10 ppq dioxin

[DioxinsUS@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/24/99 5:26:05 PM, Campbell@Rational.Com writes:

<< I believe the lowest known dose for measurable health
effects is 10 parts per quadrillion TEQ >>

Jon:

I am not familiar with this threshhold for health effects, and it is curious 
that it is represented as a concentration rather than a weight (i.e., certain 
number of picograms).

The level of 10 ppq is, coincidentally, the detection limit for TCDD in 
aqueous samples (including drinking water) by Method 1613.  My guess is that 
someone once wrote something along the lines of "any detectable amount of 
dioxin is harmful."  Then maybe someone else wrote "the lowest detection 
limit is 10 ppq."  It is then possible that these statements have been 
combined and quoted out of context.  Just guessing.

The Method 1613 detection limit for fish and other meats (as well as solids 
like soils and vegetables) is 1 ppt, so the statement that you cited probably 
does not apply to food.

The following wire service report obviously has an erroneous safe level for 
dioxin consumption (1000 pg/kg/day)!!!!  [And "Dioxin is used in herbicides 
and pesticides."???]  This report is doubly disturbing since I thought that 
powdered milk producers had agreed several years ago to curtail exports to 
developing countries, since clean water is not always readily available for 
reconstituting the milk.  But maybe this action was limited to baby formula.

Brian



Peru says dioxin found in Belgium milk imports

  
LIMA, June 23 (Reuters) - Peru's government said Wednesday it stopped the 
distribution of 128 tonnes of powdered milk imported from Belgium after the 
discovery of the cancer-causing chemical dioxin in the batch destined for a 
food program. 

Peru, along with many South American nations, this month imposed a ban on 
Belgian food imports in the wake of one of Europe's worst food scares in 
years. 

The import bans came after the discovery that a Belgium firm suspected of 
being the source of dioxin contamination had also supplied feed to farmers 
raising pigs and cows. 

"Measures have been taken to hold (the powdered milk). Contact has been made 
with Belgium health authorities to see if the batch will be returned," Health 
Minister Alejandro Aguinaga told reporters. 

Authorities do not know what levels of dioxin were found in the milk which 
was imported in March, before the ban. The contaminated milk was discovered 
before the government had distributed it through a national program to help 
feed poor households in this Andean nation, according to the ministry. 

Dioxin is used in herbicides and pesticides and the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency standards show 0.001 micrograms of dioxin per kilo of body 
weight is considered safe. Anything above that level is dangerous. 

The chemical contaminated a storage tank of Belgian oils and fats processing 
company Verkest, near Ghent, in mid-January. The tainted animal feed has 
since been traced across Belgium and on some farms in France and the 
Netherlands. 

19:38 06-23-99

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