Abstract
In a comparative 60-day oral toxicity test (400 ppm) in chickens, three 60%-chlorinated commercial polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) preparations were used: compound I (Phenoclor DP6), compound II (Clophen A60), and compound III (Aroclor 1260). Using mortality, mean survival time, mean weight, and pathological observations (hydropericardium, abdominal, and subcutaneous edema and centrolobular liver necrosis) as parameters, a significant difference in toxicity was found between the compounds: compounds I and II showed the highest, compound III the lowest, toxicity. Microscopically centrolobular liver necrosis was found in chicks fed compounds I and II. Atrophy of the spleen was found in all test groups. Chemical porphyria was found as a general PCB effect: increased fecal excretion of coproporphyrin and protoporphyrin and fluorescence of tissues occurred in all test groups. Additional experiments with compound I (2000 ppm) in Japanese quail and rats confirmed the porphyrogenic action. Gas chromatographic analyses of liver and brain of dead chicks gave PCB levels that varied between 120 and 2900 ppm. The relationship of hydropericardium (chick edema) and liver necrosis to the differences in toxicity observed between the technical PCB mixtures is discussed.
Published Version
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