Elena Raffetti1, Fabrizio Speziani2, Francesco Donato3, Lucia Leonardi2, Grazia Orizio2, Carmelo Scarcella2, Pietro Apostoli4, Michele Magoni2. 1. Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties Radiological Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Epidemiology, Hygiene and Public Health, University of Brescia, Italy. Electronic address: elena.raffetti@gmail.com. 2. ATS Brescia (Brescia Health Protection Agency), Italy. 3. Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties Radiological Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Epidemiology, Hygiene and Public Health, University of Brescia, Italy. 4. Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties Radiological Sciences and Public Health, Institute of Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene, University of Brescia, Italy.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: A chemical factory located in Brescia, an industrialized town in North Italy, produced polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) since the 1930s to the 1980s, determining a relevant pollution of soil, food and people. Since 2001, following a survey carried out in the general population living in the town, the individuals with PCB serum levels higher than the reference entered a follow-up study. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study including subjects with at least three PCB measures during the period 2003-2015. We evaluated the temporal trends of total PCB serum levels, the most common PCB congeners (PCB 138,153, 170, 180, 194 and 209), and toxic equivalency of dioxin-like PCBs using univariate and multivariate mixed models with and without a cubic-spline term for time. RESULTS: A total of 128 subjects were enrolled (46.1% males, mean age at enrolment 57.7 years). The geometric mean of PCBs decreased from 35.4ng/ml at 0-3 years to 29.3ng/ml at 4-8 years and to 23.0ng/ml at 9-12 years. A 3.8% reduction of total PCB serum levels per year was estimated using both univariate and multivariate mixed models adjusted for age; a similar reduction was found for the most common PCB congeners and for toxic equivalency. Total PCB serum levels decreased over time for each age group: -3.9%, -4.0% and -3.4% for subjects aged ≤55 years, 56-65 and ≥66 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: A significant decrease of serum concentrations of PCBs was observed in subjects with high serum levels of these chemicals at enrolment over a twelve year period. The decrease was evident for each PCB congener and age group.
INTRODUCTION: A chemical factory located in Brescia, an industrialized town in North Italy, produced polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) since the 1930s to the 1980s, determining a relevant pollution of soil, food and people. Since 2001, following a survey carried out in the general population living in the town, the individuals with PCB serum levels higher than the reference entered a follow-up study. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study including subjects with at least three PCB measures during the period 2003-2015. We evaluated the temporal trends of total PCB serum levels, the most common PCB congeners (PCB 138,153, 170, 180, 194 and 209), and toxic equivalency of dioxin-like PCBs using univariate and multivariate mixed models with and without a cubic-spline term for time. RESULTS: A total of 128 subjects were enrolled (46.1% males, mean age at enrolment 57.7 years). The geometric mean of PCBs decreased from 35.4ng/ml at 0-3 years to 29.3ng/ml at 4-8 years and to 23.0ng/ml at 9-12 years. A 3.8% reduction of total PCB serum levels per year was estimated using both univariate and multivariate mixed models adjusted for age; a similar reduction was found for the most common PCB congeners and for toxic equivalency. Total PCB serum levels decreased over time for each age group: -3.9%, -4.0% and -3.4% for subjects aged ≤55 years, 56-65 and ≥66 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: A significant decrease of serum concentrations of PCBs was observed in subjects with high serum levels of these chemicals at enrolment over a twelve year period. The decrease was evident for each PCB congener and age group.
Authors: Che-Jung Chang; Metrecia L Terrell; Michele Marcus; M Elizabeth Marder; Parinya Panuwet; P Barry Ryan; Melanie Pearson; Hillary Barton; Dana Boyd Barr Journal: Environ Int Date: 2020-02-18 Impact factor: 9.621
Authors: Akifumi Eguchi; Kenichi Sakurai; Midori Yamamoto; Masahiro Watanabe; Aya Hisada; Tomoko Takahashi; Emiko Todaka; Chisato Mori Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-01-08 Impact factor: 3.390