Environmental and Dietary Exposures Near a Major Industrial Harbour (Fos-sur-Mer, France) Identified as a Significant Pathway for PCBs and PCDD/Fs Accumulation in Residents’ Blood Serum

We investigated whether residents who lived closer to the core of one of the largest industrial zone in Europe (Fos-sur-Mer, France) had higher serum levels of organochlorine indicators (NDL-PCBs, DL-PCBs and PCDD/Fs) than people who lived out of the industrial core zone (Saint-Martin-de-Crau, France). The INDEX cross-sectional study was conducted from September to November 2016. We collected blood samples from 138 people (80 in the exposed area and 58 in the control area), which were included using a stratified random sampling method and selected with strict criteria (e.g., 30–65 years old, living in the area for at least 3 years, not working in the industrial sector, non-smoker). Biomonitoring indicators were calculated using multivariate linear regression models, adjusting for personal physiological, social, dietary, housing characteristics and free-time activities. We also measured these pollutants in samples of lichens ( Xanthoria parietina ) and atmospheric particles (PM 2.5 ). We found that behaviours that involved environmental exposures (such as gardening, dietary history of consumption of vegetables, eggs, poultry, and local seafood) were significantly associated with an increase in organochlorine serum levels amongst residents of the industrial port zone compared to the residents of the control area. We also observed spatial and temporal variations of the pollutants across the territory. Our observations provided clues in understanding the presence of organochlorine compounds in the human body and links to environmental exposures in the context of one of the largest industrial zone in Europe.