ABSTRACT

Polychlorinated hydrocarbons due to their lipophilic properties can cumulate in animal organisms by entering of various food chains. Food, especially of animal origin, is regarded as a major source of these compounds for man. For several years the Department of Environmental Toxicology of the National Institute of Hygiene jointly with sanitary epidemiological stations perform the monitoring of organochlorine compounds in food, including infant formula and breast milk. The results of this monitoring are presented in this paper. In order to assess the environmental exposure of man to organochlorine insecticides (DDT and HCH) and other contaminants i.e. PCBs and HCB were chosen. Samples were taken in 18 voivodships in Poland. The results show that the exposure to above compounds from food of plant origin is negligible, and that the food of animal origin is the predominant source of intake of these compounds. The results of biological monitoring show that infants fed with breast milk are of greatest risk.