Dioxins and dibenzofurans in adipose tissue of US Vietnam veterans and controls

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · American Journal of Public Health; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.81.3.344· OSTI ID:6004965

Kang, H K; Watanabe, K K; Breen, J; Remmers, J; Conomos, M G; Stanley, J; Flicker, M ^[1]

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1. Office of Environmental Epidemiology, Washington, DC (USA)

The primary reason for concern about the adverse effects of exposure to Agent Orange is attributable to its toxic contaminant, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) or dioxin. We studied adipose tissues from 36 Vietnam veterans, a similar group of 79 non-Vietnam veterans, and 80 civilians; the tissue specimens were selected from the 8,000 archived tissues collected from the non-institutionalized general population by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The geometric mean (+/- standard deviation) dioxin levels in adipose tissue for Vietnam veterans, non-Vietnam veterans, and civilian controls were 11.7 (+/- 1.7), 10.9 (+/- 1.7), and 12.4 (+/- 1.9) parts per trillion on a lipid weight basis, respectively. The mean levels for these groups were not significantly different from each other with or without adjustment for age of individuals, body mass index, and specimen collection year. In addition, none of the surrogate measures of Agent Orange exposure such as military branch, service within specific geographic region, military occupation, and troop location in relation to recorded Agent Orange spray was associated with the dioxin levels in adipose tissue of Vietnam veterans. Our results suggest that heavy exposure to Agent Orange or dioxin for most US troops was unlikely.

• OSTI ID: 6004965
• Journal Information: American Journal of Public Health; (USA), Journal Name: American Journal of Public Health; (USA) Vol. 81:3; ISSN 0090-0036; ISSN AJHEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASIA
BENZOFURANS
CHEMICAL WARFARE
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DIOXIN
DISTRIBUTION
FURANS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
METABOLISM
MILITARY PERSONNEL
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
VIET NAM
WARFARE