This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by To-Figueras, J. Articles by Corbella, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by To-Figueras, J. Articles by Corbella, J. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Accumulation of hexachlorobenzene in humans: a long standing risk

Toxicology Unit, Universitat de Barcelona

C. Barrot

Toxicology Unit, Universitat de Barcelona

M. Rodamilans

Toxicology Unit, Universitat de Barcelona

J. Gómez-Catalán

Toxicology Unit, Universitat de Barcelona

M. Torra

Toxicology Unit, Universitat de Barcelona

M. Brunet

Toxicology Unit, Universitat de Barcelona

F. Sabater

Otology Unit, Hospital Clinic i Provincial, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Villarroel 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain

J. Corbella

Toxicology Unit, Universitat de Barcelona

1 Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) internal dose in the general population of Barcelona (Spain) was estimated after new indications of the carcinogenicity of this chemical in humans were recently reported. Hospital blood bank facilities and randomly selected volunteers were used for HCB analyses in serum (n=100) and cerumen (n=25). Other main organochlorine residues often found in human tissues and blood (pp'DDE, β-HCH,) were also determined.

2 HCB serum levels currently found (Range 0.7-19.7 ng ml^-1; X ± s.d.: 4.13 ± 3.61; GM: 3.05) were compared to those found in a similar survey made in 1986 on the same population. The serum HCB levels showed a sig nificant decrease (P<0.001) when compared to the for mer results and correlated with age (P<0.001) suggest ing a progressive preponderance of a stable blood-adi pose equilibrium with fewer variations due to recent and variable intake of the chemical.

3 Cerumen analyses revealed detectable concentrations of HCB in all samples (Range: 160-4790 ng g ^-1 in extractable lipid basis) and confirmed the suitability of this matrix to assess the body burden of residues accumulated in adipose and lipid-rich tissues. The set of results shows that, although HCB exposure has been reduced, the overall population under study still accumulates significant amounts of this possible car cinogen.

Key Words: hexachlorobenzene • organochlorines • serum • cerumen • accumulation.

Human & Experimental Toxicology, Vol. 14, No. 1, 20-23 (1995)
DOI: 10.1177/096032719501400105


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Herrero, D. Ozalla, M. Sala, R. Otero, M. Santiago-Silva, M. Lecha, J. To-Figueras, R. Deulofeu, J. M. Mascaro, J. Grimalt, et al. Urinary Porphyrin Excretion in a Human Population Highly Exposed to Hexachlorobenzene Arch Dermatol, April 1, 1999; 135(4): 400 - 404. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M L. Queiroz, C Bincoletto, R C. Perlingeiro, M R Quadros, and C A Souza Immunoglobulin levels in workers exposed to hexachlorobenzene Human and Experimental Toxicology, March 1, 1998; 17(3): 172 - 175. [Abstract] [PDF]