Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and trace elements dietary intake in inhabitants of Athens, Greece, based on a duplicate portion study

Concentration levels of 26 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and 20 trace elements were measured in dietary samples, in order to estimate the dietary intake and the potential exposure risk of the Greek population. Dietary samples were collected with the help of 30 volunteers inhabitants of Athens, Greece, according to the duplicate portion study (DPS) method where the determination of the compounds is conducted in the final consumed meal. DPS was selected as an alternative to a total diet study for its feasibility, low cost and realistic image that it provides. PAHs determination was performed by gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) and trace elements determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The estimated mean daily dietary exposure on 26 PAHs for an adult was estimated at 101.47 ng kg(-1) body weight day(-1), while moderate to low exposure was related to the type and amount of food consumed. Exposure levels to PAHs do not indicate a possible risk for the health of the study group. For toxic, potentially essential and/or essential trace elements the daily exposure calculated for Greek population was in accordance with the reference values of the health-based guidances and compared to previous diet studies reported for the population of other countries was in general similar to the lower bound exposure.

Automated summary

This study measured the concentration levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and trace elements in dietary samples of the Greek population to estimate their dietary intake and potential exposure risk. The results showed that exposure levels to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons did not pose a health risk for the study group, while the exposure to trace elements was in accordance with the health-based guidances.