PCBs and PCDD/FS in Fish and Fish Products and Their Impact on the Human Body Burden in Belgium W. Baeyens, 1 M. Leermakers, 1 M. Elskens, 1 N. Van Larebeke, 2 R. De Bont, 2 H. Vanderperren, 3 A. Fontaine, 3 J.-M. Degroodt, 4 L. Goeyens, 1,4 V. Hanot, 4 I. Windal 4 1 Analytical and Environmental Chemistry Department, ANCH, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, BRUEGEL, 2 Pleinlaan, Brussels, Belgium 2 Study Centre for Carcinogenesis and Primary Prevention of Cancer, Department of Radiotherapy, Nuclear Medicine and Experimental Cancerology, University of Gent (UGent-UZ), 185 De Pintelaan, 9000 Gent, Belgium 3 Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, 17 Leuvensesteenweg, 3080-Tervuren Belgium 4 Scientific Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, BRUEGEL, 14 J. Wytsmanstraat, Brussels, Belgium Received: 5 January 2006 /Accepted: 16 September 2006 Abstract. The concentrations of marker PCBs (28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) in fish have been assessed with GC-MS: an average concentration of 540 ng-PCB g )1 fat (5.02 ng-PCB g )1 wet weight) was observed. The average concentration of PCDD/Fs, assessed with the CALUX bioassay, amounted to 64 pg-CALUX-TEQ g )1 fat (0.58 pg-CALUX-TEQ g )1 wet weight) and that of PCDD/Fs + dioxin-like PCBs amounted to 131 pg-CALUX-TEQ g )1 fat (1.18 pg-CALUX-TEQ g )1 wet weight). Results of the PCB congeners analyses show that PCB-153 is the most abundant congener in almost all samples, with also main contributions of the 138- and 180-congeners. For some species such as the sand sole and lemon sole, a fairly constant PCB content, independent of the fat percentage, was observed. For a second group of species such as whelks, cod, and whiting, a positive correlation was observed between their PCB concentration (ng g )1 fat) and their % of fat. The rela- tionship between marker PCBs and PCDD/Fs concentrations, when plotted on a log scale, fits a straight line (correlation coefficient r = 0.83). With our results on fish and literature data for other food products, intake of marker PCBs and PCDD/Fs could be calculated for the adult population in Belgium (19–60 years old). The Total Daily Intake (TDI) of marker PCBs (ng-PCB day )1 ) ranges between 1690 and 2210. The TDI of PCDD/Fs (pg-CALUX day )1 ) ranges between 80.5 and 122, that of PCDD/Fs + dioxin-like PCBs amounts to 151. When PCDD/Fs in fish are assessed with GC-HRMS, the TDI can be lower. The relative importance of fish regarding marker PCB intake amounts to 15–19%, while regarding PCDD/Fs intake it amounts to 34–51%. Using TDI, the body burden evolution of marker PCBs and PCDD/Fs, with age has been calculated. Dietary intake, and more particularly the consumption of fatty food items, is the most important source of exposure to PCDD/ Fs and PCBs for the general population (Kiviranta et al. 2001, 2004, Tsutsumi et al. 2001, Focant et al. 2002, Darnerud et al. 2006). Meat, dairy products, fish, and other seafood products contribute to more than 90% of the daily intake of the general population. Nonfood sources and pathways like air, soil, paper, smoking, and drinking water are of minor importance (De Bont et al. 2004). The chemical and physical stability of PCDD/Fs and PCBs has been responsible for their bioaccumulation and biomagnification in plant and animal tissues. Being lipophylic chemicals, they usually have the highest concentrations in fatty tissues, although they can be found in other ones as well. The Council of Europe (2000) reports that the oral absorption of PCDD/Fs depends on the matrix from which it is assimilated, but that it is high in humans as well as in animals (60–90%). Various expert groups with the aim of establishing tolerable intakes have performed risk assessment of exposure to dioxin- like compounds for human health. PCDD/Fs and other per- sistent contaminants in breast milk are of major concern for the health of neonates (Kayama et al. 2003). For adults, all food products with a high fat content are a potential health risk. In 1998, WHO established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 1–4 pg toxic equivalents (TEQ) kg )1 bw, the Commission of the EU proposed in 2001 a tolerable weekly intake of 14 pg-TEQ kg -1 bw (corresponding to a TDI of 2 pg-TEQ kg )1 bw), and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on food additives proposed in 2001 a tolerable monthly intake of 70 pg-TEQ kg - 1 bw (Becher et al. 2004). In Europe, the maximum level for fish and fishery products is 4 pg-TEQ g )1 wet weight for PCCD/Fs and 8 pg-TEQ g -1 wet weight for the sum of PCCD/ Fs and dioxin-like PCBs (Baeyens et al. 2004; Commission Regulation (EC) 199/2006). In almost the entire Belgian population, the TDI of PCDD/ Fs and dioxin-like substances proposed by the Belgian Health Council (TDI of 1 pg-TEQ/kg bw/d) is exceeded (Belgian Health Council 2001). A serious decrease of the daily intake of these substances can only be achieved by a general, significant Correspondence to: W. Baeyens; email: wbaeyens@pop.vub.ac.be Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 52, 563–571 (2007) DOI: 10.1007/s00244-005-0266-6