title: Plasma polychlorinated biphenyls in residents of 91 PCB-contaminated and 108 non-contaminated dwellings-an exposure study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the1950s-1970s polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used in several countries as plasticizers in elastic sealants in buildings.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective was to study whether residents of PCB-contaminated dwellings had higher plasma levels of PCBs than their neighbours in non-contaminated dwellings. The secondary objective was to study possible associations between concentrations of PCBs in the indoor air and in the plasma of residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stratified cross-sectional study of residents of a housing estate with four sections, of which only one section had PCB-containing sealants. The determination of 27 PCB congeners in plasma was performed among 134 exposed and 139 non-exposed residents. Air measurements were conducted in 104 flats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences in plasma PCBs between exposed versus non-exposed were found for most of the lower chlorinated and many of the higher chlorinated congeners. The median of sum of 27 PCBs was approximately four times higher in exposed compared with non-exposed residents. The elevated PCB concentrations persisted in multivariable analyses controlling for relevant cofactors. We found significant correlations between PCB indoor air concentrations and the PCB concentration in the plasma of the residents for ten of the lower chlorinated congeners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study confirms that indoor air exposure to PCBs from PCB containing sealants may result in a considerable internal PCBs exposure of the residents. For the first time we were able to demonstrate that the internal exposure to low chlorinated PCBs is significantly associated with the indoor air concentration of these congeners.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark. Electronic address: hmeyer@dadlnet.dk.
authors.forename: Harald William
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frederiksen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Göen
authors.forename: Niels Erik
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Ebbehøj
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gunnarsen
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brauer
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kolarik
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010968:Plasticizers; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010968:Plasticizers; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Dwellings; GC–MS; Indoor air; Plasma; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Questionnaire