title: Elimination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in occupationally exposed persons.
abstract: The elimination of 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) was investigated in a group of n = 43 exposed workers with 2 blood measurements and n = 5 workers with 3 measurements. Under the assumption of a one-compartment, first-order kinetic model the median half-life for 2,3,7,8-TCDD was 7.2 yr, while for the other dioxins the estimates were between 3.7 yr for 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD (hepta-chlorinated) and 15.7 yr for 1,2,3,7,8-PCDD (penta-chlorinated). For the furans median half-lives between 3.0 yr for 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF and 19.6 yr for 2,3,4,7,8-PCDF were observed. There was no indication for a deviation from a first-order kinetic. Increasing age and percent body fat were associated with increasing half-life for most of the congeners. Smokers in general had a faster decay than non- and ex-smokers. In summary, the higher chlorinated PCDD/F like TCDD appear to be highly persistent in humans with half-lives ranging between 4 and 12 yr.
authors.affiliation: Medical Center for the Chemical Workers' Health, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Flesch-Janys
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Becher
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gurn
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Konietzko
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manz
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Päpke
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000328:Adult; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004147:Dioxins / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012907:Smoking; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D004147:Dioxins; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D002784:Cholesterol