Characteristics of dioxin contamination in local market foods and health risk assessments

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UDC: 
614.31:613.2-099-02:504.054
DOI: 
10.21668/health.risk/2026.3.08.eng
Authors: 

T.K. Sau

Organization: 

Institute of Tropical Medicine, Joint Vietnam-Russia Tropical Science and Technology Research Center, 63 Nguyen Van Huyen St., Hanoi, Vietnam

Abstract: 

This study determined the concentrations of polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorobiphenyls (dl-PCBs) in local market foods in Da Nang, Vietnam. Dioxin levels in foods were quite low. The highest average values in total toxic equivalents (∑TEQs) of PCDDs, PCDFs, and dl-PCBs were found in eggs; and decreasing in the following order: Eggs (289 fg/g fresh weight) > Seafood (171 fg/g fresh weight) > Fish (157 fg/g fresh weight) > Beef (127 fg/g fresh weight) > Chicken (71 fg/g fresh weight) > Pork (62 fg/g fresh weight) > Vegetables (17 fg/g fresh weight) > Rice (4.9 fg/g fresh weight).

The congener profiles and sources of PCDDs, PCDFs, and dl-PCBs in these foods were clarified using the principal component analysis biplots. Health risks from dioxin exposure were assessed using average daily doses through dietary intake (∑ADDF) for children and adults. ∑ADDF for adults (643–2353 fg TEQ/kg BW/day) and children aged 3 to under 16 years (517–3350 fg TEQ/kg BW/day) remained within the 90 % thresholds of tolerable daily intake (TDI) recommended by the World Health Organization. Only the highest value of ∑ADDF for children aged 1 to 3 years when consuming these local market foods (1038–4115 fg TEQ/kg BW/day) was approximately 1.15 times the upper limit of the 90 % TDI.

Keywords: 
polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorobiphenyls (dl-PCBs), local market foods, congener profile, principal component analysis, contamination sources, average daily doses, dioxin exposure, health risk
Sau T.K. Characteristics of dioxin contamination in local market foods and health risk assessments. Health Risk Analysis, 2026, no. 3, pp. 86–95. DOI: 10.21668/health.risk/2026.3.08.eng
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Received: 
10.07.2026
Approved: 
07.08.2026
Accepted for publication: 
27.09.2026

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