Dietary intake of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) by a population living in the vicinity of a hazardous waste incinerator. Assessment of the temporal trend

Abstract: The concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were determined in a number of foodstuffs purchased in various locations near a hazardous waste incinerator (HWI) in Tarragona County (Catalonia, Spain). The dietary intake of PCDD/Fs by the population of the area under potential influence of the HWI was subsequently estimated. The results were compared with previous surveys performed in the same area in 1998 (baseline), 2002 and 2006. In the present study, the highest WHO-TEQ corresponded to industrial bakery (0.183ng/kg wet weight, ww), followed by fish (0.156ng/kg ww), oils and fats (0.112ng/kg fat weight), and seafood (0.065ng/kg ww). In contrast, the lowest values were observed in pulses and tubers (0.003ng/kg ww), and cereals and fruits (0.004ng/kg ww). The dietary intake of PCDD/Fs by the general population was 33.1pg WHO-TEQ/day, having fish and seafood (11.6pg WHO-TEQ), oils and fats (4.61pg WHO-TEQ), dairy products (3.79pg WHO-TEQ), and industrial bakery (3.49pg WHO-TEQ) as the groups showing the highest contribution to the total TEQ. The lowest daily contributions corresponded to pulses (0.08pg WHO-TEQ) and tubers (0.25pg WHO-TEQ). This intake was considerably lower than that found in the baseline study, 210.1pgI-TEQ/day, and also notably lower than that found in the 2002 survey (59.6pgI-TEQ/day), but slightly higher than the intake estimated in the 2006 survey, 27.8pgWHO-TEQ/day. The results of this study show that any increase potentially found in the biological monitoring of the general population living in the area under evaluation should not be attributed to dietary exposure to PCDD/Fs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]