Integrated assessment of infant exposure to persistent organic pollutants and mercury via dietary intake in a central western Mediterranean site (Menorca Island)

Abstract

In this research the levels of organochlorine compounds (OCs) and mercury (Hg) in several food items from Menorca Island were presented. The dietary exposure assessment was performed in children population from the island. Finally, body burden of OCs and Hg in these infants were associated with their dietary intakes of the selected food items. The dietary exposure to persistent pollutants by children population from Menorca Island was assessed. The concentrations of 11 organochlorine pesticides, 6 polychlorinated biphenils (PCBs) and 1 inorganic toxic element, Hg, were determined in 46 food samples that included fish, shellfish, meat, fruit, vegetables, cheese and eggs, which were acquired in local markets and department stores in the Menorca Island. The most contaminated food items were fish and shellfish, followed by meat and cheese products. OC levels were similar or lower than in other previous studies. However, 66% of the analysed fish and shellfish species for Hg exceeded the human consumption safety limits according to the European Union Legislation. Pollutant data from food was combined with the pattern of consumption of these foodstuffs in order to calculate the estimated daily intake (EDI) of these contaminants. According to our results, fish and fruit were the main sources of OCs to the EDIs (contributing to 37% and 29%, respectively) while fish and shellfish were the main sources of Hg (76% and 17%). The estimated EDIs of OCs were well below to the reported FAO/WHO Tolerable Intakes. However, estimated weekly intake of Hg would exceed the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake indicated by EFSA in the case that the only fish and seafood source would be from the central western Mediterranean. Direct associations between fish/shellfish consumption and hair concentrations of Hg and fish and meat consumption and 4,4'-DDT concentrations in venous serum in the Menorcan children were observed.

Drivers of the accumulation of mercury and organochlorine pollutants in Mediterranean lean fish and dietary significance

“…The Hg concentrations observed in the present study were consistent with previous results reported in the same organisms from the Adriatic Sea (Storelli and Barone, 2013;Storelli et al, 2007), Farwa Island (Lybian coast; Banana et al, 2016), the Gulf of Lion (Torres et al, 2015;Cresson et al, 2014), the Aegean Sea (Yabanli and Alparslan, 2015), Menorca (Junqué et al, 2017) and deep-sea sites from the Mediterranean basin (Koenig et al, 2013;Naccari et al, 2015).…”

“…With the exception of HCB the concentrations of the organochlorine compounds from fish captured near the Canary Islands were lower than those in the Balearic Islands analysed in the present study (Table 2). The average concentrations of HCB, total HCHs and total DDTs in fish captured nearby the Balearic Islands are quite similar than those observed in fish captured near Menorca (Junqué et al, 2017). However, the PCB concentrations are higher in the present case, 2.4 ng/g ww vs. 1.7 ng/g ww (Table 2).…”

“…In this sense, we performed two preliminary studies on the intake of these compounds, one on Hg in Mediterranean lean fish and seafood (Llull et al, 2017) and another on a diet evaluation of the population from Menorca (Junqué et al, 2017). Now, an integrated assessment of lean fish species of commercial value as sources of both Hg and organochlorine compounds in islander populations is reported.…”

Influence of maternal and sociodemographic characteristics on the accumulation of organohalogen compounds in Argentinian women. The EMASAR study

“…The principal source of exposure to these compounds among the general population is diet. They are found mainly in animal products, including meat, fish, dairy products and eggs (Junqué et al, 2017;Llobet et al, 2003;Martí-Cid et al, 2007).…”

Heavy Metals and Cancer

“…Consuming large quantities of seafood has been identified as a primary method for environmental exposure to methyl mercury [65]. Although the pathway through which mercury enters the ecosystem has not been discovered, bioaccumulation of this heavy metal has been observed in shellfish and tuna [65,68,69].…”