| Research Abstract |
All dioxin analogues composing of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and coplanar PCBs (Co-PCBs) are very toxic. Even at environmental pollution level, it is revealed that they give a hormonal damage in women, and pointed out that they will occur immunosuppression and genital function damage in human. Therefore, in recent years, U.S.A., Canada and Europe countries have actively took measures to decrease the environmental pollution level.
In this study, a new method with a combination of isotope dilution method was established for dioxin analogues in human hair. This method, which was composed of washing and cutting of hair, alkaline decomposition, hexane extraction, multi-layr silica gel column chromatography, alumina column chromatography and analysis by gas chromatograph/high resolution mass spectrometer, enable us to analyze dioxin analogues at an extra-trace level of less than pg/g with a good reproducibility.
Using this method, hair samples from 80 control persons and from 60 workers in municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration facilities were analyzed. Taking the results of analytical data and questionnaire about age, diet habit, work, smoking, drinking etc., the hair was confirmed to be a good indicator sample for atmospheric burden of dioxin analogues. The worker was toxicologically exposed to dioxin analogues a few times greater than did the control, indicating the indoor environment of the facility to be more heavily polluted in comparison to the general environment. In addition, there was a difference in pollution degree among working places of the facility.
From above results, it is concluded that this hair monitoring technique is a good means for the total evaluation of human exposure to dioxin analogues via many media.
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