Concentrations and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin toxic equivalents of non-ortho coplanar PCBs in adipose fat of poles
- Univ. of Gdansk (Poland)
- Ehime Univ., Tarumi (Japan)
The non-ortho chlorine substituted coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls, such as, 3,3[prime],4,4[prime]-T[sub 4]CB (IUPAC no. 77), 3,3[prime],4,4[prime],5-P[sub 5]CB (IUPAC no. 126) and 3,3[prime]4,4[prime],5,5[prime]-H[sub 6]CB (IUPAC no. 169) are highly bioactive and toxicologically potent trace constituents in technical PCB formulations. These congener have been traced in a wide variety of environmental compartments including biota, food and human tissues. These non-ortho coplanar PCBs have been assigned a toxic equivalent factor (TEF) based on their toxicity relative to 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) which is assigned a TEF of 1. The normalization based on the TCDD toxic equivalents has permitted a new perspective in assessing the inherent toxicity of these congeners and their likely biological impact. Since the AHH-active PCB congeners and PCDDs/PCDFs act through initial binding to the same receptor, an additive model is used to express toxicity of a mixture of these compounds. The concentrations of toxic equivalents are expressed when assessing risks associated with exposure and to identify those congeners that pose greater health risks. In our recent survey on organochlorine contamination in human adipose fat from Poland, total PCBs concentrations were found in the range of 0.75-1.9 [mu]g/g on a lipid wt basis in 1979 and 0.76-4.7 [mu]g/g in 1990. Further studies have also shown the presence of considerably high concentrations of PCBs up to 10 [mu]g/g in human adipose fat near Poland-Slovakia. These values suggested the ongoing contamination by PCBs in this region and highlighted the need for monitoring toxic PCB isomers in foodstuffs and in human tissues. The present paper provides a baseline data on the non-ortho coplanar PCB concentrations in human adipose tissue from Poland in 1979 and 1990. 15 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.
- OSTI ID:
- 6607129
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States), Vol. 53:2; ISSN 0007-4861
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
HUMAN POPULATIONS
ADIPOSE TISSUE
POLAND
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ANIMAL TISSUES
AROMATICS
BODY
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
EASTERN EUROPE
EUROPE
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POPULATIONS
TISSUES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology