The study was conducted to build up the background information of serum dioxins concentration, health status, dietary pattern of residents living near the incinerators in Hsin-Chu City, Hou-Li of Taichung Country, and Jen-Yu of Kaohsiung County. The average serum PCDD/Fs level was 22.6, 25.9 and 21.6 pg WHO98-TEQDF/g lipid, respectively. In addition, the r associate the consumption frequency of different food groups (milk, eggs, fish, and others) and the levels of serum polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) concentrations of residents living near a municipal waste incinerator. All selected subjects were between 18-65 years old and proportionally chosen from each age group based on population distribution. In addition, they had to have lived within a 5-km radius of the incinerator for at least 5 years. Trained interviewers administered a dietary questionnaire interview. Higher serum PCDD/F levels were found in older than in younger subjects, and higher PCDD/F concentrations were found in females than in males. An analysis between the consumption frequency of different foods and serum PCDD/F levels showed that fish might have contributed the highest quantity of measured serum PCDD/Fs. Yet, the regression coefficient of dietary intake and PCDD/F concentration was only 0.017 before and 0.105 after adjusting for the variables of age, gender, and smoking status of the study subjects. Frequency of fish consumption may be the most significant contributor to serum PCDD/F levels. Further research is needed to quantify the association between the consumption of various food groups and their potential contributions to corresponding serum PCDD/F concentrations.

Incinerators,PCDDs/PCDFs,Residents,Serum,Dietary Intake