Pentachlorophenol,polychlorodibenzodioxin and polychlorodibenzofuran in eggs from hens exposed to contaminated wood shavings

Laying hens may be exposed to pentachlorophenol (PCP) present in bedding materials derived from treated timber. As a result, this chemical and its contaminants or degradation products, such as polychlorodibenzodioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs), may be present in eggs. The litter-to-eggs transfer and depletion of these compounds were studied in a flock of laying hens reared on contaminated wood shavings. PCP determination was carried out via high resolution gas chromatography coupled to low resolution mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (HRGC–LRMS/MS); PCDDs and PCDFs were quantified by HRGC–HRMS (SIM). After substitution of the litter contaminated with PCDDs and PCDFs at an average of 50 pg WHO-TE g^?1 and with PCP at 15 µg g^?1, pooled eggs from six selected hens were sampled twice a month for the depletion study. At steady state, PCDDs and PCDFs showed a transfer ratio of 0.9; for PCP it was 0.03. PCP concentration in eggs (500 ng g^?1 whole weight) fell sharply the second week after exposure withdrawal; for PCDDs and PCDFs (47 pg WHO-TE g^?1 fat, at day 0), the overall TEQ half-life was estimated at an average of 3.8 weeks. Due to differences in toxicokinetics (a faster depletion), PCP does not appear to be a suitable marker of PCDD and PCDF violative levels. However, the prominent analytical contribution of H₇CCD and O₈CCD in the contamination profile may help to trace the source of contamination. Among congeners, 2,3,7,8 T₄CDF exhibited a different depletion pattern, indicating a possible mechanism of active transport.