[Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in human adipose tissue]

This study describes the contamination of human adipose tissue with six selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) known as "indicator congeners", with PCB no. 49 and the mixed inducer PCB nos. 156, 170, and 189. The low chlorinated biphenyls nos. 28, 49, and 52 could not be found in the tissue samples, while the average concentration of PCB no. 101 was 9.0 micrograms/kg. The content of PCB nos. 138, 153, and 180 was slightly below the values published by the "Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft" (DFG). The mixed inducer nos. 138, 156, 170, and 180 amounted to approximately 40% of all the PCBs measured. The PCB contamination was positively correlated with age: for the age group 61-70 years, with the exception of PCB no. 101, a distinct increase in the concentrations could be observed.