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Polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) congeners,p,p′-DDE, and hexachlorobenzene in maternal and fetal cord blood from mothers in upstate New York

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Abstract

Whole blood samples were taken from 101 women (26±4 years) entering maternity facilities in upstate New York. At birth, fetal cord blood was also collected. The samples were analyzed for 74 polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) congeners,p,p′-DDE, mirex, and hexachlorobenzene by glass capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Maternal blood contained 3.5±1.1 ng total PCB/g whole blood and fetal cord blood contained 2.4±1.0 ng total PCB/g whole blood, which indicate that the women are less contaminated than women surveyed elsewhere in the U.S. Of the 77 compounds measured, only 20 occurred in more than 10% of the maternal samples at levels >0.01 ng/g. Mirex was not detected. Although the concentration of the majority of congeners,p,p′-DDE and hexachlorobenzene correlated in maternal and fetal cord blood, 2,5,2′,5′-tetrachlorobiphenyl and hexachlorobenzene crossed the placenta preferentially. Apparently, the population contains vestiges of Aroclor® 1242 (the PCB mixture used in electrical equipment) and Aroclor® 1260 (the mixture used as a plasticizer).p,p′- DDE was the pollutant present at highest concentration (maternal 3.8±0.8 ng/g, fetal cord 1.9±0.9 ng/g).

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  1. New York State Department of Health, Center for Laboratories and Research, 12201, Albany, New York

    B. Bush, J. Snow & R. Koblintz

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  1. B. Bush
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  3. R. Koblintz
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Bush, B., Snow, J. & Koblintz, R. Polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) congeners,p,p′-DDE, and hexachlorobenzene in maternal and fetal cord blood from mothers in upstate New York. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 13, 517–527 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01056331

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01056331

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