Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), Arochlors (1254/1260)
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), Arochlors (1254/1260) | | | |
| Number | | 084616 |
| CPT | | 82441 |
| Synonyms | | PCB Exposure Profile, Plasma ; Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) Profile, Plasma (1254/1260) |
| Test Includes | | Arochlors 1254 and 1260 |
| Specimen | | Serum or plasma |
| Volume | | 5 mL |
| Minimum Volume | | 2.1 mL |
| Container | | Red-top tube or green-top (heparin) tube |
| Storage Instructions | | Maintain specimen at room temperature. |
| Causes for Rejection | | Gray-top (sodium fluoride/potassium oxalate) tube |
| Reference Interval | | Environmental exposure: <20 μg/L |
| Methodology | | Gas chromatography (GC) |
| Additional Information | | PCB exposure is typically manifested by dermatological effects (eg, skin irritation, acne) and neurologic effects, such as headache, nervousness, fatigue, and dizziness.1 Clinical manifestations usually appear at PCB levels >50 μg/L. Until 1977, PCBs were produced for use as coolant and insulator fluids for transformers and capacitors. PCBs also functioned as heat transfer fluids and as flame retardants for wood products. In addition, PCBs could be found in inks, adhesives, and in certain plasticizers. First discovered as environmental pollutants in 1966, PCBs have been found throughout the world in water, sediments, bird tissue, and fish tissue.2 A recent study3 of farmed salmon found that although the risk/benefit computation is complicated, consumption of farmed Atlantic salmon may pose risks that detract from the beneficial effects of fish consumption. |
| Footnotes | | - Baselt RC, Biological Monitoring Methods for Industrial Chemicals, 2nd ed, Littleton, MA: PSG Publishing Co, 1988.
- Manahan S, Environmental Chemistry, 7th ed, Boca Raton, FL: Lewis Publishers, 2000.
- Hites RA, Foran JA, Carpenter DO, et al, “Global Assessment of Organic Contaminants in Farmed Salmon,” Science, 2004, 303(5655):226-9
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