Comparison of Levels of PCDD/Fs and non-Ortho PCBs in PCB 153 from seven different suppliers

• Twelve PCBs with dioxin-like (DL) properties have been carefully studied through the years to facilitate risk assessment and they have been assigned WHO-TEF values [1] based on their relative toxicity and endocrine effects compared to 2,3,7,8-TCDD. From a toxicological point of view, the non-dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs) are less characterized but usually account for more than 90% of the total mass of PCBs in food samples [2]. Furthermore, over 90% of the NDL-PCB exposure in the general population is via food and the average daily intake can be estimated to be 10-45 ng/kg (bw)/day according to the European Food Safety Authority EFSA [3]. The EFSA committee concluded that a proper risk assessment of this abundant and environmentally significant class of compounds could not be accomplished. In 2006, the European Commission initiated a project which has as its aim to better examine the toxicity of NDL-PCBs: ATHON- "Assessing the toxicity and hazard of nondioxin-like PCBs present in food". The ATHON project will perform all in vivo and in vitro studies with ultra pure PCBs with known levels of DL-PCBs, PCDD/Fs and total TEQ-levels. As a first step in this study the major suppliers of PCB 153 were identified and the aim of the research was to investigate if there were any clear differences in the quality of their products based on possible impurities of PCDD/Fs and non-ortho PCBs. PCB 153 was selected because of its relatively high presence in environmental compartments and biota and since it has been the most frequently studied NDL-PCB in a few major in vivo studies [2]. Impurities of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs, even at trace levels, in PCB 153 may make a significant contribution to the effects seen in in vivo studies as the highest concentrations being studied are at mg/g (bw)/day during a period of time. These high daily exposure levels in combination with possible accumulation of toxic impurities may by time pose a threat to the significance of observed effects. Within the ATHON project all NDL-PCBs used for both in vitro and in vivo tests are analyzed and in many cases purified to remove possible traces of PCDD/Fs and non-ortho PCBs.

Nyckelord

ATHON

NDL-PCBs

PCDD/Fs

PCB 153

Impurities

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