Risk for human health of some POPs due to fish from Lake Iseo

Risk evaluation for human health was carried out using PCB and PAH concentrations measured in seven fish species from Lake Iseo (Italy) and comparing the experimental data with legal levels and the two new approaches proposed by the US FDA and the US EPA to protect local populations with different food habits. We verified that none of the persistent organic compounds analyzed exceeded the legal limits set by the US FDA, since no specific limit has yet been proposed by the European Union. The two other approaches have pointed out that the acute and chronic effects do not represent any risk for human health, while a possible carcinogenic risk for the local population can arise when 4 and 8 monthly meals are consumed, based on PCB and PAH content in the edible part of fish, respectively. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.