Polybrominated biphenyl exposures

Henck JW, Rech RH. 1986. Effect of perinatal polybrominated biphenyl exposure on acquisition and perfomiance of an autoshaping paradigm. Neurotoxicology 7(2) 651-664. 

Sherman JD. 1991. Polybrominated biphenyl exposure and human cancer Report of a case and public health implications. Toxicol Ind Health 7(3) 197-205. 

This public health statement tells you about polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated dephenyl ethers (PBDEs) and the effects of exposure. 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. No studies were located regarding death in humans after inhalation exposure to PBBs. 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. Twenty-five workers at a PBB-manufacturing plant (exposure duration and levels not reported) displayed mean scores on tests of memory and learning that were typical for people of their age, and educational, occupational, and cultural backgrounds, even though they had an elevated mean PBB concentration in adipose tissue (9.33 ppm) (Brown et al. 1981). Workers with the highest concentrations of PBBs in adipose tissue showed no evidence of memory dysfunction in these tests. 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. Eleven workers in a PBB manufacturing company (exposure duration and levels not reported) displayed no differences in the distribution of sperm counts, motility, or sperm morphology compared with a control group of 52 nonexposed men (Rosenman et al. 1979). PBBs were detected in the serum of all exposed subjects and in only one nonexposed subject, but no mean or individual serum PBB values were reported. 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. Results from several studies of humans exposed to PBBs do not demonstrate, in general, a conclusive association between adverse effects on the liver and oral exposure to PBBs. In a study in which serum was collected in 1974, 1977, 1978, and 1979 from 89, 240, 220, and 200 individuals, respectively, who were predominately residents of quarantined Michigan farms, no consistent statistically significant correlations were found betw een serum PBB levels and levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) or serum bilirubin (Kreiss et al. 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. No statistically significant correlations were found between serum PBB levels and serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) or creatinine in a study of residents of quarantined Michigan farms after the 1973 PBB contamination episode (Kreiss et al. 1982). No other studies were located with information pertinent to renal effects in humans after oral exposure to PBBs. 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. No epidemiological studies were located that provided evidence for an association between exposure to PBBs and the occurrence of cancer in humans, although one case report is available concerning gastrointestinal cancer in a Michigan dairy farmer with known exposure to PBBs and other chemicals. 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. No reports of death in humans after dennal exposure to PBBs were located in the available literature. 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. Hypothyroidism was diagnosed in 4 of 35 men who were occupationally exposed to unspecified PBBs and/or decaBDE (Bahn et al. 1980). The cohort consisted of workers (mean age 35.9 years) who had been employed at a production plant for at least 6 weeks during a 52-month period during which PBBs and decaBDE were the only chemicals manufactured and who had volunteered for a comprehensive medical evaluation performed 3 months after the end of the 52-month period. There was no further description of exposure, and it was assumed to have occurred by both inhalation and dermal routes. As detailed in Section 3.2.1.2, the results of this study suggest that occupational exposure to PBBs, decaBDE, and/or bromine affected the thyroid, but the mixed chemical exposure and a lack of data on serum or tissue levels of the chemicals preclude attributing effects solely to any particular congener or mixture of congeners. 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. As discussed in Section 3.2.1.2, results from a medical history survey study of workers in a PBB manufacturing plant and a nonexposed group of Wisconsin farm residents indicated an association between occupational exposure to PBBs and the occurrence of acne (Chanda et al. 1982). 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. No studies were located regarding absorption of PBBs in humans after inhalation exposure. However, absorption of PBBs by inhalation (and by dermal contact) in humans can be inferred by the relatively high levels of PBB residues detected in adipose tissue and serum of workers involved in PBB manufacturing (Brown et al. 1981 Landrigan et al. 1979 Stross et al. 1981). 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. In general, the distribution pattern of PBBs after parenteral administration is similar to that obtained after oral exposure. In rats, immediately after intravenous injection of C-2,2, 4,4, 5,5 -hexabromobiphenyl adipose, skin, muscle, liver, and blood contained 29, 20, 40, 10, and... 

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