S. Granero

PCDDs and PCDFs in food samples from Catalonia, Spain. An assessment of dietary intake

Food samples from local markets and supermarkets of Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain) were analyzed for PCDD/F concentrations. On lipid basis, PCDD/F levels in meat, fish, eggs, and fats and oils were similar or lower than those found in other countries. By contrast, in general terms PCDD/F levels in milk, vegetables, and cereals showed higher levels than those previously reported. The total dietary PCDD/F intake by the population of Tarragona was estimated to be 210 pg I-TEQ/day. This value is higher than the dietary intake of PCDD/Fs found in a number of surveys from other countries. However, when total dietary intake of PCDD/Fs was calculated including only fish and seafood, meat, milk and dairy products, eggs, and fats and oils, a dietary intake of PCDD/Fs of 117 pg I-TEQ/day was obtained. This intake is in the same range than that reported for different regions and countries. The results of the present study show that food groups such as vegetables, fruits, and cereals should not be excluded to estimate the total dietary intake of PCDD/Fs by general populations, especially in those countries and/or regions in which their consumptions are notable.

Assessment of baseline levels of PCDD/F in soils in the neighbourhood of a new hazardous waste incinerator in Catalonia, Spain

In order to determine the baseline contamination by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) in an area from Catalonia (Spain), which will be under the influence of a new hazardous waste incinerator, PCDD/F concentrations were measured in 40 soil samples collected in the vicinity of the facility now under construction. Thirty samples represented rural soils and 10 samples urban soils. PCDD/F concentrations ranged between 0.08-8.4 ng I-TEQ/kg for rural soils and 0.63-24.2 ng I-TEQ/kg for urban soils. The mean value for the 40 samples was 1.64 ng I-TEQ/kg (dry matter). The current PCDD/F levels and profiles are comparable to those found in soils from other countries. The PCDD/F concentrations found in this study show that at present the contamination by PCDD/F in soils of the examined area is rather low.

Monitoring metals in the vicinity of a municipal waste incinerator: temporal variation in soils and vegetation.

The aim of this study was to determine the temporal variation in the concentrations of arsenic (As), beryllium (Be), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), thallium (Tl), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn) in soil and vegetation near an old municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI). In October 1997, 24 soil and 24 herbage samples were collected at the same sampling points in which samples were also taken in October 1996. With the exception of an increase in the levels of Be and Ni, no significant differences in soils between both surveys were found; only Cr and V (decreases) and Hg (increase) showed significant variations in herbage samples during the last year. The concentrations of most elements in soil and vegetation samples collected near the MSWI are within the ranges previously reported for soil and vegetation in the vicinity of MSWIs.

Evaluating the environmental impact of an old municipal waste incinerator: PCDD/F levels in soil and vegetation samples.

In order to determine the temporal variation in the levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in the vicinity of an old municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) (S. Adrià del Besòs, Barcelona, Spain), 24 soil and vegetation samples were collected at the same sampling points in which samples had been taken 1 year before. Each sample was analyzed for PCDDs and PCDFs by high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry. While in the previous study PCDD/F concentrations in soil ranged from 1.22 to 34. 28 ng I-TEQ/kg (median and mean values: 9.06 and 12.24 ng I-TEQ/kg), in the present study, PCDD/F levels ranged from 1.33 to 54.23 ng I-TEQ/kg (median and mean values: 11.85 and 14.41 ng I-TEQ/kg). On the other hand, in the previous study, PCDD/F levels in vegetation ranged from 0.33 to 1.98 ng I-TEQ/kg (median and mean values: 0.58 and 0.70 ng I-TEQ/kg), whereas in the present study, PCDD/F levels ranged from 0.32 to 2.52 ng I-TEQ/kg (median and mean values: 0.82 and 0.97 ng I-TEQ/kg). During the last 12 months, PCDD/F levels increased in 16 of the 24 soil samples and in 17 of the 24 vegetation samples analyzed. However, no significant differences in the median I-TEQ concentrations of both studies were found either in soil or vegetation samples.

Atmospheric deposition of PCDD/Fs near an old municipal solid waste incinerator: levels in soil and vegetation

The levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) were determined in soil and vegetation samples taken from 24 sites in the vicinity of an old municipal solid waste incinerator (San Adrià del Besòs, Barcelona, Spain). Duplicate samples were collected within a radius of 3 km from the stack. PCDD/F concentrations in soils ranged from 1.22 to 34.28 ng I-TEQ/kg (d.m.) with median and mean values of 9.06 and 12.24 ng I-TEQ/kg, respectively. In turn, the levels of PCDD/Fs in vegetation samples ranged from 0.33 to 1.98 ng I-TEQ/kg (d.m.), with median and mean values of 0.58 and 0.70 ng I-TEQ/kg, respectively. Although the present PCDD/F concentrations in soil samples were higher than those recently found in soils taken near other incinerators from Catalonia, they are of the same order of magnitude than the levels of these pollutants found in incinerators from other countries. By contrast, the concentrations of PCDD/Fs in herbage samples were comparable to those found in recent surveys carried out in Catalonia.

