Half-Life of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Occupationally Exposed Workers

摘要

In 1977 and 1985, serum polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations were determined for 58 workers in a Bloomington, Indiana, factory that used PCBs in capacitor manufacture until 1977. Less chlorinated PCBs were quantitated as Aroclor 1242, and more highly chlorinated PCBsw were quantitated as Aroclor 1254. The median half-life was 2.6 y for Aroclor 1242 and 4.8 y for Aroclor 1254. However, the half-life varied inversely with the initial serum concentration. This pattern may be a result of continued low-level exposure, variation in the time of exposure, or enzyme induction by PCBs.