Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Dioxin exposure in a residential community

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 11, pages 352–358 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conducted biological testing to assess dioxin exposure in residents of a community who lived in an area with heavy chemical industry. Dioxin concentrations were measured in blood serum samples from 28 adult residents of the community. Fourteen of those tested had blood dioxin concentrations that exceeded the 95th percentile prediction level of an age-matched comparison population. Specific congener analyses indicated that the elevated dioxin concentrations were primarily due to high concentrations of 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), 1,2,3,7,8 pentachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (PeCDD), and hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (HxCDs). Principal components analysis (PCA) indicated that the profiles of dioxin congeners were different in people with elevated blood dioxin concentrations compared to those with background concentrations. Elevated blood dioxin concentrations were detected only in older members of the population, which suggests that dioxin exposures were higher in the past. The sources of the dioxin exposure have not been identified.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Akins, J. R., Waldrep, K. and Bernert, J. T. Jr. The estimation of total serum lipids by a completely enzymatic “summation” method. Clin Chim Acta. (1989) 184: 219–226.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Alcock, R. E. and Jones, K. C. Dioxins in the environment: a review of trend data. Environ Sci Technol. (1996) 30: 3133–3143.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Calcasieu Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness. Emergency Release Notification Records. (1999.

  4. Cruczwa, J., and Hites, R. Airborne dioxins and dibenzofurans: sources and fates. Environ Sci Technol. (1986) 20(2): 195–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. DeVito, M. J., Birnbaum, L. S., Farland, W. H. and Gasiewicz, Tal Comparisons of estimated human body burdens of dioxinlike chemicals and TCDD body burdens in experimentally exposed animals. Environ Health Perspect. (1995) 103: 820–831.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Estimating exposure to dioxin-like compounds: Volume II. Properties, sources, occurrence and background exposures. Washington, DC, EPA/600/6-88/005Cb. (June 1994a) 3: 1–194.

  7. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Cited in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Estimating exposure to dioxin-like compounds: Volume II. Properties, sources, occurrence and background exposures. Washington, DC, EPA/600/6-88/005Cb. (June 1994b) 5: 18–19.

  8. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Estimating exposure to dioxin-like compounds: Volume II. Properties, sources, occurrence and background exposures. Washington, DC, EPA/600/6-88/005Cb. (June 1994c) 5: 1–12.

  9. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Exposure and human health reassessment of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and related compounds: Part III. Integrated summary and risk characterization for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and related compounds. Washington, DC, EPA/600/P-00/001Ag. (June 2000) 57–59.

  10. Flesch-Janys, D., Becher, H., Gurn, P., Jung, D., Konietzko, J., Manz, A., and Papke, O. Elimination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in occupationally exposed persons. J Toxicol Environ Health. (1996) 47: 363–378.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Furst, P., Furst, C., and Wilmers, K. Human milk as a bioindicator for body burden of PCDDs, PCDFs, organochlorine pesticides, and PCBs. Environ Health Perspect Suppl. (1994) 102(suppl 1): 187–193.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Hazardous Substances Data Bank [database online]. Bethesda, MD: National Library of Medicine. 2001.

  13. Needham, L. L., Patterson, D. G., Burse, V. W., Pascal, D. C., Turner, W. E. and Hill, R. H. Jr. Reference range data for assessing exposure to selected environmental toxicants. Toxicol Ind Health. (1996) 12: 507–513.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Neter, J., Wasserman, W., and Kutner, M. Applied Linear Statistical Models: Regression, Analysis of Variance, and Experimental Designs. 3rd ed. Irwin, Boston. 1990.

  15. Papke, O. Cited in International Agency for Research on Cancer. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans: Polychlorinated Dibenzo-para-dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans. (1997) 69: 114

    Google Scholar 

  16. Patterson, D. G., Isaacs, S. G., Alexander, L. R., Turner, W. E., Hampton, L., Bernert, J. T. and Needham, L. L. Method 6: Determination of specific polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in blood and adipose tissue by isotope dilution–high-resolution mass spectroscopy In: Rappe C., Buser H.R. (Eds.), Environmental Carcinogens-Methods of Analysis and Exposure Measurement Vol. 11 WHO, International Association for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France. 1991, pp. 291–342.

  17. Rencher, A. C. Methods of Multivariate Analysis. Wiley, New York. 1995.

  18. Turner, W., DiPietro, E., Lapenza, C., Green, V., Gill, J., and Patterson, D. J. A fast universal automated cleanup system for the isotope-dilution high-resolution mass spectrometric analysis of PCDDs, PCDFs, coplanar PCBs, and persistent pesticides from the same serum sample. Organohalogen Compd. (1997) 31: 26–31.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Van den Berg, M., Birnbaum, L., Bosveld, A., Brunstrom, B., and Cook, P. Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for PCBs, PCDDs, PCDFs for humans and wildlife. Environ Health Perspect. (1998) 106(12): 775–792.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Richard A. Canady for developing the dioxin comparison values cited in this report. The authors also thank the residents of the community for their generous assistance and participation in this investigation.

Author information

Author notes

  1. KENNETH G ORLOFF, DAVID HEWITT, SUSAN METCALF, STEVEN KATHMAN and MICHAEL LEWIN: Tel.: +1-404-498-0122. Fax: +1-404-498-0509.

  2. WAYMAN TURNER: Tel.: +1-770-488-7974. Fax: +1-770-488-4609.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E32, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA

    KENNETH G ORLOFF, DAVID HEWITT, SUSAN METCALF, STEVEN KATHMAN & MICHAEL LEWIN

  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-F17, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA

    WAYMAN TURNER

Authors
  1. KENNETH G ORLOFF
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. DAVID HEWITT
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. SUSAN METCALF
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. STEVEN KATHMAN
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. MICHAEL LEWIN
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. WAYMAN TURNER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to KENNETH G ORLOFF.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ORLOFF, K., HEWITT, D., METCALF, S. et al. Dioxin exposure in a residential community. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 11, 352–358 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500175

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500175

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links