Polychlorinated dioxins, furans, and biphenyls in blood of children and adults living in a dioxin-contaminated area in Tokyo

Environ Health Prev Med. 2011 Jan;16(1):6-15. doi: 10.1007/s12199-010-0156-z. Epub 2010 Jun 15.

Abstract

The soil of a residential area in Tokyo was found to contain dioxins, namely polychlorinated dioxins, furans, and dioxin-like biphenyls, the levels of which exceeded the environmental guideline [1,000 pg toxic equivalent (TEQ)/g] by up to 6.8 times. To assess the exposure levels of people living in this area and to study the possible relationship of blood dioxin concentrations of children with breast milk and/or formula feeding, a health survey was carried out in 2006, involving a total of 138 people, including 66 children aged 3-15 years, and blood dioxin concentrations and the characteristics and lifestyles of these people were analyzed. Mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM) of blood dioxin concentrations (pg/g-lipid) of group 1 (3-6 years old), group 2 (7-15 years old), and group 3 (≥16 years old) were 13 ± 1.9, 6.6 ± 0.65, and 10 ± 0.54, respectively. The congener/isomer profile of dioxins in blood samples differed markedly from that of the contaminated soil samples. According to the feeding mode of children, blood dioxin concentrations (pg/g-lipid) were 17 ± 2.9 for breast milk only, 7.4 ± 0.82 for both breast milk and formula, and 4.7 ± 1.1 for formula only, with a significant difference from one another. We conclude that people living in the dioxin-contaminated area are less likely to be exposed to excessive amounts of dioxins, and that blood dioxin concentrations of children aged 3-15 years seem to be strongly affected by breast feeding duration.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Benzofurans / analysis
  • Benzofurans / blood*
  • Benzofurans / pharmacokinetics
  • Breast Feeding*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls / analysis
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls / blood*
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls / pharmacokinetics
  • Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / analogs & derivatives*
  • Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / analysis
  • Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / blood
  • Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / pharmacokinetics
  • Residence Characteristics
  • Soil Pollutants / analysis
  • Soil Pollutants / blood*
  • Soil Pollutants / pharmacokinetics
  • Tokyo
  • Urban Health

Substances

  • Benzofurans
  • Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated
  • Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls