Muneaki Matsuda

Composition of chloronaphthalene congeners in technical chloronaphthalene formulations of the Halowax series

Abstract Normalised pattern (DB‐5 capillary column) of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs; CNs) for all seven technical Halowax formulations and mass percent contribution (CN %) for an equivalent mixture of Halowax 1031, 1000, 1001, 1099, 1013, 1014 and 1051 (Equi‐Halowax) is presented. 2,3‐DiCN (PCN no. 10), 1,6,7‐and 2,3,6‐TrCNs (PCNs nos 25 and 26) and probably also 1,3,5‐TrCN (PCN no. 19), 1,3,6,7‐, 1,2,3,6‐and 1,2,3,8‐TeCN (PCNs nos. 44, 29 and 31), and 1,2,3,6,7,8‐HxCN (PCN no. 70) were absent in commercial PCNs formulations. The congeners such as 1,2,3‐TrCN (PCN no. 13), 1,3,8‐TrCN (PCN no. 22) and 1,2,3,6,7‐PeCN (PCN no. 54) were present in the mixtures at very low concentrations. The congeners most abundant in Halowax mixtures are usually chlorinated at α‐positions (1, 4, 5, 8‐positions) of the naphthalene nuclei. Because of some unresolved peaks observed on the chromatograms due to insufficient separation power of DB‐5, and also of many other liquid phases used in capillary gas Chromatographie separation of PCNs even when mass spectrometric detection was used, a perfect isomer and congener composition of PCN mixtures still has to be elucidated.

Organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in human adipose tissue from western Kyungnam, Korea

Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDDs/DFs) were determined in human adipose tissue samples collected from western Kyungnam, Korea. The residue levels of organochlorine compounds were in the order of DDTs followed by PCBs > HCHs > HCB > PCDDs/DFs. The mean concentrations of 2,3,7,8-TeCDD in male and female tissues were 2.8 and 1.7 pg.g-1 on lipid weight basis, respectively. No significant difference was found in the residue levels of PCDDs/DFs between sexes. In contrast, PCBs and DDTs showed a significant difference between sexes. Unlike the age trend observed for HCHs, PCBs and DDTs, PCDDs/DFs revealed a constant or rather decreasing pattern with increasing age. This is the first report on PCDDs/DFs contamination in human adipose tissue from Korea. Organochlorine concentrations in human adipose tissues from western Kyungnam were generally much lower than those of other countries.

Dioxin-like potencies and extractable organohalogens (EOX) in medical, municipal and domestic waste incinerator ashes in Japan

Ash samples collected from medical, municipal and small-scale domestic incinerators in Japan were tested for dioxin-like activity using bioassay technique (ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase: EROD assay) and for extractable organohalogens (EOX) using instrumental neutron activation analysis in order to estimate potential toxicity and responsible chemicals in those samples. Crude extracts and fractions cleaned-up for dioxin analysis from the samples were used for the analysis. The ranges of dioxins in the ashes were between 2.23 and 12.29 ng TEQ/g (dry weight). Relative potency ranges estimated by EROD assay in the medical incinerator ashes were 3.8-17.6 times higher than the results of conventional chemical analysis. EOX analysis suggested that ash samples contained plenty of organochlorine compounds apart from chlorinated dioxins. In addition, medical waste incinerator ashes were considered to have relatively higher amount of organoiodine compounds. In the cleaned-up fractions, bioassay potency ranges were lower than those in the crude extracts. However, some samples still exhibited higher potency than expected from chemical analysis. Though some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were found in the fractions, the amounts were relatively low (0.39-10.56 ng/g). The results imply that some bioactive organohalogens that cannot be detected in the conventional chemical analysis might have potential for dioxin-like toxicity, and contribute to higher bioassay activities. The combination of the chemical analysis with the bioassay and EOX provides rough figure of dioxin-like toxicity and suggests types of organohalogen compounds that should be identified as a part of dioxin analysis for control emission from an incineration plant.

Chlorinated persistent organic pollutants in black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris) from Hokkaido, Japan

Concentrations and patterns of several chlorinated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and biphenyls (PCBs) and DDTs, HCHs, CHLs and HCB were determined in black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris) from breeding grounds in Hokkaido, Japan. Subcutaneous fat of five adult gulls was analyzed, which had different concentrations of target compounds, whereas gull eggs contained similar concentrations of target compounds. Similar congener profiles were found between adult gulls and eggs. The concentrations of non-ortho PCBs varied from 3.4 to 13.5 ng/g lipid weight (lw) in the fat of black-tailed gulls and from 2.4 to 7.4 ng/g lw in their eggs. 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs occurred at relatively lower concentrations than non-ortho PCB congeners in both adult gulls and eggs. The total TEQs (toxic equivalents, PCDD/Fs+ non-ortho PCB) ranged from 0.26 to 1.0 ng/g lw in adult gulls and ranged from 0.19 to 0.58 ng/g lw in eggs.

Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide and polychlorinated biphenyl residues in soils from southern provinces of Vietnam

Abstract Soil samples collected randomly from the provinces of Tayninh and Songbe, southwestern Vietnam, were analysed for the presence of DDTs, HCHs and PCBs. Residues of these chemicals were detected in all the analysed samples. Concentrations of σ DDT in cultivated soil samples were relatively high with the highest level of 290 ng/g. However, non-cultivated soil samples recorded lower levels of σ DDT. On the other hand, concentrations of σ HCH were low ranging from 0.09 to 2.3 ng/g in cultivated and from 0.09 to 2.1 ng/g in non-cultivated soils, respectively. Maximum concentrations of PCBs were recorded with the highest level of 150 ng/g in a cultivated soil sample. As for non-cultivated soil samples, the highest level was found in a former U. S. air base grounds. It can then be implied that the PCBs were incorporated in the arms used by allied forces during the Second Indochina War.

Simple sampling and analysis of PCDDS and PCDFS in Japanese coastal seawater

Abstract Seawater from Japanese coastal areas was extracted with a XAD-2 resin column for a study of PCDDS and PCDFS. 1.3 – 2.9 pg/L of PCDDS were detected, but no PCDFs were found. The most of detected PCDDS was OctaCDD and some HeptaCDDs. This isomer pattern is similar to non-polluted atmosphere and sediment. We could not define the source of PCDDS in Seawater. However it is of interest that the composition of PCDDS in seawater is similar to natural dioxin found in ancient oceanic sediment.

Contamination of PCBs in Nakdong river estuary, Korea

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in the sediments, soils, fishes and birds from Nakdong River estuarine environment in Korea which included both industrial and non‐industrial areas. PCB levels (30–8500 ng/g, dry wt.) in sediments from industrial areas, were significantly higher than those from non‐industrial areas (0.3–32 ng/g, dry wt.). Lower chlorinated PCBs (KC‐300, 400) were the major components in the polluted sediments, based on the comparison with technical PCB formulations. The residual patterns of PCBs in fish samples from the industrial area were similar to those of sediments collected at the same area. In bird samples, elevated concentrations in muscle tissues in migratory birds indicated exposure to the aquatic food web in this area.