Human health risk of chlorobenzenes associated with seafood consumption in Korea

Concentrations of seven chlorobenzene isomers were measured in 26 types of seafood commonly consumed by the Korean population. Concentrations of total chlorobenzenes (ΣCLBz) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in seafood ranged from 5. 8 to 573 pg/g wet weight and from 3. 2 to 449 pg/g wet weight, respectively. Overall isomer profiles of ΣCLBz were characterized by high proportion with increasing chlorine numbers. Dietary intakes of ΣCLBz by seafood consumption for the general population, males and females were estimated to be 146, 162 and 128 pg/kg body weight/day, respectively. Mackerel, yellow croaker and hairtail contributed to the highest dietary intakes of ΣCLBz. Among the eight age groups investigated, children of aged <2 years and 3-6 years had higher dietary exposure to ΣCLBz. Hazard ratios of cancer and non-cancer risk for HCB exposure were less than one, indicating that there has no a potential health risk by seafood consumption in Korea. © 2009 The Korean Society of Environmental Risk Assessment and Health Science and Springer.