Assessing the Cancer Risk from Environmental PCBs

Overview

Journal Environ Health Perspect

Date 1998 Jun 10

PMID 9618347

Citations 18

Authors

V J Cogliano

Affiliations

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Abstract

A new approach to assessing the cancer risk from environmental polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) considers both toxicity and environmental processes to make distinctions among environmental mixtures. New toxicity information from a 1996 cancer study of four commercial mixtures strengthens the case that all PCB mixtures can cause cancer, although different mixtures have different potencies. Environmental processes alter PCB mixtures through partitioning, chemical transformation, and preferential bioaccumulation; these processes can increase or decrease toxicity considerably. Bioaccumulated PCBs are of greatest concern because they appear to be more toxic than commercial PCBs and more persistent in the body. The new approach uses toxicity studies of commercial mixtures to develop a range of cancer potency estimates and then considers the effect of environmental processes to choose appropriate values for representative classes of environmental mixtures. Guidance is given for assessing risks from different exposure pathways, less-than-lifetime and early-life exposures, and mixtures containing dioxinlike compounds.

Citing Articles

Research Recommendations for Selected IARC-Classified Agents: Impact and Lessons Learned.

Turner M, Cogliano V, Guyton K, Madia F, Straif K, Ward E Environ Health Perspect. 2023; 131(10):105001.

PMID: 37902675 PMC: 10615125. DOI: 10.1289/EHP12547.

The mechanism for enhanced oxidation degradation of dioxin-like PCBs (PCB-77) in the atmosphere by the solvation effect.

Xin M, Yang J, Li Y Chem Cent J. 2017; 11(1):61.

PMID: 29086899 PMC: 5503851. DOI: 10.1186/s13065-017-0291-3.

Sentinel California sea lions provide insight into legacy organochlorine exposure trends and their association with cancer and infectious disease.

Randhawa N, Gulland F, Ylitalo G, DeLong R, Mazet J One Health. 2017; 1:37-43.

PMID: 28616463 PMC: 5441319. DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2015.08.003.

PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs co-occurrence in TiO2 nanoparticles.

Ctistis G, Schon P, Bakker W, Luthe G Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2015; 23(5):4837-43.

PMID: 26545886 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-5628-7.

Biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by the novel identified cyanobacterium Anabaena PD-1.

Zhang H, Jiang X, Lu L, Xiao W PLoS One. 2015; 10(7):e0131450.

PMID: 26177203 PMC: 4503305. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131450.

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