Abstract

In this report, the results of the monitoring of dioxins in cow's milk in the Lickebaert area, the Netherlands, are presented for the period January to April 1992. This report also contains the dioxin levels in cow's milk sampled in March 1992 in the area of the incinerator of 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. Samples consisted of time-averaged sampling of cow's milk during periods of one month. In the Lickebaert area, dioxin levels continued to fluctuate significantly. Highest levels were found in November 1991, decreased in December 1991 to 5.4-8.9 pg TEQ/g of fat and remained on this level until March 1992. In April 1992 however, a slight increase was found to 5.7-9.6 pg TEQ/g of fat. Dioxin levels in the vicinity of the incinerator in Alkmaar ranged from 1.0 to 2.5 pg TEQ/g of fat, and were in the range of the Dutch background level (0.8-2.5 pg TEQ/g of fat).