title: Human exposure to PCDDs and their precursors from heron and tern eggs in the Yangtze River Delta indicate PCP origin.
abstract: Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are highly toxic to humans and wildlife. In the present study, PCDD/Fs were analyzed in the eggs of whiskered terns (Chlidonias hybrida), and genetically identified eggs from black-crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) sampled from two lakes in the Yangtze River Delta area, China. The median toxic equivalent (TEQ) of PCDD/Fs were 280 (range: 95-1500) and 400 (range: 220-1100) pg TEQ g-1lw (WHO, 1998 for birds) in the eggs of black-crowned night heron and whiskered tern, respectively. Compared to known sources, concentrations of PCDDs relative to the sum of PCDD/Fs in bird eggs, demonstrated high abundance of octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD), 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptaCDD and 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexaCDD indicating pentachlorophenol (PCP), and/or sodium pentachlorophenolate (Na-PCP) as significant sources of the PCDD/Fs. The presence of polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs), hydroxylated and methoxylated polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (OH- and MeO-PCDEs, known impurities in PCP products), corroborates this hypothesis. Further, significant correlations were found between the predominant congener CDE-206, 3'-OH-CDE-207, 2'-MeO-CDE-206 and OCDD, indicating a common origin. Eggs from the two lakes are sometimes used for human consumption. The WHO health-based tolerable intake of PCDD/Fs is exceeded if eggs from the two lakes are consumed regularly on a weekly basis, particularly for children. The TEQs extensively exceed maximum levels for PCDD/Fs in hen eggs and egg products according to EU legislation (2.5 pg TEQ g-1lw). The results suggest immediate action should be taken to manage the contamination, and further studies evaluating the impacts of egg consumption from wild birds in China. Likewise, studies on dioxins and other POPs in common eggs need to be initiated around China.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: capitalzyh@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Yihui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lillemor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Asplund
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box95, 70701 Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Panu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rantakokko
authors.affiliation: Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden; Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment (Ministry of Education), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bignert
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box95, 70701 Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruokojärvi
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box95, 70701 Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiviranta
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment (Ministry of Education), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yanling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden; Swetox, Karolinska Institute, Unit of Toxicology Sciences, Forskargatan 20, SE-15136 Södertälje, Sweden.
authors.forename: Åke
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Bergman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis; D001717:Birds; D046091:Charadriiformes; D002645:Chickens; D002681:China; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004147:Dioxins; D004531:Eggs / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005506:Food Contamination; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D060106:Lakes; D010416:Pentachlorophenol / Q000032:analysis*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D045483:Rivers
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004147:Dioxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; C021244:polychlorinated diphenyl ethers; D010416:Pentachlorophenol; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C018117:octachlorodibenzo-4-dioxin
keywords: Bird egg; OH-PCDEs; PCDD/Fs; PCDEs; PCP; Yangtze river delta