Congener-specific Analysis of PCBs in Food Samples by Using GC/MS

A GC/MS method for congener-specific analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in food samples was evaluated. There was good agreement between total concentration of PCBs in fish samples (n = 16) measured by using the GC/MS method and the conventional GC-ECD method. The total diet study samples (fishery food, meat, egg, milk, and their products) collected from Osaka in 1982-2001 were analyzed by using the GC/MS method to estimate the temporal trend of daily intake of PCBs from food. The estimated daily intake of total PCBs (sum of tri- to heptaCBs) was in the range of 0.7-4.4 microg/person/day, far below the Japanese provisional acceptable daily intake (250 microg/50 kg-person/day). The dominant congener was 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (#153), which accounted for 9-15% of total PCB. The ratio of lower chlorinated congeners decreased from the 1980's to post-2000. The results indicate that the PCB congener profile in foods has gradually changed.