Serum PCB levels and congener profiles among teachers in PCB-containing schools: a pilot study

Environmental Health

Research

John D Meeker¹  Robert F Herrick²  Larisa Altshul² 

[1] Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 109 S. Observatory St, 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, USA;Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, 02115, Boston, MA, USA;

关键词: Massachusetts General Hospital;    Congener Profile;    Teacher Median;    Congener Pattern;    Great Boston Area;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1476-069X-10-56

 received in 2011-02-16, accepted in 2011-06-13,  发布年份 2011

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundPCB contamination in the built environment may result from the release of PCBs from building materials. The significance of this contamination as a pathway of human exposure is not well-characterized, however. This research compared the serum PCB concentrations, and congener profiles between 18 teachers in PCB-containing schools and referent populations.MethodsBlood samples from 18 teachers in PCB-containing schools were analyzed for 57 PCB congeners. Serum PCB concentrations and congener patterns were compared between the teachers, to the 2003-4 NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) data, and to data from 358 Greater Boston area men.ResultsTeachers at one school had higher levels of lighter (PCB 6-74) congeners compared to teachers from other schools. PCB congener 47 contributed substantially to these elevated levels. Older teachers (ages 50-64) from all schools had higher total (sum of 33 congeners) serum PCB concentrations than age-comparable NHANES reference values. Comparing the teachers to the referent population of men from the Greater Boston area (all under age 51), no difference in total serum PCB levels was observed between the referents and teachers up to 50 years age. However, the teachers had significantly elevated serum concentrations of lighter congeners (PCB 6-74). This difference was confirmed by comparing the congener-specific ratios between groups, and principal component analysis showed that the relative contribution of lighter congeners differed between the teachers and the referents.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the teachers in the PCB-containing buildings had higher serum levels of lighter PCB congeners (PCB 6-74) than the referent populations. Examination of the patterns, as well as concentrations of individual PCB congeners in serum is essential to investigating the contributions from potential environmental sources of PCB exposure.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Herrick et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011