Monitoring dioxins and furans in plasma of individuals living near a hazardous waste incinerator: Temporal trend after 20 years

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 173; pp. 207 - 211
• Main Authors: Nadal, Martí, Mari, Montse, Schuhmacher, Marta, Domingo, José L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.06.2019
• Subjects: Benzofurans; breast milk; dibenzofuran; Dibenzofurans; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Dietary intake; Dioxins - blood; Dioxins and furans; emissions; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants - blood; food intake; furans; Furans - blood; gender; Hazardous Waste; Hazardous waste incinerator; Human exposure; Humans; Incineration; lipids; monitoring; Plasma; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; polychlorinated dibenzofurans; risk; Spain; surveys; Spain; Plasma; Dietary intake; Hazardous waste incinerator; Dioxins and furans; Human exposure
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.051

The concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were analyzed in 40 plasma samples of individuals living in zones under potential influence of the emissions of a hazardous waste incinerator (HWI) (Tarragona County, Catalonia, Spain). Samples corresponded to subjects of different gender, age and specific areas of residence. The levels of PCDD/Fs were compared to those obtained in a baseline study (1998), as well as in previous surveys (2002, 2007 and 2012). The current mean concentration of PCDD/Fs in plasma was 6.79 pg I-TEQ/g lipid, which was significantly lower than the baseline concentration (27.0 pg I-TEQ/g lipid). A significant decrease was also observed in comparison to the results obtained in 2002 and 2007 (15.7 and 9.4 pg I-TEQ/g, respectively), while the current PCDD/F levels were similar to those obtained in 2012 (6.18 pg I-TEQ/g lipid). This important reduction in plasma PCDD/F levels is in accordance with the decreasing trend in the daily dietary intake of PCDD/Fs, which diminished from 210.1 pg I-TEQ (baseline) to 8.54 pg WHO-TEQ (current). OCDD was the predominant congener in plasma, while 2,3,7,8-TeCDD and 1,2,3,4,7,8,9-HpCDF showed the lowest levels. Based on the above results, as well as other recent data on the levels of PCDD/Fs in human milk, we conclude that the presence of the HWI does not mean additional and significant risks –as regards to PCDD/F exposure-for the population living in the neighborhood of the facility. •PCDD/Fs were analyzed in plasma samples of individuals living near a HWI.•The current mean PCDD/F concentration in plasma was significantly lower than the baseline level.•The reduction in plasma agrees with the decreasing trend in the dietary intake of PCDD/Fs.•PCDD/Fs exposure from the HWI does not mean additional significant health risks.