[Alimentary intake of selected pollutants and nitrate--results of a duplicate study in Bavarian homes for youth and seniors].

In a duplicate study during 1987-1991, 478 24-h duplicate samples from 14 homes for elderly people and 10 homes for youth were investigated for their contents of selected harmful substances. The analyses covered 45 active substances of pesticides, 17 PCB-congeners as well as lead, cadmium, and nitrate contents. Pesticides could be detected only in 15% of the investigated samples. The pesticide contents reached max. 8% of the respective FAO/WHO-limits. As the mean intake of the three most important PCB-congeners (sum of the congeners 138, 153, and 180) values of 0.9 and 1.1 micrograms per day and ration or person, respectively, were found. Also in the worst case the daily PCB intake was below the recommended ADI value of the FDA of 1 microgram/kg of body weight. The daily nutritional intake of lead and cadmium via the investigated daily rations reached about 5.6% and 20% of the Provisionally Tolerably Weekly Intake values of the FAO/WHO. The mean nitrate content of the duplicate portions was 101 mg per day and person (median: 79 mg per day and person). Referred to the median value the WHO limit (3.65 mg/kg body weight and day) was exhausted to about 36%.