Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in seafood: Estimation of dietary intake in Korean population

Highlights: • First report on PCNs in seafood samples purchased from local markets in Korea • Calculation of toxic equivalency (TEQ) of PCNs in seafood samples • Estimation of both daily intake of PCNs and TEQ values in Korean general population Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) were measured in 33 seafood species including fish, mollusks and crustaceans purchased from local markets in five Korean cities between 2012 and 2013. Five samples were collected from each species for the measurements. Thirty-seven PCN congeners from tetra-CN to octa-CN were measured. Octa-CN (octachloronaphthalene) was not detected in any of the samples. Tetra-CN and penta-CN were the predominant homologues of PCNs in seafood samples with PCN 51 and PCN 52/60 being the most abundant congeners in the samples. Total PCNs concentrations and their corresponding dioxin-like toxic equivalent (TEQ) values ranged from non-detection (ND) to 110 pg/g on a wet weight (ww) basis and from ND to 0.14 pg-TEQ/g ww, respectively. The estimated daily intake of total PCNs based on an absolute content and TEQ potency were estimated for the Koreans to be 570 pg/day and 0.44 pg-TEQ/day, respectively. However, the estimated TEQ value of PCNs intake from seafood, represented only a small fraction (3.0%) of the total TEQ intake from consumption of seafood in Korean population. This is the first report to exhibit the presence of PCNs in seafood samples collected from local markets in Korea and their intake by general population.