Congener profiles of PCDD/Fs in soil and vegetation samples collected near to a municipal waste incinerator.

Recently, we measured the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in soil and herbage samples collected in the vicinity of a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) from Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain). Since these concentrations could be increased by the presence of other emission sources of PCDD/Fs in the same area in which the MSWI is placed, the main goal of the present study was to determine the PCDD/F congener profiles in the soil and vegetation samples collected in 1996 and again in 1997 near to the facility and to compare with those from samples collected in a close area outside of direct emissions of the plant. From an accurate inspection of the PCDD/F congener profiles, it was concluded that PCDD/F emissions from the MSWI here examined are neither the only nor the main responsible for the presence of PCDD/Fs in the samples of environmental matrices collected in the area under direct influence of the plant.

Levels of 3/Fs in soil samples in the vicinity of a municipal solid waste incinerator

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were determined in 24 soil samples collected near a municipal solid waste incinerator (Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain). Soil samples were obtained at various sites within 1.5 km from the stack. Total PCDD/F concentrations ranged from 0.225 to 5.80 ng TEQ/kg dry matter (d.m.) with a median value of 0.799 ng TEQ/kg and a mean value of 1.080 ng TEQ/kg. No remarkable PCDD/F contamination was found. The results were consistent and even lower than those reported in other international studies. Principal Component Analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to compare these soil samples with a set of 10 additional samples collected outside the influence of the plant. Principal Component and hierarchical cluster analyses of soils in the vicinity of the incinerator provide patterns of PCDD/Fs quite similar from those obtained in soils collected far from the influence of that facility.

Effect of age on vanadium nephrotoxicity in rats

The present study was designed to assess potential age dependent differences of vanadium nephrotoxicity in the rat following parenteral administration of vanadate. Young (22 days) and adult (62 days) male Sprague-Dawley rats received i.p. injections of sodium orthovanadate at 10 mg/kg/day for 8 consecutive days. Two additional groups of control rats received i.p. injections of 0.9% saline during the same period. Significant age-differences were found in most of the parameters used as indicators of nephrotoxicity in young and adult rats, with adverse renal effects being more severe with age. Vanadium-induced morphologic changes in the kidney were also more pronounced with age. These findings agree with a higher renal concentration of vanadium in the group of adult rats treated with vanadate than in the vanadate-untreated group. The current results can be of concern if in the future, vanadium compounds can be administered in the treatment of diabetic patients.

PCDD/F Levels in the Vicinity of an Old Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator: Temporal Variation in Soils

Abstract. In order to determine the temporal variation in the levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in soils in the vicinity of an old municipal solid waste incinerator (Montcada, Barcelona, Spain), in 1997 we collected 24 soil samples at the same sampling points in which samples were taken 1 year before. Each sample was analyzed for PCDDs and PCDFs by GC/MS. While in the previous study PCDD/F concentrations ranged from 0.30 to 44.26 ng TEQ/kg (dry matter), (median and mean values: 3.52 and 6.91 ng TEQ/kg), in the present study PCDD/F levels ranged from 0.15 to 29.27 ng TEQ/kg (median and mean values: 2.56 and 4.47 ng TEQ/kg). PCDD/F concentrations decreased in 14 of the 24 soil samples, while the remaining 10 samples showed increases of different orders. No statistically significant differences in PCDD/F levels according to the main wind directions in the area were noted. In both surveys, the highest PCDD/F concentrations were found 750 m from the stack to the south. The current levels of PCDD/Fs in soils, as well as those found in the previous survey are similar or even lower than PCDD/F concentrations reported for soil samples taken near to municipal solid waste incinerators from different places.

LEVELS OF METALS IN SOILS AND VEGETATION IN THE VICINITY OF A MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE INCINERATOR

The concentrations of ten metals were determined in soil and vegetation samples collected in the vicinity of a municipal solid waste incinerator. Soil and common grass samples were obtained at various sites within 4 km from the incinerator. The potential exposure levels of neighborhood to metals was also investigated. In soils, the highest metal concentrations were found for Mn, Pb and Zn, while Mn, Zn and Cu were the elements with the highest metal levels in vegetation. According to the results here obtained, both the environmental levels of metals in the vicinity of the incinerator and the potential risk for adverse health effects would be rather small.