Abstract
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.
Highlights
PCB contamination in the built environment may result from the release of PCBs from building materials
Our research aims included comparisons of total serum PCB concentrations between teachers who worked in these buildings and available reference groups who did not work in these buildings, as well as examination of the composition of the congener mix found in the serum of the teachers and the referents
Examining the trend in serum levels with age, we found that there was a strong correlation for the sum of wholeweight values of the 57 PCB congeners (Pearson correlations, ln-transformed PCB concentrations R = 0.84), and for the heavy PCBs
Summary
PCB 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, . This research compared the serum PCB concentrations, and congener profiles between 18 teachers in PCB-containing schools and referent populations. Recent interest in building materials as possible sources of PCB contamination in the built environment has led to a series of investigations, and a set of EPA guidance documents on “PCBs in Caulk in Older Buildings” [1]. There was a significant positive association between years spent at the contaminated school and serum levels of the combined lower chlorinated congeners
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