title: Decrease of PCDD/F levels in human blood from Germany over the past ten years (1989-1998).
abstract: 744 whole blood samples of normal subjects from Germany collected in 1989-1998 have been analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) by capillary gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry. Over the examined time period a continuous decrease of the PCDD/F concentrations in human blood was observed. The mean levels found were 43.7 pg I-TEq/g (lipid basis) in 1989 and 20.7 pg I-TEq/g (lipid basis) in 1996/98 [median: 42.2 and 19.4]. The reduction to about the half was found for most congeners. Each one-year subset of the collective and the entire collective shows a positive correlation of the PCDD/F blood levels with age for most of the congeners, the sum values and the calculated toxicity equivalents. For statistical evaluation a multiplicative model was used: Concentration = A x Age(B). The correlation is mostly pronounced for lower chlorinated PCDD and for 2,3,4,7,8-PentaCDF. The PCDD/F concentrations in human blood in relation to the year of examination and the age of the subjects can be described by a linear model: I-TEq [pg/g (lipid basis)] = 6176 - 3.097 x Year + 0.6482 x Age or by a multiplicative model: I-TEq [pg/g(lipid basis)] = 10(89.08-0.04415 x Year + 0.008468 x Age).
authors.affiliation: Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Abteilung für Hygiene, Sozial- und Umweltmedizin, Germany. wittsiepe@hygiene.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wittsiepe
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schrey
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ewers
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Selenka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000097:blood*; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D008055:Lipids; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins