C. Rappe

Absorption of polychlorinated biphenyls, dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans by breast-fed infants

The absorption of polychlorinated biphenyls, dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans was studied in four breast-fed infants. The absorption was measured by comparing the estimated total intake and the excretion in faeces, during 48 hours, at three different time points; 1, 2 and 3 months post parta. The levels of the analysed compounds in the human milk are typical for Sweden, i.e approximately 20 ppt toxic equivalents for the dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and for the polychlorinated biphenyls approximately 16 ppt toxic equivalents. For most of the congeners the absorption is found to be over 95%. Higher excretion is noticed for heptachlorinated and octachlorinated dioxins.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF) in food samples collected in southern Mississippi, USA

In 1994, we analyzed 43 foodstuff samples from local supermarkets in southern Mississippi, USA, for PCDD/PCDF. 2,3,7,8-Cl4DD could be quantified in 31 of these samples. On a lipid basis, levels in meat (0.53-1.10 pg I-TEQ/g) and dairy products (0.42-1.10 pg I-TEQ/g) were slightly lower than those reported from other industrialized countries. While levels in dairy samples from the United States and Europe are comparable, there is a difference in the contribution of individual congeners to the I-TEQ: for example, in milk samples from Germany approximately 40% of the I-TEQ is due to the presence of 2,3, 4,7,8-Cl5DF while in the Mississippi samples this congener only contributes 16%. The highest concentrations of PCDD/PCDF in our study were detected in the farm-raised catfish (10.2-27.8 pg I-TEQ/g). A unique finding was that in addition to the 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/PCDF the catfish samples contained many non-2,3,7,8-substituted congeners. This is unusual because vertebrate animals selectively eliminate or metabolize the non-2,3,7,8-substituted congeners.

Patterns and sources of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans found in soil and sediment samples in Southern Mississippi

Using hierarchical cluster analysis and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), sediment and soil samples from the State of Mississippi were compared with the effluents of a pulp mill, a potential point source. Additionally, data of many known sources of PCDD/PCDF from the scientific literature were evaluated. Both methods were able to distinguish between different matrices with known PCDD/PCDF contamination (e.g. PCP, PCB, kraft pulp mill effluents). In some instances, a specific PCDD/PCDF source could be correlated to an environmental sample, e.g. the pattern of a U.S. brand of pentachlorophenate was found in sediment samples. None of the mathematical and statistical techniques could identify the pulp mill as the source of the PCDD/PCDF in the sediments and soils in the floodplain.

Dioxins in cod and herring from the seas around Sweden

Abstract The levels of PCDDs and PCDFs in pooled samples of cod, herring and whitefish from different fishing grounds in the seas around Sweden were determined by HRGC-HRMS. The results are expressed as TCDD equivalents, calculated according to the recently described Nordic model. The levels in pooled cod fillets were below or close to the limit of quantitation (ca 0.2 pg TCDD equivalents/g wet weight), whereas the levels in herring were 1.8–9.0 pg/g, the highest levels being found in Baltic herring. The levels in the two pooled samples of whitefish studied varied widely (2.3 and 19 pg/g).

Concentrations and spatial variations of cyclodienes and other organochlorines in herring and perch from the Baltic Sea.

Herring (Clupea harengus) and perch (Perca fluviatilis) were collected in the northern and southern Baltic Sea and analyzed for the presence of the cyclodiene pesticides chlordane (CHL), heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, isodrin, endosulfan and mirex, as well as other organochlorine contaminants, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), DDTs, hexachlorobenzene (HCBz) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in order to investigate concentrations, accumulation and differences in geographical distribution. In the northern part of the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, herring were collected at two pelagic stations, one in the Bothnian Bay (BB) and the other in the Bothnian Sea (BS), respectively; perch were collected at four coastal locations along the Swedish coast. All these locations were selected to represent background areas except one in the vicinity of an industrialised and contaminated area. Both specimens were also caught in the southern part of the Baltic Sea, in the Gulf of Gdansk (GG), Poland, a potentially highly polluted area. From the eight cyclodiene pesticides analyzed, three were detected in herring and perch samples, including 12 different CHL-related compounds, dieldrin and mirex. To our knowledge, it is the first time that mirex has been detected in samples from the Baltic Sea. Neither heptachlor, aldrin, endrin, isodrin nor endosulfan were found. However, HCHs, DDTs, HCBz and PCBs were found in every sample investigated, and the concentrations ranged e.g. for the cyclodiene chemicals dieldrin and CHL-related compounds from 30 to 170 ng/g lipid and for PCBs from 360 to 5400 ng/g lipid, both fish species included. Differences in contamination burden between the sites can be seen, e.g. for herring the BB and GG locals were similar, and generally lower than BS for all chemicals except that of DDT where GG was the highest. For the perch samples the industrialised location had markedly higher concentrations of HCBz and PCBs than the other locations. This species also identifies GG as the most DDT contaminated site among the three studied areas.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzo-furans (PCDF) in seal blubber

Abstract Blubber samples from seals collected in waters around the Scandinavian peninsula and from the Antarctic have been analyzed for the presence of PCDD and PCDF. The results do not indicate any substantial species or spatial differences in levels for animals representing the northern hemisphere but lower levels were found in the samples collected in the Antarctic. Among marine mammals highly persistent organochlorines normally increase with increasing age. In our study no clear age or sex dependence in levels of PCDD and PCDF was found. The levels of PCDD and PCDF in seal blubber are of the same magnitude as the levels found in humans.

PCDD and PCDF emissions from scrap metal melting processes at a steel mill

Abstract Scrap metal melting processes have been found to be one source for chlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans in the environment. This study was carried out in a pilot plant with a 10 - ton electric furnace. Feedstocks with varying amounts of chlorinated compounds were charged into the furnace under different operational conditions. The scrap metal was charged either continuously through the furnace or batchwise into the open furnace. Isomer specific analysis show the presence of PCDDs and PCDFs in the range of 0.1 – 1.5 ng TCDD-equivalents/Nm 3 dry gas, according to the Nordic model. The higher value was obtained when melting scrap metal containing chlorine. In the case of batchwise charging the gas collected over the open furnace contained 110 ng TCDD-equivalents/Nm 3 dry gas when using cutting oils containing chlorine. The congener profiles for all flue gas samples show a predomination of dibenzofurans.

Sampling and analysis of water and suspended particulate matter of the river Elbe for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs)

Abstract A sampling method for the determination of the particle-bound and dissolved PCDDs/Fs in the river Elbe is described. The suspended particulate matter (SPM) sample was taken by means of a centrifuge. For the water phase a sampling system with three modules was developed (FILAD I). The first two modules serve as filters, the third for solid/liquid-extraction. Samples were analysed by HRGC/HRMS for PCDDs/Fs. The concentrations of the dissolved PCDDs/Fs were in the fg/L range. Detection limit for dissolved PCDDs/Fs was 0,7 - 0,9 fg/L. Particulate organic carbon/water partition coefficients (Koc) were calculated. The results show that the analysis of particle-bound PCDDs/Fs alone would be sufficient to determine their concentration in the river Elbe. The differences in PCDD/F concentrations and in isomeric patterns of SPM between two sampling points, one upstream and the other downstream of the harbour of Hamburg, are discussed.

PCDDs and PCDFs in soil and river sediment samples from a rural area in the United States of America

In 1994, we collected 36 soil samples and 61 sediment samples from southern Mississippi, USA. Each sample was analyzed for PCDDs and PCDFs by HRMS using either a polar or a non-polar HRGC column. Although most Cl4  Cl8 PCDDs and PCDFs were detected in each sample, PCDD levels (particularly Cl7  Cl8) were higher in sediment than soil samples. The PCDF pattern in two sediment samples indicated a possible PCB source. The concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetra CDD and 2,3,7,8-tetra CDF were somewhat higher upstream of a pulp mill than downstream from the mill.

Polychlorierte Dibenzo-p-dioxine (PCDDs) und polychlorierte Dibenzofurane (PCDFs) in Sedimenten und Fischen aus dem Hamburger Hafen

Abstract In the paper we report on isomerspecific analyses of PCDDs and PCDFs in 25 samples of sediments and 15 samples of fish collected in the harbor of Hamburg, Federal Republik of Germany. 2,3,7,8-TCDD was identified and quantified in all samples. In the sediments point sources were identified where background levels were exceeded by a factor of 10–70. In the paper we discuss possible sources to the contamination. The levels in the fish samples were found to parallel the sediment levels.