C. Oltramare , J. Riou , M. Bochud , M. Zennegg , D. Vernez , A. Berthet
{"title":"Human exposure to persistent organic pollutants in Switzerland: The role of diet, age, smoking, and body composition","authors":"C. Oltramare , J. Riou , M. Bochud , M. Zennegg , D. Vernez , A. Berthet","doi":"10.1016/j.fct.2025.115711","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are widespread environmental contaminants that bioaccumulate in human, primarily through dietary intake. We conducted a cross-sectional study performed in Lausanne, Switzerland to investigate the association between the serum concentrations of POPs and individual characteristics. We measured 17 PCDD/Fs, 12 dl-PCBs and 6 i-PCBs in 80 volunteers. Participants provided demographic and lifestyle data and completed a food frequency questionnaire. Geometric mean concentrations were 6.2 pgTEQ/g lipid for PCDD/Fs, 4.2 pgTEQ/g lipid for dl-PCBs and 117.3 ng/g lipid for i-PCBs. Age, body fat mass, smoking status were statistically associated with serum concentrations. Dietary associations were congener-specific; notably, egg consumption correlated with higher PCDF concentrations, and plant-based foods were, unexpectedly, linked to increased overall POP levels. Active smoking was associated with higher PCB serum concentrations. We highlighted divergent association (smoking status or body fat mass) between PCDD/Fs and PCBs although they share similar physico-chemical properties. The ubiquity of pollutants in the environment has led to their widespread presence in human body, despite stringent regulation. There is an urgent need to investigate the food contamination origin to reduce the general population exposure to environmental pollutants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":317,"journal":{"name":"Food and Chemical Toxicology","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 115711"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Food and Chemical Toxicology","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027869152500479X","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are widespread environmental contaminants that bioaccumulate in human, primarily through dietary intake. We conducted a cross-sectional study performed in Lausanne, Switzerland to investigate the association between the serum concentrations of POPs and individual characteristics. We measured 17 PCDD/Fs, 12 dl-PCBs and 6 i-PCBs in 80 volunteers. Participants provided demographic and lifestyle data and completed a food frequency questionnaire. Geometric mean concentrations were 6.2 pgTEQ/g lipid for PCDD/Fs, 4.2 pgTEQ/g lipid for dl-PCBs and 117.3 ng/g lipid for i-PCBs. Age, body fat mass, smoking status were statistically associated with serum concentrations. Dietary associations were congener-specific; notably, egg consumption correlated with higher PCDF concentrations, and plant-based foods were, unexpectedly, linked to increased overall POP levels. Active smoking was associated with higher PCB serum concentrations. We highlighted divergent association (smoking status or body fat mass) between PCDD/Fs and PCBs although they share similar physico-chemical properties. The ubiquity of pollutants in the environment has led to their widespread presence in human body, despite stringent regulation. There is an urgent need to investigate the food contamination origin to reduce the general population exposure to environmental pollutants.
期刊介绍:
Food and Chemical Toxicology (FCT), an internationally renowned journal, that publishes original research articles and reviews on toxic effects, in animals and humans, of natural or synthetic chemicals occurring in the human environment with particular emphasis on food, drugs, and chemicals, including agricultural and industrial safety, and consumer product safety. Areas such as safety evaluation of novel foods and ingredients, biotechnologically-derived products, and nanomaterials are included in the scope of the journal. FCT also encourages submission of papers on inter-relationships between nutrition and toxicology and on in vitro techniques, particularly those fostering the 3 Rs.
The principal aim of the journal is to publish high impact, scholarly work and to serve as a multidisciplinary forum for research in toxicology. Papers submitted will be judged on the basis of scientific originality and contribution to the field, quality and subject matter. Studies should address at least one of the following:
-Adverse physiological/biochemical, or pathological changes induced by specific defined substances
-New techniques for assessing potential toxicity, including molecular biology
-Mechanisms underlying toxic phenomena
-Toxicological examinations of specific chemicals or consumer products, both those showing adverse effects and those demonstrating safety, that meet current standards of scientific acceptability.
Authors must clearly and briefly identify what novel toxic effect (s) or toxic mechanism (s) of the chemical are being reported and what their significance is in the abstract. Furthermore, sufficient doses should be included in order to provide information on NOAEL/LOAEL values.