High body burdens of 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) in California women.

Following our first report on elevated polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations in California women, we expanded our investigation to include diverse groups of local women. We analyzed additional adipose and serum samples collected in the late 1990s from San Francisco Bay Area women participating in a breast cancer study and in a reproductive study, respectively. Adipose samples (n = 32) were analyzed by low-resolution mass spectrometry in negative-ion chemical ionization mode, whereas serum samples (n = 50) were analyzed by dual-column gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The results confirmed our earlier findings. Concentrations of 2,2,4,4 -tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) in contemporary California women ranged between 5 and 510 ng/g lipid, with a median (16.5 ng/g lipid) 3-10 times higher than those reported from Europe. In contrast, PBDEs were not measurable in any of 420 archived serum samples collected in the 1960s from San Francisco Bay Area women participating in a study of child development. BDE-47 concentrations did not increase with age or with concentrations of a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB-153), suggesting other routes of exposure in addition to diet. Rising body burdens of endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as PBDEs may pose a potential public health threat

Environmental Chemical Hazards and Their Impact on Senior Citizens

Langel DA, Hornberg C, Müller A, et al. Environmental Chemical Hazards and Their Impact on Senior Citizens. EPIDEMIOLOGY. 2008;19(6):S255-S255

Dioxins and Dioxin-like PCBs in Different Fish from the River Elbe and its Tributaries, Germany

In a long-term program polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) as well as dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) were analyzed in the muscle tissue of eels (Anguilla anguilla), bream (Abramis brama), European chub (Leuciscus cephalus) and ide (Leuciscus idus) from the river Elbe and its tributaries Mulde and Saale. The variation of the PCDD/F and DL-PCB concentrations in all fish samples is very large, whereby the DL-PCBs predominate in comparison to the PCDD/Fs. In the eels, the concentrations (pg WHO-TEQ/g ww) for the PCDD/Fs lie in the range of 0.48-22 and for the DL-PCBs between 8.5 and 59. In the whitefish, the concentration range is 0.48-12 for the PCDD/Fs and 1.2-14 for the DL-PCBs. Statistical analysis using relative congener patterns for PCDD/Fs allow spatial correlations to be examined for sub-populations of eels and whitefish. The results are compared to the maximum levels laid down in the European Commission Regulation (EC) No. 466/2001 and the action levels of the European Commission Recommendation 2006/88/EC. Eels caught directly after the major flood in August 2002 as well as eels near Hamburg (years 1996 and 1998) show high concentration peaks. Compared to the eels whitefish is less contaminated with PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Contamination of the Alluvial Plain, Feeding-stuffs and Foodstuffs with Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dibenzo, Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), Dioxin-like Polychlorinated Biphenyls (DL-PCBs) and Mercury from the River Elbe in the Light of the Flood Event in August 2002

adow soils, feeding-stuffs and foodstuffs from the alluvial plain of the river Elbe were analyzed in respect of PCDD:Fs, DL-PCBs and mercury with a view to assessing the consequences of the extreme flood of August 2002. The PCDD:F concentrations in the soils range from 3 to 2100 ng WHO-TEQ:kg dm, and for the DL-PCBs the range was 0.32 to 28 ng WHOTEQ: kg dm. On the basis of established threshold values N40 of the areas are only fit for restricted usage. Mercury concentrations range from 0.11 to 17 mg:kg dm, whereby the action value of 2 mg:kg dm is exceeded in about 50 of the soil samples. A cumulative memory effect from past floods rather than a recent contamination from August 2002 is documented. Soils taken from behind broken dykes showed significantly lower concentrations. Grass, hay and grass silage originating from pasture land in Lower Saxony were taken before and immediately after the flooding. PCDD:Fs range from 0.29 to 16 ngWHO-TEQ:kg, the maximum permitted value of 0.75 ngWHO-TEQ:kg was exceeded in about 50 of the samples. Muscle-tissue from cattle, sheep, lamb and a roe deer as well as untreated milk from individual cows returned values ranging from 0.76 to 5.9 pg WHO-PCDD:F-TEQ:g fat, and 10 of the samples returned values higher than the permitted maximum of 3 pg WHO-PCDD:F-TEQ:g fat. The action value of 2 pg WHO-PCDD:F-TEQ:g fat was exceeded in 33 of the samples. No direct connection between these results and the effects of the flood could be established.Amajor input path for PCDD:Fs is the tributary Mulde, which discharges contaminated sediments from its catchment area into the Elbe.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource