Abstract
A study was conducted in the community of Greater New Bedford, Massachusetts, from 1984 through 1987 to assess the prevalence of elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the serum of individuals aged 18 to 64 years who had resided in the area for at least 5 years. Eight hundred and forty subjects were interviewed, examined, and tested in a cross-sectional sample of the towns of Acushnet, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven and the city of New Bedford. Serum PCBs were measured to estimate the extent of human exposure. Because of documented environmental contamination by PCBs in the New Bedford area, and the practice of recreational fishing in the harbor for food, a significant number of persons with elevated serum PCB levels were expected to be identified. Instead, the prevalence of elevated serum PCBs in the sample was found to be typical of “unexposed” urban populations in the United States. Only 1.3% of the subjects had serum PCB levels greater than 30 ppb. The same percentage was observed among males (n =391) and females (n=449). The geometric means of PCB levels were 4.3 ppb among males (Range=0.50–60.9) and 4.2 ppb among females (Range=0.38–154). We conclude that the prevalence of elevated serum PCBs is low in the population of Greater New Bedford.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker EL, Landrigan PJ, Glueck CJ, Zack MM, Liddle JA, Burse VW, Housworth J, Needham LL (1980) Metabolic consequences of exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in sewage sludge. Am J Epidemiol 112:553–563
Burse VW, Needham LL, Lapeza CR, Korver MP, Liddle JA, Bayse DD (1983a) Evaluation of potential analytical approach for determination of polychlorinated biphenyis in serum-interlaboratory studies. J Assoc Offic Anal Chem 66:956–58
Burse VW, Needham LL, Korver MP, Lapeza CR, Liddle JA, Bayse DD (1983b) Assessment of methods to determine PCB levels in blood serum: Interlaboratory study. J Assoc Offic Anal Chem 66:40–45
Burse VW, Needham LL, Lapeza CR, Korver MP, Liddle JA, Bayse DD (1983c) Gas-liquid Chromatographic evaluation of potential analytical approach for determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in serum: Interlaboratory study. J Assoc Office Anal Chem 66:32–39
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (1983) Acushnet estuary PCBs data management final report: August 1983, Boston, MA: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region I, Office of Program Support. Prepared by Metcalf and Eddy, Engineers under contract no. 68-04-1009
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (1979) 44CFR, 57389
Finklea J, Priester LE, Creason JP, Hauser T, Hinners T, Hammer DI (1972) Polychlorinated biphenyl residues in human plasma expose a major urban problem. Am J Public Health 62:645–651
Fishbein A, Wolff MS, Lilis R, Thornton J, Selikoff IJ (1979) Clinical findings among PCB-exposed capacitor manufacturing workers. Ann NY Acad Sci 320:703–715
Fleiss JL (1981) Statistical methods for rates and proportion. 2nd Ed., John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, pp 38–42
Kimbrough RD (1985) Laboratory and human studies on polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and related compounds. Environ Health Perspect 59:99–106
Kimbrough RD (1987) Human health effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs). Ann Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 27:87–111
Kleinbaum DG, Kupper LL, Morgenstern H (1982) Epidemiologic research. Lifetime Learning Publications, Belmont, CA
Kolek A, Ceruvels R (1981) PCB analysis of marine organisms in the New Bedford area 1976–1980 Boston, MA: Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Division of Marine Fisheries (Publication no. 12265-36-100-1-81-CR)
Kreiss K, Zack MM, Kimbrough RD (1981) Association of blood pressure and polychlorinated biphenyl levels. JAMA 254:2505–2509
Kreiss K, Roberts C, Humphrey HEB (1982) Serial PBB levels, PCB levels and clinical chemistries in Michigan's PBB cohort. Arch Environ Health 37:141–147
Lu YC, Wong PN (1984) Dermatological, medical and laboratory findings of patients in Taiwan and their treatments. Am J Ind Med 5:81–115
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) (1987) The Greater New Bedford PCB health effects study: 1984–1987. June 1987 Boston
Mathews HB, Dedrick RL (1984) Pharmacokinetics of PCBs. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 24:85–103
Mes J (1987) PCBs in human populations. In: Waid JS (ed) PCBs and the environment, vol. III. CRC Press, Baco Raton, FL, p 56
Needham LL, Burse VW, Korver MP, Lapeza CR, Liddle JA, Bayse DD, Price HA (1983) Design and demonstration of a quality assurance program for labor-intensive analytical systems. J Anal Toxicol 7:279–282
Needham LL (undated) Polychlorinated biphenyl determination at parts-per-billion level in serum. (CDC Laboratory update no. 81-108) Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA
Phillips DL, Smith AB, Burse VW, Steele G, Needham LL, Hannon HH (1989a) Half-life of polychlorinated biphenyls in occupationally exposed workers. Arch Environ Health 44:351–354
Phillips DL, Pirkle JL, Burse VW, Bernert JT, Henderson LO, Needham LL (1989b) Chlorinated hydrocarbon levels in human serum: Effects of fasting and feeding. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 18:495–500
Pruell RJ, Bowen RD, Fluck SJ, LiVolsi JA, Cobb DJ, Lake JL (1988) PCB congeners in American lobster,homarmus americanus and white flounder,pseudopleuronectes americanus, from New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts. A report to: US Environmental Protection Agency, Exposure Assessment Group. Washington, DC
Smith AB, Schloemer J, Lowry LK (1982) Metabolic and health consequences of occupational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls. Br J Ind Med 39:361–369
Stehr-Green PA, Welty E, Steele G, Steinberg K (1986) Evaluation of potential health effects associated with serum polychlorinated biphenyl levels. Environ Health Perspect 70:255–259
Steinberg KK, Freni-Titulaer LWJ, Rogers TN, Burse VW, Mueller PW, Stehr PA, Miller DT, Steele G (1986) Effects of polychlorinated biphenyls and lipemia on serum analytes. J Toxicol Environ Health 19:369–381
Telles N (1982) The New Bedford PCB study -preliminary findings: March 23, 1982. Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Weaver G (1982) PCB pollution in the New Bedford, Massachusetts area: A status report: June 1982. Prepared for the Office of Coastal Zone Management, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
—,— (1984) PCB contamination in and around New Bedford, Mass. Environ Sci Technol 18:22A-27A
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Miller, D.T., Condon, S.K., Kutzner, S. et al. Human exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls in greater New Bedford, Massachusetts: A prevalence study. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 20, 410–416 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01064412
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01064412