Two commercial polychlorinated biphenyl mixtures (Aroclor 1254 and Aroclor 1242) and one polybrominated biphenyl mixture (FireMaster BP-6) were examined for their abilities to induce hepatic microsomal monooxygenation in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). Pretreatment of rainbow trout with Aroclors 1254 and 1242 (150 mg/kg IP) resulted in an approximate 10-fold induction of arylhydrocarbon (benzo...

A previous study of six polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners showed that PCBs with four or fewer chlorines and ortho substitution stimulate uterine contraction frequency in vitro, whereas congeners with a greater number of chlorines or non-ortho substitution are inactive in vitro. We tested the hypothesis that PCB mixtures stimulate uterine contractions in a manner inversely related to the ...

It is widely accepted that a congener-specific analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), rather than traditional Aroclor equivalent total PCB analysis, is required for risk assessment. This is based on the fact that environmental processes alter the original distribution of PCB congeners in Aroclors and that toxicity varies considerably among the congeners with dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) ge...

Certain former operations in capacitor manufacturing resulted in extensive direct contact of the workers with electrical grade polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). A study group of 194 such individuals, all exposed to Aroclor 1016 and many previously exposed to Aroclors 1242 and/or 1254, was examined before (1976) and after (1979) discontinuance of PCB use in the operations (1977). At the two exam...

Introduction A recent book by Hutzinger et al. (1) reviews the chemistry of chlorinated biphenyls through the end of 1973. This wide-ranging review also includes discussions of metabolism and determination of chlorinated biphenyls. The present report reviews areas of chlorobiphenyl and bromobiphenyl chemistry held to be pertinent to the Subcommittee's concern for possible health effects of thes...

Anaerobic microbial reductive dechlorination of PCBs is important because it removes the chlorine substituents that block aerobic metabolism and it reduces PCB toxicity. Although this process occurs widely in nature, its extent is often limited to dechlorination of some of the chlorines in the meta positions of biphenyl. In this report we demonstrate the ability to achieve nearly complete meta ...