Two remote maritime populations were evaluated for their biological exposure to orgnochlorines in [1989][1990] Because of their high intake ofseafood, these two populations have high biological levels. One hundred nine breast milk samples from Inuit women from Arctic Quebec were analyzed to determine levels of polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofrans (PCDFs), and coplanar polychlorinated bipheuWls (PCBs) including non-ortho, mono-oriho, and di-outho congeners. Total 2,3,7,-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (TEqs) for PCBs were 3.5 times higher in Inuit milk samples than in 96 Caucasian milk samples. Amongthe 185 fishermen from the Lower North Shore ofthe Gulf of the St. Lawrence River, we evaluated 10 highly exposed fishermen for theircoplanar PCB blood levels. Total TEqs were 900 ng/kg for highly exposed individuals with 36 ng/kg for controls. In these two nonoccupationally exposed populations, coplanar PCBs make a larger contribution to the TEq than PCDDs and PCDFs. However, the mono-ortho penta CB No. 118 is the major contributor for the total toxicity.

Fifty-five Yu-Cheng (oil-disease) children born between 1978 and 1985 to mothers who ate PCB-contaminated rice oil in 1978-1979 were studied and compared to age- and sex-matched control subjects in 1991. The children's growth profiles, bone mineral density and soft tissue composition, joint laxity, and serum parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, and phosphate were compared. The Yu-Cheng children were 3.1 cm (p < .05) smaller and had less total lean mass and soft tissue mass as compared to the matched control subjects. All other parameters studied were similar in both groups. The shorter height and decreased total lean mass and soft tissue content were only seen in the Yu-Cheng children who were the first born after the ingestion, but not in subsequent children. This was most likely due to decreased body burdens of the PCBs and related contaminants over time in the mothers.

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