Facts
Health and Environment
In response to ecotoxicological concern in relation to solid waste incinerators near Lisbon and on the Island of Madeira a biomonitoring of dioxin body burden programme was launched. The main objective of this paper is to investigate potential determinants of dioxin levels in the studied populations.
Its main conclusion is that the dioxin exposure of global populations cannot be related to the emissions from waste incinerators. Though individuals from Lisbon know higher median PCDD/F levels, it is likely to be better explained by more highly polluted areas in Lisbon than by eventual differences in dietary habits of studied groups.
“Measurements were performed included in cross-sectional surveys within two Environmental Health Surveillance Programs launched in response to ecotoxicological concern in relation to solid waste incinerators near Lisbon and in Madeira Island. Overall conclusion from first published results is indicative that dioxin exposure of global populations cannot be related to the emissions of these facilities, meaning that dioxin sources control seems to be effective in relation to both incinerators.”
“Main objective of present work was to investigate potential determinants of dioxin levels in the studied populations. Findings from this investigation also suggest that incineration does not impact on dioxin blood levels of nearby residents.”
The full abstract and the original article can be found here.
Full reference: M. Fátima Reis, J. Pereira Miguel, Carla Sampaio, Pedro Aguiar, J. Maurício Melim, Olaf Päpke, Determinants of dioxins and furans in blood of non-occupationally exposed populations living near Portuguese solid waste incinerators. Chemosphere. Volume 67, Issue 9, April 2007, Pages S224-S230
Full study “Determinants of dioxins and furans…”
