1. Restoration Advisory Board
Former NAS Moffett Field
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
(PCBs)
Patrick Wilson, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Senior Regional Toxicologist
U.S. EPA

2. THE DOSE MAKES THE
POISON
All Substances are Poisons.
There is None Which is Not a Poison.
The Right Dose Differentiates a Poison
and a Remedy
Paracelsus (1493-1541)

3. PCB PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
•Colorless
•Odorless
•Low vapor pressure
•Viscous liquid or solid
•Low electrical conductivity

4. PCBs CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
• Flame Retardant
• Lipophilic (mix easily with oil or fat)
• Very Stable

5. PCB Molecular Structure
meta ortho ortho meta
3' 2' 2 3
para 4' 4 para
5' 6' 6 5
meta ortho ortho meta
Structure of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Molecule

6. Fully-Chlorinated PCB Molecule
Cl Cl Cl Cl
Cl Cl
Cl Cl Cl Cl

7. Key Concepts
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): a mixture of
compounds containing the biphenyl structure with
varying numbers (i.e., one to ten) and arrangements of
chlorine atoms attached.
Aroclor: One of nine commercial PCB mixtures, with
varying levels of chlorination, formerly produced in the
United States. The percent of chlorine content varies
across the different Aroclors, depending on their
intended uses. Generally, samples of pure Aroclor
exhibit a distinct pattern of congener concentrations, but
transformations during routine use and/or weathering can
alter these patterns.

8. Key Concepts
Congener: One of the 209 possible PCB molecules, each
distinguished by the number and arrangement of chlorine
atoms. Commercially-produced PCB mixtures collectively
include about 175 congeners, some at concentrations so
low they are not detectable in environmental samples.
One hundred and ten of the 209 congeners typically
constitute 98 percent of PCB mass measured in samples.
Dioxin-Like Congener: One of 12 PCB congeners that
exhibits toxicity similar to that of dioxin as the result of
structural similarity to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
(2,3,7,8-TCDD). The 12 dioxin-like PCB congeners are:
77, 81, 105, 114, 118, 123, 126, 156, 157, 167, 169 and
189.

9. Key Concepts
Dioxins and Furans: Two families of chemicals related
by their similar physical and biological characteristics.
Several hundred different compounds exist among the
chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs) and the
chlorinated dibenzofurans (CDFs). The term “dioxin” is
often used to refer to the most toxic dioxin compound,
2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). CDDs and
CDFs are products of combustion created by
anthropogenic activities and natural processes.
Weathering: Physical, biological, or chemical processes
that can alter the chlorination pattern of a PCB molecule,
and thereby change the congener composition of
environmental mixtures of PCBs.

10. Why Were PCBs Banned??
• Persistent in the environment
• Bioaccumulation and bioconcentration
effects
• Found in virtually all human fat tissue
Humans 2300 ng/g (ppb)
Human Breast Milk 1200 ng/g (ppb)

11. Toxicities of Concern
• Cancer
• Non-cancer Toxicity
Kidney
Liver
Skin
Immune System
Nervous System
DevelopmentalReproductive System

12. What Are the Acute Health Effects of
PCBs?
Chloracne (reversible)
Irritation of eyes,
face & skin

13. What Are the Chronic Health Effects of
PCBs?

14. EPA Risk Assessment Guidelines for
Carcinogens
Group A - Human Carcinogens
Group B - Probable Human Carcinogen
Group C - Possible Human Carcinogen
Group D - Not Classifiable
Group E - Negative Evidence

15. POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE

16. Superfund Sites With PCB Contamination

17. National PCB Fish Advisories

18. Bioaccumulation/Biomagnification

19. Mean Concentration of PCBs in Human
Breast Milk

20. Serum PCB Concentrations

21. Serum PCB Concentrations

22. PCB Half Lives

24. How Are PCBs and Dioxins Related?
•Chemical structural similarity
•Dioxin-like PCBs pr Coplanar PCBs (CPCBs) are similar dioxins
•Preliminary test data indicate correlation between chemical
structure and toxicity
•Products of Incomplete Combustion (PICs) of PCBs
•Dioxins
•Dioxin-like chlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
•Presence of dioxins or dioxin-like chlorinated PAHs results in risk
regardless of route of formation

25. PCB Congeners Toxicity
Exhibit A-2
TOXIC EQUIVALENCY FACTORS (TEFs) FOR THE DIOXIN
-LIKE PCBS
Humans/
1 2 2
Congener Mammals Fish Birds
77 0.0001 0.0001 0.05
81 0.0003 0.0005 0.1
105 0.00003 <0.000005 0.0001
114 0.00003 <0.000005 0.0001
118 0.00003 <0.000005 0.00001
123 0.00003 <0.000005 0.00001
126 0.1 0.005 0.1
156 0.00003 <0.000005 0.0001
157 0.00003 <0.000005 0.0001
167 0.00003 <0.000005 0.00001
169 0.03 0.00005 0.001
189 0.00003 <0.000005 0.00001
1
.
WHO TEFs for humans and mammals were updated in 2005 (Van den Berg, et al., 2006)
2
WHO TEFs for fish and birds were published most r cently in Van den Berg, et al. (1998).
e

26. Intelligence is about making decisions
based upon imperfect knowledge and
among partially good choices.
Douglas R. Hofstadter
Pulitzer Prize Winner