title: PCBs and PCDD/FS in fish and fish products and their impact on the human body burden in Belgium.
abstract: The concentrations of marker PCBs (28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) in fish have been assessed with GC-MS: an average concentration of 540 ng-PCB g(-1) fat (5.02 ng-PCB g(-1) wet weight) was observed. The average concentration of PCDD/Fs, assessed with the CALUX bioassay, amounted to 64 pg-CALUX-TEQ g(-1) fat (0.58 pg-CALUX-TEQ g(-1) wet weight) and that of PCDD/Fs + dioxin-like PCBs amounted to 131 pg-CALUX-TEQ g(-1) fat (1.18 pg-CALUX-TEQ g(-1) wet weight). Results of the PCB congeners analyses show that PCB-153 is the most abundant congener in almost all samples, with also main contributions of the 138- and 180-congeners. For some species such as the sand sole and lemon sole, a fairly constant PCB content, independent of the fat percentage, was observed. For a second group of species such as whelks, cod, and whiting, a positive correlation was observed between their PCB concentration (ng g(-1) fat) and their % of fat. The relationship between marker PCBs and PCDD/Fs concentrations, when plotted on a log scale, fits a straight line (correlation coefficient r = 0.83). With our results on fish and literature data for other food products, intake of marker PCBs and PCDD/Fs could be calculated for the adult population in Belgium (19-60 years old). The Total Daily Intake (TDI) of marker PCBs (ng-PCB day(-1)) ranges between 1690 and 2210. The TDI of PCDD/Fs (pg-CALUX day(-1)) ranges between 80.5 and 122, that of PCDD/Fs + dioxin-like PCBs amounts to 151. When PCDD/Fs in fish are assessed with GC-HRMS, the TDI can be lower. The relative importance of fish regarding marker PCB intake amounts to 15-19%, while regarding PCDD/Fs intake it amounts to 34-51%. Using TDI, the body burden evolution of marker PCBs and PCDD/Fs, with age has been calculated.
authors.affiliation: Analytical and Environmental Chemistry Department, ANCH, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, BRUEGEL, 2 Pleinlaan, Brussels, Belgium. wbaeyens@pop.vub.ac.be
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baeyens
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leermakers
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elskens
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van Larebeke
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Bont
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vanderperren
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Degroodt
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goeyens
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hanot
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Windal
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001530:Belgium; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D001822:Body Burden; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004524:Eels; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005396:Fish Products / Q000032:analysis; D005399:Fishes; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D049851:Gastropoda; D006801:Humans; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012754:Sharks; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls