RE: Background Dioxin Levels?

["Catalano, Dennis" <catalad@wdni.com>]

  This 2 -3 ppt range is a bit low actually from some references I have
  seen.  A study of soils in the UK had mean values of background of 6ppt
  for TCDD up to 143ppt for OCDD.  The furans ranged from 16ppt for TCDF
  to 32 ppt for HxCDF.  This data can be found in:
  
  Survey of Background Levels of PCDDs & PCDFs in UK Soils, Chemosphere,
  Vol 18 Nos 1-6  pp 767-776 1989.
  
  Some papers I have read find similar levels in the US.  I am sorry, but
  I do not have references to those at my fingertips.
  
  Dennis Catalano
   ----------
  From: Rebecca Leighton Katers
  To: Multiple recipients of list
  Subject: Background Dioxin Levels?
  Date: Tuesday, August 26, 1997 8:11AM
  
  I was just told by an FDA policy person that
  recent information shows that dioxin background
  levels range from 2 to 3 ppt.
  
  This seemed awfully high to me, so I questioned
  him and asked if he meant background
  in the food supply or natural background in the
  soil --- and he said natural background in soil.
  
  He said that the 1 ppt limit for the chicken
  recall and fish farms was simply their limit of detection,
  not a regulatory number.
  
  Can anyone recommend key documents which show natural
  background levels are lower?
  
  Rebecca Leighton Katers
  Clean Water Action Council of N.E. Wisconsin
  2220 Deckner Avenue
  Green Bay, WI 54302
  Phone:  414-468-4243
  Fax:  414-468-1234
  E-mail:  cwac@execpc.com