Concentrations of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-P-Dioxins, Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans and Dioxin-Like PCBs in Three Samples of Butter from the Baltic Region of the Russian Federation

Publication - 1 April, 2001

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Executive summary: Concentrations of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs were determined for three samples of buttersourced from the Baltic region of the Russian Federation. Dioxin concentrations, expressed both onthe basis of individual congener concentrations and WHO-TEQ, fell broadly within the rangepreviously reported for European butters. The highest concentration (1.34 pg/g lipid) was found inone of the two butter samples drawn from the Leningradskaj area (St Petersburg). The contributionto overall TEQ from the non-ortho PCBs was greater than that from dioxins in all three Russianbutters. The range of total TEQs (1.18-3.25 pg/g lipid) was again similar to the range previouslyreported for European butters, noting however that only the butter previously analysed from Spain contained higher concentrations than the most contaminated butter from Leningradskaj. Indeed, theconcentration of non-ortho PCBs was greater in this sample than in any of the European butters,and on a global basis was surpassed only by the single sample previously analysed from Tunisia.

Num. pages: 6

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