Blood Serum Levels of PCBs and PCDFs in Yucheng Women 14 Years After Exposure to a Toxic Rice Oil

Abstract

In 1979, a mass poisoning of more than 2000 people occurred in central Taiwan due to consumption of rice-bran oil contaminated with PCBs and their heat-degraded byproducts. The incident was later referred to as Yucheng (oil disease). Serum samples from 56 women with the 1979 exposure were collected in February 1992 and analyzed for their contaminant content using sample enrichment and isotope dilution mass spectrometry. In most of the samples, levels of PCDFs and PCBs were detectable, and the median values of 2,3,4,7,8-PCDFs and 1,2,3,4,7,8-PCDFs were 1,030 and 2,220 ng/kg serum lipid, respectively. The median level of the total PCBs on a whole weight basis was 8,730 ng/kg. The PCB/PCDF concentrations in Yucheng women 14 years after the toxic exposure were still one to two orders of magnitude higher than controls. Concentrations of PCB levels in 1992 were positively correlated with the 1980-1981 measured PCB levels in these women and both PCBs and PCDFs were negatively correlated with the total duration when these women breast fed their children between 1979 and 1992. It is concluded that serum levels of congener-specific PCBs/PCDFs in exposed women are good indicators of previous exposure and may provide important information for more reliable estimation of dose-response relationship.

Determinants of serum polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides measured in women from the child health and development study cohort, 1963-1967.

“…Other groups with higher levels included Yucheng women 14 years after the accidental contamination of rice oil (27) and occupationally exposed individuals in Finland (28). The p,p´-DDE levels in the CHDS sample are about twice as high as were observed by Longnecker and colleagues (29) in serum samples from pregnant women enrolled in the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP) between 1959 and 1965; however, summed PCB levels in the CHDS sample are comparable to those observed in the CPP sample.…”

A Correlation Study of Organochlorine Levels in Serum, Breast Adipose Tissue, and Gluteal Adipose Tissue among Breast Cancer Cases in India

“…We found that concentrations of all organochlorines were consistently lower in the younger age group compared with the older age group (data not shown), which is consistent with the persistent properties of these chemicals and their accumulative nature. Breast-feeding is also an important factor to consider because it is a highly efficient way of lowering one's body burden (16). We stratified the population into shorter (V48 months) and longer (>48 months) time of breast-feeding and found that the women who breast-fed for >48 months did have lower concentrations than women who breast-fed up to 48 months.…”

“…We stratified the population into older (>45 years) and younger (V45 years) age groups and found that the older women did have higher concentrations in both serum and adipose tissues; however, there were no differences in correlation coefficients or ratios. Another important consideration is breast-feeding, a highly efficient way of lowering one's body burden (16). If breast-feeding preferentially reduces serum levels relative to adipose levels (due to different pharmacokinetics of elimination), this could reduce correlations.…”

The effect of dietary glycine on the hepatic tumor promoting activity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in rats

“…The importance of this study resides in the fact that human exposure to PCBs (especially PCB-153) is ubiquitous and once the PCBs are in the body, important quantities of the parent congeners or their metabolites are retained for long periods of time (Chu et al 2003;Guo et al 1997). Therefore, the real human health concern is the long term effects of PCBs in the body, such as cancer.…”