Health risks arising from the dietary intake of chemical contaminants: a case study of the consumption of edible marine species in Catalonia, NE Spain

catalaActualment, esta ben establert que la ingesta dietetica es la principal via d’exposicio humana a metalls i compostos organics persistents (COP). L’any 2000, el nostre laboratori va comencar una exhaustiva investigacio sobre l’exposicio dietetica a diversos metalls i contaminants organics per la poblacio general de Catalunya. Entre els onze grups d’aliments analitzats, els nivells mes elevats de la major part dels contaminants es van trobar, en termes generals, al peix i marisc. Aquest grup va suposar les contribucions mes elevades de la ingesta d'As, Hg i Pb, dioxines i furans (PCDD/PCDF), policlorbifenils (PCB), difenil eters polibromats (PBDE) i difenil eters policlorats (PCDE). El peix i marisc va ser tambe un contribuent important en la in- gesta de Cd, hexaclorobenze, hidrocarburs aromatics policiclics (PHA) i naftalens policlorats (PCN). Tanmateix, els nivells dels contaminants es van determinar solament en tres especies de peix fresc i en dues de conservat, la qual cosa suposa- va un factor limitant per tal de poder establir recomanacions sobre el consum de peix i marisc. Per aixo, recentment hem dut a terme un estudi addicional amb la intencio d’incrementar les dades de l’anterior investigacio. Els resultats son aqui presentats. En termes generals, la major part d’especies marines analitzades no haurien de suposar efectes adversos sobre la salut dels consumidors. Tanmateix, el tipus de peix, la frequencia de consum i la quantitat consumida son aspectes essencials per a establir un equilibri entre els beneficis i els riscos d’un consum regular de peix. EnglishDietary intake is the main means of human exposure to toxic metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). In 2000, our laboratory initiated research into dietary exposure to a number of metals and organic pollutants. Among 11 food groups analyzed, the highest levels of most pollutants were detected in fish and seafood. This group contributed most to the intake of As, Hg and Pb, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs). Fish and seafood also made an important con- tribution to the daily intake of Cd, hexachlorobenzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs). However, the levels of contaminants were only determined in three species of fresh fish and in two species of tinned fish, which was a limiting factor for the purposes of establishing recommendations concerning human consumption of fish and other seafood. Taking into account the potentially important contribution made by marine species to the dietary intake of environmental pollutants, as well as the reduced number of species analyzed, we recently performed additional research to extend our previous study. This paper presents our results from both the preliminary and the extended studies. In general terms, most marine species analyzed do not pose adverse health risks for consumers. However, the type of fish, frequency of consumption, and meal size are essential factors in balancing the health benefits and risks of regular fish consumption.