Current data on the background burden to the persistent organochlorine pollutants HCB, p,p′-DDE as well as PCB 138, PCB 153 and PCB 180 in plasma of the general population in Germany

We have investigated n = 2750 plasma samples of persons of the general population living in North Rhine-Westfalia and Hesse aged 6-65 years and sampled between September 2010 and March 2014. For evaluation of the age-dependent accumulation in the general population we have generated seven age groups in the collective. Our laboratory used a validated and quality controlled procedure using GC/MS for quantification of the organochlorine compounds in plasma (LOQ: 0.01 μg/L). The median (95th percentile) levels for ∑ PCB 138 + PCB 153 + PCB 180 were 0.14 (0.73); 0.30 (0.82); 0.38 (0.88); 0.50 (1.14); 0.92; 1.58 (3.54) and 2.41 (4.82) μg/L plasma in the age groups 6-10 years (n = 102), 11-17 years (n = 499), 18-25 years (n = 157), 26-35 years (n = 710), 36-45 years (n = 400), 46-55 years (n = 525) and 56-65 years (n = 357), respectively. Similarly, the median (95th percentile) levels of p,p′-DDE were 0.18 (1.24); 0.18 (0.74); 0.24 (0.85); 0.30 (1.20); 0.45 (1.74); 0.64 (3.25) and 0.94 (4.7) μg/L plasma. Finally, the median (95th percentile) of HCB in plasma in these age groups was 0.05 (0.10); 0.06 (0.11); 0.08 (0.15); 0.08 (0.15); 0.11 (0.22); 0.14 (0.42) and 0.20 (0.68) μg/L plasma. Our results prove an overall substantial reduction in the body burden to organochlorine compounds in Germany compared to earlier studies. However, 15% and 3.6% of the examined collective exceeded the HBM-I- and HBM-II-values for PCBs established by the German Human Biomonitoring Commission. Due to a large sample size and a collection period from 2010 to 2014, our data might be suitable for the evaluation of additional exposures to these POPs and may serve as reference values.