Local Dietary Contributions to Serum Dioxins, Furans, and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Peri-Pubertal Russian Boys

Abstract

SAB3-PD-05 Introduction: In Chapaevsk, Russia, where there is high environmental exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), we assessed the dietary contribution of locally produced foods to serum levels of these compounds in boys. Methods: Our study sample included 123 boys 8 to 9 years of age enrolled in 2003. The boys’ initial study visit included physical examinations, blood sampling, and completion of semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires by parents or guardians. The blood samples were analyzed for dioxin-like compounds (PCDDs/PCDFs/PCBs) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In preliminary analyses, we assessed the associations between categories of local food consumption (fruits and vegetables, meats, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs) and the log10-transformed sum of PCDDs/PCDFs/coplanar-PCBs using general linear regression models, adjusted for parental education and duration of breast feeding. We then translated estimated changes back to the original scale to calculate percent change in the sum of serum PCDDs/PCDFs/coplanar-PCBs. For food categories with more than one food item, each food item was scored 0 (no local consumption) or 1 (any local consumption) without consideration of quantity consumed. We then computed a percentage of consumed local food (%LF) in each food category for each boy. For example, in the fruit/vegetables category (18 items), if a boy had local consumption of 7 fruit/vegetables items, his %LF would be 7/18 (39%). Results: The median (25th, 75th percentile) concentration for total PCDDs/PCDFs/coplanar-PCBs was 502.8 (430.7, 655.1) pg/g lipids. Fruits and vegetables had the highest %LF (median, 39%). Meats had the lowest %LF (median, 0%), with only 7 boys eating any local meats. The consumption of local eggs was associated with a 26.1% (95% CI, 6.6%–49.3%) higher serum total PCDDs/PCDFs/coplanar-PCBs. A 10-unit increase in %LF of fruit/vegetables was associated with a 3.8% (95% CI, 0.9%–6.8%) increase in serum total PCDDs/PCDFs/coplanar-PCBs. %LF of meat, poultry, fish, or dairy food consumption was not associated with higher serum total PCDDs/PCDFs/coplanar-PCBs. Discussion and Conclusions: In this cohort of Russian boys, consumption of local eggs and produce was a predictor of serum PCDDs/PCDFs/coplanar-PCBs levels. The latter finding was unexpected and may be due to confounding by correlates of produce intake and exposure misclassification since local food consumption was not quantified. Future multivariate analyses are planned to better elucidate the potential independent role of diet as a source of exposure to PCDDs/PCDFs/PCBs, expressed as both serum concentrations and total TEQs. Funded by Environmental Agency Grant R82943701 & NIEHS GRANT 5T32-ES007069-25.