Organotin intake through fish consumption in Finland.
BACKGROUND
Organotin compounds (OTCs) are a large class of synthetic chemicals with widely varying properties. Due to their potential adverse health effects, their use has been restricted in many countries. Humans are exposed to OTCs mostly through fish consumption.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to describe OTC exposure through fish consumption and to assess the associated potential health risks in a Finnish population.


METHODS
An extensive sampling of Finnish domestic fish was carried out in the Baltic Sea and freshwater areas in 2005-2007. In addition, samples of imported seafood were collected in 2008. The chemical analysis was performed in an accredited testing laboratory during 2005-2008. Average daily intake of the sum of dibutyltin (DBT), tributyltin (TBT), triphenyltin (TPhT) and dioctyltin (DOT) (SigmaOTCs) for the Finnish population was calculated on the basis of the measured concentrations and fish consumption rates.


RESULTS
The average daily intake of SigmaOTCs through fish consumption was 3.2ng/kgbwday(-1), which is 1.3% from the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of 250ng/kgbwday(-1) set by the European Food Safety Authority. In total, domestic wild fish accounted for 61% of the SigmaOTC intake, while the intake through domestic farmed fish was 4.0% and the intake through imported fish was 35%. The most important species were domestic perch and imported salmon and rainbow trout.


CONCLUSIONS
The Finnish consumers are not likely to exceed the threshold level for adverse health effects due to OTC intake through fish consumption.
Airaksinen
Riikka
R
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Environmental Health, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland. Riikka.Airaksinen@thl.fi
Rantakokko
Panu
P
Turunen
Anu W
AW
Vartiainen
Terttu
T
Vuorinen
Pekka J
PJ
Lappalainen
Antti
A
Vihervuori
Aune
A
Mannio
Jaakko
J
Hallikainen
Anja
A
D000818:Animals; D003710:Demography; D004435:Eating; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005387:Finland; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D009947:Organotin Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D017747:Seafood / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
D009947:Organotin Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical