Abstract
This paper gives an overview of the development of the environmental or background exposure of humans to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in Germany. To determine the background exposure, adipose tissue, human milk, or blood can be used. The good comparability of the matrices analyzed is demonstrated. The daily consumption of low-level contaminated food, mainly of animal origin, leads to the accumulation of PCDDs/PCDFs in the human adipose reservoir. The influence of factors such as various eating habits, severe weight loss, age, and nursing (women only) on the human body burden is discussed. Because of decreasing emission of PCDDs/PCDFs into the environment, a decline of these components in humans could be observed over a time span of 10 years.