[Digoxin content in blood lipids of children, athletes, sports ground attendants and residents after content with dioxin-containing surface slag (Kieselrot)].

In 1991 it was discovered, that a large number of sporting grounds and playgrounds in Germany were covered with a waste slag material from a former copper smelter located at Marsberg, Germany. This material was found to contain high levels of PCDD/F ranging up to 100,000 TE/kg. The objective of the present study was to assess whether subjects sporting on such grounds had elevated levels of PCDD/F in blood. PCDD/F in blood fat was used as an indicator of the PCDD/F body burden. Additionally, six children and seven residents of a contaminated sporting and playground were examined. Generally, the levels of PCDD/F in blood fat were in the range of background levels in all subjects. Taking into account the effect of age, slightly elevated blood levels of PCDD/F were detected in children. The results show that the bioavailability of PCDD/F in the slag material is very low. However, from the preventive point of view children who might ingest slag material by hand-to-mouth-activities, should not play on such contaminated playgrounds.