IN MEMORIAM

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The following two articles on levels and composition of organohalogen pollutants in Baltic Sea herring oil and their subchronic toxicity in the rat, are dedicated to the memory of Professor Ulf G. Ahlborg, who passed away far too early on January 14, 1996. Ulf was Director of the Division of Environmental Toxicology at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. He was also a crucial member of the steering committee for the national research programme “Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP)“, which was administered by the Swedish EPA during the years 1992–1998. During the early 1990s there was a concern that organohalogen pollutants, not yet identified, in fish from the Baltic Sea could pose a significant hazard to man and wildlife, in addition to the hazard posed by the identified pollutants. The subchronic rat study reported here was an important project initiated by the steering committee of the POP programme to elucidate the complex issue of a possible correlation between health effects and exposure to the numerous compound classes of organohalogen pollutants that are present in fatty fish from the Baltic Sea. Ulf played a key role in the initiation, design, and realisation of this study, which, unfortunately, also became one of his last large experimental research projects. The study demonstrates minimal biochemical effects even at the high dose level. The spectrum of effects was similar to that observed after low-level exposure to dioxins and PCBs, despite the fact that these contaminants on a weight basis contributed to a minor part of the extractable organically bound chlorine of the Baltic herring. From a risk assessment point of view the present study provides important new information about low dose effect levels for endpoints associated with Ah-receptor activation following exposure to organohalogen pollutants from a matrix relevant for human exposure. Today, dioxins in Baltic fish are again of major concern from a health risk assessment point of view. In order to protect the consumers from potential negative health effects due to dioxin exposure via fish consumption, the Council of the European Union has introduced maximum levels for certain contaminants in fish. In the legislation, a temporary derogation for fatty fish from the Baltic region has been offered to Sweden and Finland, meaning that within these countries fish exceeding the limit levels can be caught and sold on the national markets. The dioxin and PCB risk assessment work proceeds both on national and international levels. In this work many collegues world-wide still miss Ulf. His impressive knowledge in environmental toxicology and health risk assessment, his great enthusiasm and sincere commitment to further the international harmonisation of dioxin risk assessment were of major importance and greatly appreciated.2002, 2002. Stockholm, April 30, 2002