title: Apparent half-lives of dioxins, furans, and polychlorinated biphenyls as a function of age, body fat, smoking status, and breast-feeding.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study we reviewed the half-life data in the literature for the 29 dioxin, furan, and polychlorinated biphenyl congeners named in the World Health Organization toxic equivalency factor scheme, with the aim of providing a reference value for the half-life of each congener in the human body and a method of half-life estimation that accounts for an individual's personal characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared data from >30 studies containing congener-specific elimination rates. Half-life data were extracted and compiled into a summary table. We then created a subset of these data based on defined exclusionary criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We defined values for each congener that approximate the half-life in an infant and in an adult. A linear interpolation of these values was used to examine the relationship between half-life and age, percent body fat, and absolute body fat. We developed predictive equations based on these relationships and adjustments for individual characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The half-life of dioxins in the body can be predicted using a linear relationship with age adjusted for body fat, smoking, and breast-feeding. Data suggest an alternative method based on a linear relationship between half-life and total body fat, but this approach requires further testing and validation with individual measurements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2029, USA. meghanom@umich.edu
authors.forename: Meghan O'Grady
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Milbrath
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wenger
authors.forename: Chiung-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Emond
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Garabrant
authors.forename: Brenda W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Jolliet