Dietary intakes of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and polychlorinated biphenyls in Finland

Samples of cow milk, pork, beef, eggs, rainbow trout, flours and vegetables were analysed for 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) and 36 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Daily dietary intake of PCDD/Fs as toxic equivalent (I-TEq) and PCBs (PCB-TEq) was assessed using food consumption data from a 24-h dietary recall study for 2862 Finnish adults. The calculated intake of PCDD/F was 46 pg I-TEq day(1). The current level was about half of the earlier estimation of intake in Finland made in 1992. The assessed PCB intake was 53 pg PCB-TEq day(1). Thus, the total intake of PCDD/Fs and PCBs was 100 pg TEq day(1) (1.3 pg TEq kg(1) b.w. day(1)), which is within the range of tolerable daily intake (TDI) proposed by the WHO (1-4 pg TEq kg(1) b.w. day(1)).