Estimates of the Biologic Half-Life of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Human Serum

Abstract

A longitudinal study (1977-1984) of people exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) demonstrated a gradual decrease in body burdens of the more highly chlorinated PCB's and a more rapid decrease of the less chlorinated PCB congeners over the study period. On the basis of the study data, the half-lives of the less highly and the more highly chlorinated PCB congeners (Aroclors 1242 and 1260, respectively) in human serum were estimated to be 6-7 and 33-34 months, respectively. Tabular data are presented and discussed.(wz)