Serum PCB levels in a representative sample of the SPANISH adult population: The BIOAMBIENT.ES project

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 493; pp. 834 - 844
• Main Authors: Huetos, O., Bartolomé, M., Aragonés, N., Cervantes-Amat, M., Esteban, M., Ruiz-Moraga, M., Pérez-Gómez, B., Calvo, E., Vila, M., Castaño, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15.09.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Biological and medical sciences; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Environmental Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Environmental Pollutants - blood; Female; Human biomonitoring; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); Polychlorinated Biphenyls - blood; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Serum; Spain; Working population; Southern Europe; Europe; Spain; New Zealand; ASE, Atlantic, Canary Is; Canada; USA; France; MED, Greece; Working population; Human biomonitoring; Serum; Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); Spain; Human; Biological fluid; Polychlorobiphenyls; Blood; Biological monitoring; Persistent organic pollutant; National scope; Chlorocarbon; Adult; Worker; Aromatic compound; Blood serum
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.06.077

This manuscript presents the levels of six indicator polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (IUPAC nos. 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180) in the serum of 1880 individuals from a representative sample of the Spanish working population recruited between March 2009 and July 2010. Three out of the six PCBs studied (180, 153 and 138) were quantified in more than 99% of participants. PCB 180 was the highest contributor, followed by PCBs 153 and 138, with relative abundances of 42.6%, 33.2% and 24.2%, respectively. In contrast, PCBs 28 and 52 were detected in only 1% of samples, whereas PCB 101 was detectable in 6% of samples. The geometric mean (GM) for ΣPCBs138/153/180 was 135.4ng/g lipid (95% CI: 121.3–151.2ng/g lipid) and the 95th percentile was 482.2ng/g lipid. Men had higher PCB blood concentrations than women (GMs 138.9 and 129.9ng/g lipid respectively). As expected, serum PCB levels increased with age and frequency of fish consumption, particularly in those participants younger than 30years of age. The highest levels we found were for participants from the Basque Country, whereas the lowest concentrations were found for those from the Canary Islands. The Spanish population studied herein had similar levels to those found previously in Greece and southern Italy, lower levels than those in France and central Europe, and higher PCB levels than those in the USA, Canada and New Zealand. This paper provides the first baseline information regarding PCB exposure in the Spanish adult population on a national scale. The results will allow us to establish reference levels, follow temporal trends and identify high-exposure groups, as well as monitor implementation of the Stockholm Convention in Spain. •6 NDL-PCBs serum levels reported in a representative sample of Spanish adults.•PCB congener 180 is the largest contributor to PCB load body burden.•Serum PCBs levels increased with the age and the frequency of fish consumption.•Basque country had the highest and Canary Islands the lowest PCB levels in the population.•We confirm the general reduction in human PCB exposure over the last 20years.