Abstract

This report presents the results of the monitoring of dioxins in cow's milk from selected dairy farms. These dairy farms are located near the municipal waste incinerators (MWIs) of Rotterdam (the Lickebaert-area) and Alkmaar, the Netherlands. Levels are expressed in picograms 2,3,7,8-TCDD toxicity equivalents (TEQ) per gram of milk fat, calculated on the basis of international toxicity equivalence factors (I-TEF) of individual congeners. In this report the monthly course of the dioxin levels in the Lickebaert-area is presented for the months May to September 1992. At the same time the dioxin levels in Alkmaar for the months June and September 1992 are presented. In the Lickebaert area, dioxin levels continued to fluctuate significantly. After a slight increase in April 1992 to a level of 5.7-9.6 pg TEQ/gram of fat, the amount of dioxin dropped to a level of 5.0-5.4 pg TEQ/gram of fat. During the next months, July, August and September 1992, the dioxin levels raised to 8.9-13.3 pg TEQ/gram of fat. In Alkmaar, the dioxin levels in June and September 1992 ranged from 0.9 to 1.3 pg TEQ/gram of fat and were in range of the Dutch background level (0.8-2.5 pg TEQ/gram of fat).