PCDD/Fs in textiles — Part 1: A screening method for detection of octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and octachlorodibenzofuran

A screening method based on analysis with GC/ECD was developed for detection of octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and octachlorodibenzofuran (OCDD/F) in textiles. These compounds were chosen as tracers for the PCDD/F contamination, as in all analysed textiles to date at least 50 % of the total amount of PCDD/F was contributed by OCDD/F. The method was tested using 121 cotton textiles purchased in stores in Bayreuth. The results from the screening method were cross-checked using conventional analysis procedures for selected contaminated and uncontaminated samples and good agreement was found. About 75 % of the investigated cotton textiles contained low or non-detectable levels of OCDD/F. The concentrations in the remaining samples ranged from 10 pg/g up to 76,000 pg/g with international toxicity equivalents (I-TE) reaching maximum values of 82 pg/g.