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Dietary intake of PCDD/F by small children with different food consumption measured by the duplicate method
J Wittsiepe1, P Schrey, M Wilhelm
1Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Abteilung für Hygiene, Sozial- und Umweltmedizin, Germany. wittsiepe@hygiene.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Insights
Dietary intake of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) in German children was assessed. No significant differences in PCDD/F levels were found between urban and rural children, regardless of food source.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Toxicology
Background:
- Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) are persistent organic pollutants with potential health risks.
- Dietary intake is a primary exposure route for PCDD/F, especially in vulnerable populations like children.
- Understanding regional and dietary variations in PCDD/F exposure is crucial for public health assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the dietary intake of PCDD/F in young children residing in urban and rural areas of Germany.
- To investigate potential differences in PCDD/F exposure based on geographic location and food consumption patterns.
- To assess the contribution of home-grown food and animal products to overall PCDD/F intake.
Main Methods:
- A duplicate diet method was employed over a 7-day period (May-September 1998) involving 42 children (14-47 months old).
- Food samples were analyzed for PCDD/F concentrations (fg I-TEq/g dry weight).
- Dietary intake was calculated as picograms I-TEq per kilogram body weight per day (pg I-TEq/(kg body weight x d)).
Main Results:
- PCDD/F levels in food duplicates ranged from 39.2 to 325 fg I-TEq/g (median: 90.7).
- Dietary intake doses ranged from 0.681 to 5.43 pg I-TEq/(kg body weight x d) (median: 1.56).
- No statistically significant differences in PCDD/F concentrations or dietary intake were observed between children in urban and rural areas, or between those consuming home-produced foods versus supermarket-only diets.
Conclusions:
- The study found no significant differences in dietary PCDD/F intake among young children in German urban and rural settings.
- Food consumption patterns, including the inclusion of home-grown produce or products from domestic animals, did not lead to significantly different PCDD/F exposure levels.
- These findings suggest that geographic location and specific food sources may not be primary determinants of PCDD/F exposure in this pediatric population under the studied conditions.
Abstract:
The dietary intake of PCDD/F by 42 small children, 21 boys and 21 girls in the age range 14-47 months, with different food consumption behaviour living in urban and rural areas of Germany was measured by the duplicate method with a 7 day sampling period from May to September 1998. The PCDD/F-levels in the food duplicates were in the range 39.2-325 fg I-TEq/g(dry weight) (median: 90.7; arithmetic mean: 96.6) and the doses were in the range 0.681-5.43 with a median of 1.56 and an arithmetic mean (AM) of 1.60 pg I-TEq/(kg(body weight) x d). Children living in an urban industrialized area with food consumption including products from the family owned vegetable gardens or the surrounding area and/or products from domestic animals showed no statistically significant different concentrations in the food duplicates or in the dietary intake of PCDD/F, calculated as I-TEq, than children living in a rural area with similar food consumption behavior or than children consuming exclusively food from the supermarket.