Abstract
Five bulked human adipose tissue samples were analyzed for individual polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (including selected non-ortho-substituted compounds) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs). Mean ΣPCB and ΣPCDD/F (tetra-through octachlorinated homologues) concentrations were 0.75 μg/g and 1.22 ng/g adipose tissue respectively. Both the congener patterns and levels detected were similar to those reported by laboratories in other industrialised countries. Each sample comprised of tissue taken from donors within a given locality. However, no obvious relationships were apparent between sampling area, absolute concentrations and congener pattern of PCBs and PCDD/Fs.
The contribution of individual PCDD/F and non -ortho-(o), mono-o-, and di-o-substituted PCB congeners to the total calculated toxic equivalent values (ΣTEQ) was assessed for each sample. The main contributions to the ΣTEQ were the mono-o-substituted PCB congeners #118 (TEQ=42.5 pg/g of lipid), #156 (TEQ=24.8 pg/g) and #105 (TEQ=20.7 pg/g), followed by 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD (TEQ=18.2 pg/g), 2,3,4,7,8-P5CDF (TEQ= 12 pg/g), 1,2,3,7,8-P5CDD (TEQ=11.5 pg/g), and the non-o-substituted PCB congener #126 (TEQ =11.3 pg/g). Collectively, these compounds accounted for 80% of the STEQ values. Based on the TEFs proposed by Safe (1990), the overall TEQs calculated for the monitored PCBs, were twice those due to ΣPCDD/Fs.
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Duarte-Davidson, R., Harrad, S.J., Allen, S. et al. The relative contribution of individual polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-furans (PCDFs) to toxic equivalent values derived for bulked human adipose tissue samples from Wales, United Kingdom. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 24, 100–107 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01061096
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01061096