title: Relationship of PCDD/F concentrations in duck-egg farmers and consumption of ranched duck eggs in central Taiwan.
abstract: The 2004 food market-basket survey in Taiwan found high levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in duck eggs. A subsequent survey in Chang-Hua County, central Taiwan, found nine duck farms for egg production and duck eggs that were highly contaminated by PCDD/Fs in the secondary sampling and analysis during the years 2004 to 2005. Duck-egg farmers eat duck eggs rather than chicken eggs, and the aim of the current study was to evaluate how eating contaminated duck eggs affected serum PCDD/F accumulation and PCDD/F profiles in family members of duck-egg farmers. Forty-two family members of duck-egg farmers and 88 residents living nearby (control group) were recruited. Serum PCDD/F levels were significantly higher in duck-egg farmers than in the control group (28.1 vs 18.6 pg World Health Organization toxic equivalency [TEQ]/g lipid, WHO-TEQ). Significant differences in PCDD/F levels were found for most congeners, especially for 2,3,4,7,8-penta-chlorinated dibenzofurans. Elevated serum PCDD/F levels were positively associated with an increase in monthly duck-egg consumption after adjustments for fish consumption. The current result contradicted results of our previous study, which showed a positive association between fish intake and serum PCDD/F levels. The matter of cultivation in the contaminant area in Chang-Hua County should be considered more seriously.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Safety and Hazard Prevention, Hung Kuang University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiu-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hsin-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Po-Chin
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ching-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D004372:Ducks / Q000378:metabolism*; D004531:Eggs / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D013624:Taiwan; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins