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The release of PCBs from sealant material in public buildings and the resulting indoor air levels have raised a great public debate in Germany about possible health effects connected with this exposure. In a public building in Aachen, Germany, ambient monitoring of PCBs has revealed a contamination, particularly with the more volatile lower chlorinated PCB 28, PCB 52 and PCB 101. The median PCB concentration for indoor air was 1740 ng/m3 (Sum of PCB x 5).This gave reason for a large biological monitoring study in order to examine the internal exposure to PCBs in persons working in that building.
Methods
We draw blood samples from 209 persons (133 m, 76 f, median age: 35 years) employed in the PCB-contaminated building and 98 persons (50 m, 48 f, median age: 42 years) working in non-contaminated buildings. Plasma samples were analysed for the six indicator PCBs (PCB 28, 52, 101, 138, 153, 180) and 12 dioxin-like PCBs using GC/MS (LOD: 0.01 ug/L).
Results
Significant differences between both collectives were only found for the plasma levels of the lower chlorinated PCB 28, PCB 52 and PCB 101 and for the dioxin-like congeners PCB 105 and PCB 118. In contrast, the values obtained for the higher chlorinated PCBs (PCB 138, 153, 180) and all other dioxin-like congeners investigated were within the normal range of the general population.
Discussion
Our biomonitoring investigation revealed considerable internal exposures to these lower chlorinated PCBs (up to 0.88 ug/L PCB 28) in the employees working in that building. There was no relationship between indoor air measurements and internal exposure of the employees in the office, but estimated cumulative time of exposure was a significant predictor of plasma levels of PCB 28. Thus, our results stress the need for a biomonitoring within risk management of indoor exposures to PCBs.