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Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs)

Toxic Substance

    What are Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs) ?

    CAS#:067774-32-7

    Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) are manufactured chemicals. They are added to the plastics used to make products like computer monitors, televisions, textiles, plastic foams, etc. to make them difficult to burn. PBBs can leave these plastics and find their way into the environment. PBBs are usually colorless to off-white solids. PBBs are mixtures of brominated biphenyl compounds known as congeners.

    In the United States, manufacturing of PBBs was stopped in 1976. PBBs are still around in the environment because they do not degrade easily or quickly.

    Related Resources for Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs)

    • CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substance
      Prioritization of substances based on a combination of their frequency, toxicity, and potential for human exposure at National Priorities List (NPL) sites.
    • Minimal Risk Levels (MRL)
      The MRL is an estimate of the daily human exposure to a hazardous substance that is likely to be without appreciable risk of adverse, non-cancer health effects over a specified duration of exposure. The information in this MRL serves as a screening tool to help public health professionals decide where to look more closely to evaluate possible risk of adverse health effects from human exposure.
    • Public Health Statement
      Summary about a hazardous substance taken from Chapter One of its respective ATSDR Toxicological Profile.
    • ToxFAQ
      Fact sheet that answers the most frequently asked questions about a contaminant and its health effects.
    • Toxicological Profile
      Succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for a hazardous substance.
This page was updated on 09/22/2008