Gene expression signatures in PCB-exposed Slovak children in relation to their environmental exposures and socio-physical characteristics

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Our previous gene expression studies in a PCB-exposed cohort of young children in Slovakia revealed that early-life exposures to PCBs and other...     

Half-lives of serum PCB congener concentrations in environmentally exposed early adolescents

The aim was to determine half-life of six most abundant PCB congeners in the body of early adolescents. In 304 environmentally exposed children, PCB serum concentration was determined at the age of 8 and 12 years. Half-life was determined for each child assuming exponential decrease or for the whole cohort using multiple regression. Results obtained by both approaches were in agreement. PCB reuptakes corrupting half-life estimates for each child and each congener were evaluated. If one of the serum PCB concentration values fell below the level of detection (LOD) the pair was excluded and if PCB half-life value exceeded the arbitrary value of 30 years. The following median half-lives in years 4.46, 10.59, 9.7, 4.7, 9.1 and 9.8 were obtained for PCB congeners 118, 138⁺¹⁶³, 153, 156⁺¹⁷¹, 170 and 180, respectively. The elimination half-life values were not systematically related to PCB serum concentration at any examination age. Between half-life values, percentage of children with significant reuptakes and PCB congener abundance in serum were found significant associations.     

PCDD/PCDF, dl-PCB and PBDE serum levels of Slovak general population

Blood serum specimens from 81 non-occupationally exposed adults residing in four areas close to municipal and waste incinerators as well as metallurgical industry plant and 44 adult subjects coming from control area of Slovakia were analysed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) and polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs). The concentration of total WHO(98)TEQ PCDD/F/dl-PCBs in whole group of donors from areas where known sources causing dioxin contamination are present was significantly higher than in control group of donors (p<0.001). Correlation between the age of donors and PCDD/F and dl-PCB levels was confirmed (Spearman's r(PCDD/Fs)=0.543, r(dl-PCBs)=0.521, p<0.001). Furthermore, this study presents first results concerning the PBDE congeners in human serum of Slovak general population. The total concentration (congeners 28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183) in control group was approximately 1.5-times higher in comparison to that of residents coming from areas with supposed environmental pollution. The most abundant congeners in all samples were BDE-47 and BDE-153 with median values of 0.24 ng g(-1) lipid and 0.23ngg(-1) lipid, respectively. The positive association between PBDE values and age of donors was not found.