Takamatsu M, Oki M, et al. Surveys of workers occupationally exposed to PCBs and of Yusho patients. Environ Health Perspect, 1985; 59: 91-97. ppb ppb Group A: 63 silk thread production workers. 6-403 111.5 ± 117.3 N=14 (reported results) Group B: 42 silk and wool thread producers Group C: 7 marine paint manufacturer workers 12-196 64.3 ± 62.2 N= 7 Group D: 23 Yusho patients 2.0-11.0 6.3 ± 4.1 N=5 (reported results) Group E: 8 patients suffering from PCB poisoning 48.0-78.0 62.6 ± 15.0 N=3, 1 year after termination of exposure 26.0-71.8 55.4 ± 18.7 N=5, 1.5-2 years after termination of exposure Group F: Control Group G: Control 1.3-5.8 3.4 ± 1.1 N=40 Groups A-D showed sig higher levels of PCBs than group F (p<.01). Twelve of 63 subjects in group A and 7 subjects in group C showed levels higher than 50 ppb. No cancer findings. Clinical findings in exposed people included acne and pigmentation. Some exposed persons had elevated rates of triglycerides. Group comparisons using log transformed data and F-test Emmett E. Polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and effects in transformer repair workers. Environ Health 55 present and past transformer repair Serum PCBs (Mean, Adipose PCBs and 2-tailed test show stat sig diff among current exposed, (Mean, Range) past exposed, and comparison groups and total exposed Perspect, 1985; 60: 185-192. workers Range) ppb ppb and comparison groups, at.01. Currently exposed 12.2, 1-300 2.1,.2-33 Serum N= 37, Adipose N=36 Previously exposed 5.9, 1-30.83,.3-51 N= 17, N=16 Total exposed 9.7, 1-300 1.6,.2-33 N=54, N=52 Comparison 4.6, 1-15.6,.2-3 N=54, N=53
Wolff M. Occupational exposure to PCBs. Environ Health Perspect, 1985; 60: 133-138. Exposure Air levels (µg/m 3 ) Kelly K, et al. Assessment of health effects in NYC firefighters after exposure to PCBs and PCDFs: the Staten Island Transformer fire surveillance project. Arch Environ Health, 2002; 57: 282-293. Skin wipe (µg/cm 2 ) manufacture 80-275 2-22 Electrical equipment manufacture 0-264.1-7 Transformer inspection.4-9.05-5 manufacture, off worksite <100.002-.019 Threshold limit for PCBs (American Conference on Government Industrial Hygienists) has been.5 micrograms/m for PCBs with 54% chlorine and 1 microgram/m for PCBs with 42% chlorine. At low levels of exposure, when PCB discontinued for 2.5 years, Aroclor 1016 was found on skin of workers using passive collection methods after some time away from workplace. Found 5 microgram/cm over hands and face or entire body Blood (ng/ml) Adipose (µg/g) Duration of employment (mean years) Electrical worker 238 12 ± 6 manufacturing 24 17 16 ± 8 6 4 Exposed persons 33 5.6 17 Nominally exposed 14 1.4 3.8 Nonexposed 12 1.3 4.3 Serum PCB levels (ppb) 58 out of 60 FF exposed to PCBs and PCDFs after transformer fire 2.92 ± 1.96 Avg serum PCB levels for general US pop 1-2 ppb. 20 FF >1.8 5 FF >6
Maroni M, et al. Occupational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls in electrical workers. I Environmental and blood polychlorinated biphenyls concentrations. Brit J Ind Med, 1981; 38: 49-54. (µg/m 3 ) (µg/m 3 ) Air concentrations- high power capacitors 80 workers with chronic exposure to PCB mixtures. 80-225 154 149-275 193 Low-power capacitors 48-70 59 Filters Blood PCB concentrations- Currently exposed (µg/kg) (µg/kg) Plant A- n=48, Pyralene 3010 exposure 13-355 128 ± 85 Low chlorine content 56-1032 249 ± 190 High Chlorine content 88-1319 377 ± 258 Total chlorine content Plant B- n=12, Apirolio exposure 17-407 137 ± 123 Low chlorine content 15-176 62 ± 50 High Chlorine content 41-470 200 ± 146 Total chlorine content Past exposure Plant A- n=16 16-184 86 ± 50 Low chlorine content 73-489 206 ± 123 High Chlorine content 94-631 292 ± 161 Total chlorine content Plant B- n=1 74 Low chlorine content 30 High Chlorine content 104 Total chlorine content Workers with occasional exposure Plant A, n=3 18-63 37 ± 23 Low chlorine content 58-83 73 ± 13 High Chlorine content 88-146 110 ± 31 Total chlorine content
