vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 1 Sampling seafood for assessment of TBT exposure : Did we get it right? EU-supported project QLK “OT-SAFE” Willemsen, FH 1, Morabito, R 2, Wegener, JW 1
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 2 Aim of OT-SAFE “to assess the risk of TBT in seafood for European consumers” Tolerable daily intake has been established at (0.25μg/kg bodyweight) Leaves : –differences in bodyweight (differs with age, sex, geographic region, etc.) –exposure
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 3 Estimating the exposure level Exposure through seafood only -realistic scenario Exposure = Σ Seafood t,x * TBT-content t,x –For as many foods as feasible with: –t= time of the catch (if necessary) –x= location (if necessary)
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 4 Estimating the exposure level Necessary data is consumption data Dutch Seafood Consumption (1997) Total (x1000 tns/y) Per capita (kg/y) Production550- Internal Supply (food use) Consumption(58)3.7
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 5 Seafood consumption data Food consumption data SouceAvailabilityUsefulness FAO/EurostatGoodPoor Household budget surveys ??Average Food consum. surveys VariesGood Consumption pattern surveys ??Excellent
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 6
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 7 Seafood consumption data (NL)
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 8 Sampling strategy –Expected TBT-levels from literature –Consumption figures (as detailed as possible) –Calculate expected relative contribution –If feasible, differentiate for location
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 9 Estimating the exposure level Figures on TBT-content First estimate (NL-example) based on taxonomic groups and regional specifics: Taxon. group Av. conc. (ng/g TBT/net weight) Range (ng/g TBT/net weight) Molluscs Fish Cephalopods Crustaceans 814-3
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 10 Estimating the exposure level, example
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 11 Sampling procedure 174 samples in total 28 species Almost 50% of samples are molluscs and cephalopods
vrije Universiteit amsterdam Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) 12 So did we get it right? Pro: Preliminary data suggests that the assumptions are born out, e.g. low conc. in pelagic fish Contra: There is still a spread in concentrations, that we cannot explain