Contamination of the food chain by polychlorinated biphenyls from a broken transformer

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · Am. J. Public Health Nation's Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.73.3.290· OSTI ID:5624338

Drotman, D P ^[1]; Baxter, P J; Liddle, J A; Brokopp, C D; Skinner, M D

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1. Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA

In 1979, widespread distribution of chicken and egg food products and grease contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) occurred across the United States and as far away as Canada and Japan. The contamination was traced to an accidental leakage of PCBs from a transformer stored in a hog slaughtering plant in Montana. Breast milk analyses showed the PCB absorption had occurred among egg consumers. The episode illustrates the need for heightened vigilance over the fate of PCBs still in use.

• OSTI ID: 5624338
• Journal Information: Am. J. Public Health Nation's Health; (United States), Vol. 73:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
FOOD CHAINS
CONTAMINATION
TRANSFORMERS
LEAKS
BLOOD
EGGS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
MILK
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY FLUIDS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FOOD
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)