Estimating plasma half-lives of dioxin like and non-dioxin like polychlorinated biphenyls after occupational exposure in the German HELPcB cohort.

Estimating plasma half-lives of dioxin like and non-dioxin like polychlorinated biphenyls after occupational exposure in the German HELPcB cohort. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2020 Dec 08;232:113667 Authors: Esser A, Ziegler P, Kaifie-Pechmann A, Kraus T, Schettgen T Abstract Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are carcinogenic persistent organic pollutants that have been used as mixtures in transformers, electrical capacitors or hydraulic oils in underground mining until their ban in the late 1980s in Germany. The widespread use of PCBs has led to an age-dependent body burden in the general population. In order to determine the human half-lives of different PCB-congeners, we have used data collected between 2010 and 2017 from the prospective investigation of the German HELPcB-cohort with high initial occupational exposure to PCBs from a transformer recycling company. PCBs were quantified in plasma of the study participants in six cross-sectional investigations using gas-chromatography coupled to mass-spectrometry. Applying logistic regression on the individual plasma levels after statistical elimination of outliers, the elimination half-lives of 18 PCB-congeners were determined. Further stratifications were performed using adjustment for blood lipids, calculation of the total amount of PCB in the body and by using a statistical model taking into account the individual age-dependent background burden. The calculated plasma half-lives range...
Source: International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental health - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Int J Hyg Environ Health Source Type: research