PCDD PCDF - HUMAN BACKGROUND DATA FOR GERMANY, A 10-YEAR EXPERIENCE/

This paper gives an overview of the development of the environmental o r background exposure of humans to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins ( PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in Germany. To determ ine the background exposure, adipose tissue, human milk, or blood can be used. The good comparability of the matrices analyzed is demonstrat ed. The daily consumption of low-level contaminated food, mainly of an imal origin, leads to the accumulation of PCDDs/PCDFs in the human adi pose reservoir. The influence of factors such as various eating habits , severe weight loss, age, and nursing (women only) on the human body burden is discussed. Because of decreasing emission of PCDDs/PCDFs int o the environment, a decline of these components in humans could be ob served over a time span of 10 years.