Prevalence of low chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofurans in human serum.
Mono- to tri-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofurans (DD/Fs) have not been studied as extensively as the 17 toxic 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners. In this study for the first time, mono- to octa-chlorinated DD/Fs were analyzed for seventy one human serum samples collected from incinerator workers as well as residents living near and far from the facility. The mean concentrations of ∑Cl(1-8)DD/Fs and 17-toxic congeners were 1890 and 398 pg g(-1) lipid (11.9 TEQ pg g(-1) lipid), respectively. 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, and 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD were predominant congeners that accounted for more than 78% of the TEQ concentrations. The profile for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) was dominated by the most chlorinated congener, OCDD (>58%), while decreasing concentrations with increasing degree of chlorination were seen for polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs); MoCDFs (>83%) and DiCDFs (>6%). ∑Cl(1-3)DD/Fs accounted for 77% of the serum concentrations of ∑Cl(1-8)DD/Fs. These findings confirm that human beings are exposed to a large amount of ∑Cl(1-3)DD/Fs. Moreover, MoCDFs contributed more than 60% of the ∑Cl(1-8)DD/Fs and was highly correlated with ∑Cl(1-8)DD/Fs. Thus, 2-MoCDF could be a predictive indicator for ∑Cl(1-8)DD/Fs (r(s)=0.96), and the combination of 2-MoCDF and OCDD could explain the 95.9% variation in the serum of ∑Cl(1-8)DD/Fs. These results suggest that low chlorinated DD/Fs should be studied extensively until these low chlorinated congeners will have been elucidated for their toxicities.
School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyojadong, Namgu, Pohang, Kyungbuk 790-784, Republic of Korea.
Hyokeun
H
Park
Jongchul
J
Kim
Yoon-Seok
YS
Chang
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000097:blood*; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017745:Incineration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008297:Male; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D056910:Republic of Korea
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins