Effects of PBBs on cattle. IV. Distribution and clearance of components of firemaster BP-6.

Sixty dairy animals were utilized in seven experiments to determine aspects of the distribution and clearance of FireMaster BP-6. Experimental protocols of various studies provided daily exposures from 0.25 to 25,000 mg, exposures for 1 to 202 days, and total study periods from 10 to 1100 days. Necropsy of 28 animals provided information on residue concentrations in 35 tissues, and the excretion in milk was determined in 15 animals. These studies showed that the major brominated biphenyls of this commercial mixture were absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and appeared in the blood plasma within 4 hr. With continued exposure to the residue plasma concentrations reached a steady state by 15 days. Free PBB was not detectable in urine. During PBB feeding feces was the major route of excretion, representing approximately 50% of the amount fed to animals not displaying signs of toxicosis. Following a withdrawal of PBB, fecal concentrations declined to 1 to 2% of concentrations during dosing, yet, feces remained the major excretory route in nonlactating animals. In contrast, in post-exposure lactating animals milk fat became an important excretory route removing three-times the quantity of residue cleared in feces. Following parturition, concentrations of PBB in milk fat declined approximately twofold in 6 days. Thereafter, the residue concentration in milk fat was approximately 0.4 that in depot fats. PBB had a predilection for lipid tissues with similar concentrations in various depot fats. Concentrations of the residue were notably low in tissues of the nervous system despite the high content of lipid material. Liver contained residue concentrations that were disproportionately high when compared to the lipid content of the organ. Calves born to PBB-exposed cows had similar distribution of residues in body tissues although concentrations were less than those of the dam.