Serum PCB levels and congener profiles among US construction workers

Robert F Herrick,John D Meeker,Russ Hauser,George A Weymouth,Larisa Altshul

doi:10.1186/1476-069x-6-25

Abstract

BackgroundThe presence of PCB in caulking (sealant) material found in masonry buildings has been well-documented in several countries. A recent investigation of 24 buildings in the greater Boston area found that 8 buildings had high PCB levels in caulking materials used around window frames and in joints between masonry blocks. Workers removing caulking material have been shown to have elevated serum PCB levels.MethodsThis project compared serum PCB levels among male workers who installed and/or removed PCB-containing caulking material from buildings in the greater Boston area with reference serum PCB levels from 358 men from the same area. Serum PCB levels were measured in the same laboratory by liquid-liquid extraction, column chromatography clean-up and dual capillary column GC/microECD analysis.ResultsWhen the congener profiles were compared between the reference population and the construction workers, the serum levels of the more volatile, lighter PCBs (di-, tri-and tetrachloro, sum of IUPAC# 6–74) were substantially higher among the construction workers. One of the youngest workers had the lowest total serum PCB levels (sum of 57 congeners) of all 6 workers, but the contribution of more volatile (less chlorinated) PCB congeners (#16, 26,28,33,74,66, and 60) was markedly higher than in other 5 workers and reference men. Only this worker was working on a job that involved removing PCB caulking at the time of the blood sampling.ConclusionWhile the results of this pilot study are based upon small numbers (6 construction workers who handled PCB caulking), the serum PCB levels among the construction workers exceed the referents. Comparison of the congener profiles suggests that there are substantial differences between the construction workers and the general population samples. These differences, and the similarities of profiles among the construction workers strongly suggest that occupational contact with caulking material can be a major source of PCB exposure for construction workers.

Highlights

The presence of Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in caulking material found in masonry buildings has been well-documented in several countries
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are organic chemicals that have been associated with a wide range of adverse health effects among those exposed
We have reported wet weight serum PCB concentrations, serum lipid levels are reported for the six subjects so lipid-standardized PCB can be estimated for comparison with other studies since most investigators to date have used a lipid-standardized approach

Summary

Introduction

The presence of PCB in caulking (sealant) material found in masonry buildings has been well-documented in several countries. A recent investigation of 24 buildings in the greater Boston area found that 8 buildings had high PCB levels in caulking materials used around window frames and in joints between masonry blocks. Workers removing caulking material have been shown to have elevated serum PCB levels. While PCBs were primarily used in electrical equipment, they were used in building materials such as caulking ( described as sealants). Buildings that were constructed or refurbished prior to 1977 may still contain caulking with elevated levels of PCBs. Because there are generally no requirements that building materials be tested for PCBs, caulking is rarely analyzed for PCB content and is poorly recognized as a potential hazard

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Conclusion