A congener specific evaluation of transfer of chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans to milk of cows following ingestion of pentachlorophenol-treated wood

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) treated wood has been hypothesized as an important source of dioxins in milk and beef. This phase of studies to evaluate the hypothesis involved the administration of PCP-treated wood to cows and measurement of the transfer of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) to milk. The 3 g/day dose of ground wood was administered to four cows for 56 days. This dose provided a PCP intake of 4.8 mg/day a nd PCDD/F intakes in the range of 0.3 mu g/d ay for 2,3,7,8-TCDD to 17 000 mu g/day for 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-OCDO. Steady state with respect to excretion in milk was reached because concentrations of PCDD/Fs in milk fat were reasonably constant from day 28 through day 56. The PCDFs without chlorine in the 4 and 6 positions were metabolized and not transported to milk. The other PCDFs and all PCDDs had intake adjusted concentrations in milk that were inverse to the number of chlorines. Variations among cows in concentrations of specific congeners were small and were not related to body weight, dry matter intake, or production of milk and milk fat. The transfer coefficients calculated for the PCDD/Fs in this study provide tools for reducing uncertainty in risk assessments.