Residue pattern and dietary intake of persistent organochlorine compounds in foodstuffs from Vietnam

Concentrations of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), DDT compounds (DDTs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide were determined in foodstuffs collected from different locations in Vietnam. Elevated levels of PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, and aldrin and dieldrin were found in animal fat, butter, meat, and seafood. Caviar and butter samples imported from the Soviet Union contained considerably higher amounts of PCBs, HCHs and DDTs. The average daily intake of some organochlorines by Vietnamese people were higher than those observed in most of the developed nations. The dietary intake of DDTs was the highest among various chemicals studied. Interestingly, the daily dietary intake of PCBs was comparable to those in developed countries. Fish, shellfish, prawn, and crab were the primary route of DDTs to humans, whereas cereals and vegetables were the predominant sources of PCBs and HCHs.