title: Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, polychlorodibenzofurans, and polychlorobiphenyls in women of reproductive age in Italy: A human biomonitoring study.
abstract: Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that represent a major concern for women of reproductive age because of the neurodevelopmental effects associated to perinatal exposure.
  
  
  
  This study was aimed at characterizing exposure of women of reproductive age to PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs as a function of residence in different Italian Regions, in areas at presumable different environmental contamination and human exposure to these pollutants.
  
  
  
  Study participants were enrolled in 2011-2012 in 6 Italian Regions representative of Northern, Central and Southern Italy; in each region, areas at presumed different exposure (rural, urban and industrial) were selected for enrolment. Each participant provided a serum sample for the analysis of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs.
  
  
  
  Median concentrations of PCDDs+PCDFs, DL-PCBs, NDL6-PCBs and NDL9-PCBs in serum samples were respectively 6.0 and 3.5 pgWHO-TE05/g fat, and 75 and 93ng/g fat. Age was the variable that most affected median serum concentrations. Age adjusted concentrations were found significantly different between geographical zones: women from Northern Italy showed the highest values, followed by Central and Southern Italy. PCDDs+PCDFs concentrations were significantly higher in the group of women residing in industrial areas compared to the group residing in rural areas. A clear diminishing temporal trend was observed compared to levels reported in previous studies.
  
  
  
  This study produced the largest dataset on serum concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs in women of childbearing age in Italy.
  
  
  
  confirmed that environmental and lifestyle factors may influence exposure to these contaminants and thereby the body burden. The observed marked temporal decline in body burden during three decades is in agreement with the general trend observed worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento Ambiente e connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ingelido
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento Ambiente e connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Abate
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento Ambiente e connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Roma, Italy. Electronic address: annalisa.abballe@iss.it.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abballe
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Ostetrico Ginecologico Sant'Anna, Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvia Lucia
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Albano
authors.affiliation: ASL Taranto, Dipartimento Prevenzione, Taranto, Italy.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Battista
authors.affiliation: Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari della Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Unità Operativa Igiene e Sanità Pubblica, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Valter
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carraro
authors.affiliation: ASL Taranto, Dipartimento Prevenzione, Taranto, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conversano
authors.affiliation: ASL Umbria 2, Terni, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corvetti
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento Ambiente e connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari della Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Unità Operativa Igiene e Sanità Pubblica, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Silva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franchini
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento Ambiente e connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fulgenzi
authors.affiliation: Azienda di rilievo Nazionale e di Alta Specializzazione, Ospedale Civico di Palermo, U.O.C. di Ginecologia e Ostetricia, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giambanco
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento Ambiente e connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iacovella
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento Ambiente e connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Laura
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Iamiceli
authors.affiliation: Azienda di rilievo Nazionale e di Alta Specializzazione, Ospedale Civico di Palermo, U.O.C. di Ginecologia e Ostetricia, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maiorana
authors.affiliation: Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Latina, P.O. Nord "S. Maria Goretti", U.O.C. Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maneschi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento Ambiente e connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.affiliation: ASST, Lecco, Italy.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pirola
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Ginecologiche e Ostetriche e Scienze Urologiche - Università di Roma, "Sapienza" Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Porpora
authors.affiliation: ASL 5 Susa (To), Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Procopio
authors.affiliation: ASL 5 Susa (To), Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suma
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento Ambiente e connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.affiliation: ASL Umbria 2, Terni, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valsenti
authors.affiliation: ASL 5 Pinerolo (To), Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vecchiè
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento Ambiente e connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Felip
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000097:blood*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000097:blood*; D011108:Polymers; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D011108:Polymers; C016068:polychlorodibenzofuran; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Human biomonitoring; Italy; PCBs; PCDDs; PCDFs; Women