Human exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls at toxic waste sites: investigations in the United States

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Arch. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1988.9935861· OSTI ID:6784873

Stehr-Green, P A; Welty, E; Burse, V W

Beginning in 1982, environmental and population data were evaluated from waste sites contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Pilot exposure assessment studies were conducted at 12 sites where risks of human exposure were thought to be greatest. Serum PCB levels in persons at highest risk of nonoccupationally related exposures (because of their self-reported frequencies and types of activities in contaminated areas) at 10 sites were within background ranges, even though environmental contamination levels as high as 2.5 parts per billion (ppb) in monitoring well water samples and 330,000 ppb in soil samples were measured. At the 2 remaining sites, elevated serum levels were found in these high-risk persons, which require further evaluation by community surveys. These results illustrate that, despite elevated environmental contaminant levels, unless uptake of chemicals above background exposure levels can be demonstrated, adverse health effects cannot be attributed to waste site chemicals. However, health risks due to background exposure levels, as well as in populations with elevated PCB body burdens need further study.

• Research Organization: Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6784873
• Journal Information: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 43:6; ISSN AEHLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
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Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
DRINKING WATER
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
FISHES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MONITORING
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOILS
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
WATER