Half-life of polychlorinated biphenyls in occupationally exposed workers

Technical Report · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6867839

Phillips, D L; Smith, A B; Burse, V W; Steele, G K; Needham, L L

In 1977 and 1985, serum polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations were determined for 58 workers in a Bloomington, Indiana, factory that used PCBs in capacitor manufacture until 1977. Less chlorinated PCBs were quantitated as Aroclor 1242, and more highly chlorinated PCBsw were quantitated as Aroclor 1254. The median half-life was 2.6 y for Aroclor 1242 and 4.8 y for Aroclor 1254. However, the half-life varied inversely with the initial serum concentration. This pattern may be a result of continued low-level exposure, variation in the time of exposure, or enzyme induction by PCBs.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR (USA). Environmental Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 6867839
• Report Number(s): PB-90-245788/XAB; EPA--600/J-89/416
• 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.
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL HALF-LIFE
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BODY FLUIDS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
ENZYME INDUCTION
GENE REGULATION
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MATERIALS
METABOLISM
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL