ng of I-TEQ/kg), poultry (maximum 3.9 ng of I-TEQ/kg), and pork (maximum 7.5 ng of I-TEQ/kg). On the basis of the observed PCDD/F congener pattern, the contamination could be attributed to PCDD/F-contaminated kaolin that was used as an anti-caking agent in particular feedstuffs.