Polychlorinated naphthalenes and other organochlorine contaminants in human adipose and liver tissue

Chlorinated naphthalenes (CNs) and chlorinated biphenyls (CBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and p,p'-DDE were determined in human adipose and liver tissues collected at autopsy of 5 men and 2 women (Swedish), 47-80 yr of age. In paired adipose tissue and liver samples, the differences of the distribution of CNs, CBs, HCB, and p,p'-DDE were small, but the concentrations of the compounds (lipid weight basis) varied between the subjects. Generally, the profiles of the contaminants were similar in the subjects. However, in one of the male subjects (80 yr of age) the concentrations of 1,2,3,5,7/1,2,4,6,7-pentaCN and 1,2,3,4,6,7/1,2,3,5,6,7-hexaCN were much higher in the liver: 6 and 20 times higher than in adipose tissue, respectively. The concentration of the toxic coplanar 3,3',4,4',5-pentaCB (CB-126) was also high in the liver from this individual, three times higher concentration than in adipose tissue. It is suggested that the multiplicity of contaminants found in humans should be taken into consideration in risk assessment and that further studies are needed on the distribution of contaminants in different tissues.