Wolff M, et al. Body burden of PCBs among persons employed in capacitor manufacturing. Int Arc Occup Environ Health, 1982; 49: 199-208. Sinks T, et al. Mortality among workers exposed to PCBs. AJE, 1992; 136: 389-398. Bertazzi PA, et al. Cancer mortality of capacitor manufacturing workers. Am J Ind Med, 1987; 11: 165-176. Workers in capacitor manufacturing. 290 plasma and 61 adipose samples. ppb ppb Aroclor 1254 Males Plasma 26 1-546 Adipose 21 2-165 Females Plasma 16 1-436 Adipose 10 1-84 Aroclor 1248 Males Plasma 161 18-2530 High exposure 52 9-540 Other exposure Adipose 63 7-414 High exposure 19 4-101 Other exposure Females Plasma 89 12-1350 High exposure 43 6-604 Other exposure Adipose 29 10-150 High exposure 12 1-86 Other exposure 3588 electrical capacitor manufacturing workers. (µg/m 3 ) (µg/m 3 ) Zone: 2 199 377 3 98 45 5 305 479 manufacturing workers (µg/m 3 ) (µg/m 3 ) Workplace surfaces 18 samples.2-159 Year: 1977 14 samples.003-6.3 Year: 1982 Workers' hands 9 samples.3-9.2 Year: 1977 12 samples.09-1.5 Year: 1982 Zone 5- area with most exposure, zone 2 area with least exposure
Schecter A, et al. Polychlorinated biphenyl levels in the tissues of exposed and nonexposed humans. Environ Health Perspect, 1994; Suppl 1; 149-158. Malkin R, et al. Occupational and environmental lead and PCB exposure at a scrap metal dealer. Environ Research, 1995; 70: 20-23. 9 Guam transformer workers ppb ppb Samples are 2 years after incident. Avg total PCB 4.02 ppb 3.61 ppb Worker # 1 3.35 2 2.05 3 2.48 4 3.74 5 1.67 6 2.35 7 14.01 8 2.44 9 4.05 17 employees of 2 scrap metal dealers ppb ppb Company A 3.9 Company B 5.1 PCB levels based on where lunch eaten Lunchroom 1.5 Means are stat Range:.5-3.1 Not in lunchroom 5.8 sig @ p<.05 Range: 1.5-13.2 Range <1-65.3: outlier PCB level of 65.3 excluded from mean calculations.
Kontsas H, et al. Worker exposure to polycholorinated Workers exposed to PCBs during biphenyls in elastic polysulphide sealant renovation. Ann renovation of pre-fab Occup Hyg, 2004; 48: 51-55. houses (µg/l) (µg/l) Korhonen K, et al. Occupational exposure to chemical agents in the paper industry. Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 2000; 77: 451-460. Kim BH, et al. Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, pcdd, pcdf, and pcbs in human blood samples from korea. Sci Total Environ, 2005; 336: 45-56. Mean total PCB conc 3.9 Range =.6-17.8 (µg/l) Nonexposed workers conc 1.7 Range=.3-3.0 Workers in paper and pulp industry (µg/m 3 ) Area of work Pulping, refining -9 samples 0.6 Range= 0-2.3 Paperboard machine- 6 samples 0.33 Range= 0-1 Other specified department- 108 samples 254 Range= 0-16,000 Unspecified department- 23 samples 5.91 Range= 0-17 Laborers working in 2 diff municipal waste incinerator plants (ng/g) (ng/g) Total PCBs 251.83 208.03 Range= 70.46-762
Citation Agramunt MC, et al. Monitoring internal exposure to metals and organic substances in workers at a hazardous waste incinerator after 3 years of operation. Tox letters, 2003; 146: 83-91. 26 workers divided into 3 groups: plant, laboratory, administration Plant by PCB congener PCB 138 by year PCB 153 PCB 180 Laboratory by PCB congener PCB 138 by year PCB 153 PCB 180 Administration by PCB congener PCB 138 by year PCB 153 PCB 180 Population Range Mean ± SD Plasma levels (µg/kg) 1999 150 2000 79 2001 65 2002 41 1999 213 2000 114 2001 93 2002 87 1999 228 2000 113 2001 89 2002 176 1999 164 2000 129 2001 94 2002 77 1999 228 2000 179 2001 130 2002 151 1999 203 2000 170 2001 110 2002 278 1999 134 2000 91 2001 89 2002 59 1999 188 2000 119 2001 120 2002 125 1999 91 2000 110 2001 86 2002 209