Persistent organochlorine residues in foodstuffs from Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands: contamination levels and human dietary exposure.

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT and its metabolites (DDTs), HCH isomers (HCHs), chlordane compounds (CHLs), aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide and HCB were determined in a wide variety of foodstuffs collected from different locations in Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Elevated levels of PCBs, CHLs, DDTs and dieldrin were detected in most of the foodstuffs of animal origin. Fish samples collected near the coast of Sydney recorded noticeable concentrations of PCBs, CHLs and DDTs. PCB contamination was generally prominent in samples collected in urban areas, whereas organochlorine pesticides were distributed uniformly throughout Australia. The widespread usage of CHLs was evident from the composition of its compounds in various foods while HCHs and DDTs were found to have been used sporadically in space and time. For the most part, residue levels of organochlorines in foodstuffs were below the tolerance limits established by national and international health organizations. The exception was CHLs in some fish samples, which exceeded the maximum residue limits recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council of the Australian government. Although the number of samples analysed in each class of foods is small for the purpose of estimating human dietary exposure, we tentatively conclude that the dietary intake of PCBs in Australia was higher than those observed in most developed and developing nations, whereas the intake of organochlorine pesticides was higher than in developed nations but lower than in developing countries. Meat products contributed to the higher dietary intakes of most of the organochlorines. The contamination pattern and the residual concentrations of organochlorines in foodstuffs of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands resembled those observed in Australia.