Polychlorinated biphenyls and chlorinated paraffins in home-produced eggs from an e-waste polluted area in South China: Occurrence and human dietary exposure

Yanhong Zeng; Chenchen Huang; Xiaojun Luo; Yine Liu; Zihe Ren; Bixian Mai

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2018.04.006

Polychlorinated biphenyls and chlorinated paraffins in home-produced eggs from an e-waste polluted area in South China: Occurrence and human dietary exposure

Environ Int. 2018 Jul:116:52-59. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.04.006. Epub 2018 Apr 10.

Authors

Yanhong Zeng¹, Chenchen Huang², Xiaojun Luo³, Yine Liu², Zihe Ren², Bixian Mai¹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address: luoxiaoj@gig.ac.cn.

PMID: 29653400
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.04.006

Abstract

The levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and short/median-chain chlorinated paraffins (S/MCCPs) in 68 home-produced eggs collected in 2013 and 2016 from an electronic-waste (e-waste) site in South China were measured and the human dietary exposure to these two classes of contaminants via egg consumption was calculated. The levels of PCBs, SCCPs, and MCCPs varied from 236 to 8870 ng/g lipid weight (lw), 477 to 111,000 ng/g lw, and 125 to 91,100 ng/g lw, respectively. There are no significant differences in the levels of PCBs, SCCPs, and MCCPs between 2013 and 2016 (p > 0.05). The congener profiles of PCBs and MCCPs were similar to each other between 2013 and 2016; however, the homologue profiles of SCCPs were different. The Toxic Equivalent Quantities (TEQs) of ∑DL-PCBs and the levels of ∑ICES-6 PCBs strongly exceeded the limits set by EU Regulation 1259/2011 (2.5 pg World Health Organization-TEQ₂₀₀₅ g^-1 lw for DL-∑PCBs and 40 ng/ g lw for ∑ICES-6 PCBs). The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of PCBs, SCCPs, and MCCPs by adults and children ranged between 5.57 and 1100, 11.8 and 11,900, and 3.62 and 11,400 ng/kg bw/d, respectively. PCBs pose serious health risks for local residents, especially for children, due to the high ratios of EDI (68% in 2013 and 70% in 2016 for adults and 100% for children) in excess of the exposure limits.

Keywords: Chlorinated paraffins; Home-produced eggs; Human exposure; Polychlorinated biphenyls.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

China
Dietary Exposure / analysis*
Eggs / analysis*
Electronic Waste*
Environmental Monitoring
Humans
Paraffin* / analysis
Paraffin* / chemistry
Polychlorinated Biphenyls / analysis*

Substances

Paraffin
Polychlorinated Biphenyls