Liver function tests in workers with occupational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): comparison with Yusho and Yu-Cheng

Journal Article · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.8560145· OSTI ID:6177243

Fischbein, A

The results of liver function tests in a population manufacturing capacitors and transformers are presented. Two clinical field examinations were performed, one in 1976 when PCBs were still used in the manufacturing of the electrical equipment and one at the end of 1979, 2.5 years after discontinuation of PCBs use. A low prevalence of abnormal liver function tests was found and mean values for all tests were within normal laboratory ranges. At the initial examination, weak, but statistically significant correlations were found between log LDH and plasma levels of log HPCB (higher chlorinated congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls) and log TPCB (total polychlorinated biphenyls) among the female workers, while log el-GTP correlated significantly only with log HPCB among the male workers. A significant increase to abnormal levels of el-GTP was noted at the follow-up examination in both male and female workers, and preliminary results indicate significant correlations between el-GTP and serum levels of PCBs among the male workers. These findings are in accordance with previously reported data on populations occupationally exposed to PCBs, but differ from hepatic biochemistry findings in accidental poisonings due to ingestion of cooking oil contaminated with PCBs and related compounds, i.e., polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated quaterphenyls (PCQs). Hence, the importance of considering the related compounds as etiologic factors in PCB poisoning is emphasized.

• Research Organization: City Univ. of New York, NY
• OSTI ID: 6177243
• Journal Information: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States) Vol. 60; ISSN EVHPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BODY
CAPACITORS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTAMINATION
CORRELATIONS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FUNCTIONS
GLANDS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LIVER
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
OILS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
TIME DEPENDENCE
TRANSFORMERS
VEGETABLE OILS