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Intake and Potential Health Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Associated with Seafood Consumption in Korea from 2005 to 2007

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Abstract

Concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in 26 types of seafood commonly consumed by the general Korean population. The concentrations of total and carcinogenic PAHs ranged from 12.3 to 243 ng/g dry weight and from 0.21 to 18.4 ng/g dry weight, respectively, similar to those reported in other countries. The lower-molecular–weight aromatics, such as naphthalene, phenanthrene, and fluorine, predominated in the seafood samples. Estimated intakes of PAHs by seafood consumption for the general population, for men, and for women were 15.3, 16.7, and 13.8 ng/kg body weight/d, respectively. Squid, mackerel, and yellow croaker contributed to the highest intakes of PAHs. Among the 8 age groups investigated, children age <2 years and 3 to 6 years had high intakes of PAHs compared with adult groups. Dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQs) of PAHs were calculated using a TEQ proposed in the literature, and the intake was estimated to be 0.91 pg TEQ/kg body weight/d, which indicates that PAHs contributed the most (43%) to total TEQ intake. The estimated excess cancer risk values from seafood consumption for the general population (2.85 × 10−6), for men (2.93 × 10−6), and for women (2.68 × 10−6) slightly exceeded the guideline value (1.0 × 10−6) for potential cancer risk.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a grant from the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (Grant No. RP-2009-ME-003) and the Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs, Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Environment Management Division, National Fisheries Research & Development Institute (NFRDI), 408-1, Sirang-ri, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, 619-705, Korea

    Hyo-Bang Moon, Hye-Seon Kim, Minkyu Choi & Hee-Gu Choi

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  1. Hyo-Bang Moon
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  2. Hye-Seon Kim
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  3. Minkyu Choi
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  4. Hee-Gu Choi
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Correspondence to Hyo-Bang Moon.

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Moon, HB., Kim, HS., Choi, M. et al. Intake and Potential Health Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Associated with Seafood Consumption in Korea from 2005 to 2007. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 58, 214–221 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-009-9328-5

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