title: Age-dependent congener profiles of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in the general population of Taiwan.
abstract: A congener profile of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) could provide valuable information for identifying possible sources of exposure to these compounds. The purpose of this study is to identify factors associated with PCDD/F congener profiles in the general population of Taiwan. Serum samples from 251 subjects of the general population in Taiwan were collected, and the levels of 17 2,3,7,8-chlorinated substituted PCDD/Fs were measured. The relationships between PCDD/F congener profiles and demographic parameters were evaluated using a multivariate analysis of variance method (MANOVA). Of the five demographic factors investigated, age was found to have the greatest impact on PCDD/F congener profiles. The PCDD/F congener pattern for the group I subjects (aged 18-29) was significantly different from those for the other three older age groups (p<0.001), and 12 congeners contributed to the effects (difference index: 71%). In addition, the group I subjects did not exhibit trends parallel to those of the other groups in the relationship between age and PCDD/F levels. Age was associated with PCDD/F levels and congener profiles in the general population of Taiwan and the young subjects (aged 18-29) was quite different from the other older subjects that could be influenced by the individual differences in pharmacokinetics and/or background exposure from dietary sources. We conclude that investigators must consider subjects' age and other underlying factors that could influence PCDD/F congener profiles in humans when identifying exposure sources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan 704, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jing-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Pao-Chi
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000097:blood*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; C023614:dibenzofuran