Bioaccumulation of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in free-range hens: Congener fingerprints and biotransfer factors. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lambiase, Sara; Fiorito, Filomena; Serpe, Francesco Paolo; Trifuoggi, Marco; Gallo, Pasquale; Esposito, Mauro
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 309:Part 1(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: PCDD/Fs -- PCBs -- Hens' eggs -- Bioaccumulation -- Biotransfer; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136602
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: The bioaccumulation of lipophilic environmental contaminants in farm animals is an important issue to control and prevent human exposure to toxic pollutants. Free-range hens were used as a model to assess the transfer and the bioaccumulation of PCDD/Fs, DL-PCBs and NDL-PCBs from the soil to eggs in an area in the Campania region particularly affected by pollution, the "Land of Fires". We determined the following ranges of concentrations in eggs: 0.90–5.51 pg WHO-TEQ g −1 fat for PCDD/Fs; 1.63–4.24 pg WHO-TEQ g −1 fat for DL-PCBs; 2.77–9.75 pg WHO-TEQ g −1 fat for the sum of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs and 12.53–30.94 ng g −1 fat for NDL-PCBs. Higher contamination levels were observed in the eggs from free-range hens, compared to those of the control group, that is hens raised indoors; this indicates that soil remains a major source of contamination. Livers showed low levels of contamination for both outdoor and indoor reared hens. Biotransfer factors (BTFs) were calculated for each of the 35 PCDD/F and PCB congeners analysed. The BTFs highlighted that the transfer and bioaccumulation depend on chlorination degree and substitution pattern, in particular they increase with increasing chlorination degree up to the hexa-chlorinated congeners and then decrease. An exception to these finding was observed for 2, 3, 7, 8 TCDD and 2, 3, 7, 8 TCDF, which showed very high BTFs. These results demonstrate the importance of promoting studies on the environmental contaminants bioaccumulation as they provide an effective support for the risk assessment and management of exposure to toxic chemicals. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: PCDD/Fs and PCBs in eggs can exceed the maximum levels set by the EU Regulation. PCDD/F and PCB bioaccumulation in eggs increase with the chlorination degree. Very high biotransfer factors were found for 2, 3, 7, 8 TCDD and 2, 3, 7, 8 TCDF. The accumulation and depletion for PCBs are not significant as for PCDD/Fs.