Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and non-ortho, mono-ortho chlorine substituted biphenyls in Japanese human liver and adipose tissue.

We measured PCDDs/DFs levels in Japanese human livers and adipose tissues in 1999, and TEQ were calculated with WHO TEF. The mean total levels of PCDDs/DFs in livers and adipose tissues were 57 pg TEQ/g on a lipid basis and 49 pg TEQ/g on a lipid basis, respectively. 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD, OCDD, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF, 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF, 2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF, 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDF and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF concentrations in livers considerably differed from those in 1989 (p < 0.05). The mean non-ortho-chlorine substituted biphenyls levels showed 20 pg TEQ/g on a lipid basis and 17 pg TEQ/g on a lipid basis in livers and adipose tissues, respectively. In livers, the mean of 3,3',4,4'-TCB concentrations was 131 pg/g on a lipid basis, and 7.7-fold higher than that in 1989. The mean total mono-ortho-chlorine substituted biphenyls level was 13.0 pg TEQ/g on a lipid basis in livers and 21.6 pg TEQ/g on a lipid basis in adipose tissues. 3,3',4,4',5-PeCB and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-HxCB levels decreased in adipose tissues, and 3,3',4,4',5-PeCB level only decreased in livers. PCDDs, PCDFs, and mono- and non-ortho-chlorine substituted biphenyls levels may have decreased in livers and adipose tissues because of a governmental policy on dioxins discharge for the decade. Then, we estimated the correlations of PCDDs, PCDFs and the related compound levels between livers and adipose tissues. The correlative PCDDs congeners may have had a similar behavior to that between liver and adipose tissue. On the contrary, most PCDFs isomers may have different behavior between liver and adipose tissue, while 2',3,4,4',5-PeCB (IUPAC No. 123) may also have a different behavior between liver and adipose tissue.