Polychlorinated naphthalenes in foods:: Estimated dietary intake by the population of Catalonia, Spain

Concentrations of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) were measured in foodstuffs randomly acquired in seven cities of Catalonia, Spain. A total of 108 samples, belonging to 11 food groups (vegetables, tubers, fruits, cereals, pulses, fish and shellfish, meat and meat products, eggs, milk, dairy products, and oils and fats), were analyzed by high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). The levels of tetra-, penta-, hexa-, and hepta-CNs, those of octachloronaphthalene, and the mean sum concentration of tetra-octa-CN were determined. The highest concentration of total PCNs was found in oils and fats (447 pg/g), followed by cereals (71 pg/g), fish and shellfish (39 pg/g), and dairy products (36pg/g). In general, tetra-CN was the predominant homologue, in all food groups except for fruits and pulses, which had greater proportions of hexa-CNs. The dietary intake of total PCNs was subsequently determined. For calculations, recent data on consumption of the selected food items were used. Intake of PCNs was estimated for five population groups of Catalonia: children, adolescents, male and female adults, and seniors. When the dietary intake of total PCNs was expressed in nanogram per kilogram of body weight per day, it was age-dependent, with the highest and lowest values corresponding to children (1.65) and seniors (0.54), respectively. The largest contribution to the daily PCNs intake came from oils and fats and from cereals. The result of the current study is the first published report concerning human exposure to PCNs through the diet.