| Pentachlorophenol and Hydroxylated Polychlorinated Biphenyl Metabolites in Umbilical Cord Plasma of Neonates from Coastal Populations in Québec Courtney D. Sandau,1 Pierre Ayotte,2 Éric Dewailly,2 Jason Duffe,3 and Ross J. Norstrom1,3 1Centre for Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; 2Unité de Recherche en Santé Publique, Centre de Recherche du CHUL-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec and Université Laval, Beauport, Québec, Canada; 3Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Research Centre, Hull, Québec, Canada Abstract
Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) , hydroxylated metabolites of PCBs (HO-PCBs) and octachlorostyrene (4-HO-HpCS) , and pentachlorophenol (PCP) were determined in umbilical cord plasma samples from three different regions of Québec. The regions studied included two coastal areas where exposure to PCBs is high because of marine-food-based diets--Nunavik (Inuit people) and the Lower North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence (subsistence fishermen) --and a southern Québec urban center where PCB exposure is at background levels (Québec City) . The main chlorinated phenolic compound in all regions was PCP. Concentrations of PCP were not significantly different among regions (geometric mean concentration 1,670 pg/g, range 628-7,680 pg/g wet weight in plasma) . The ratio of PCP to polychlorinated biphenyl congener number 153 (CB153) concentration ranged from 0.72 to 42.3. Sum HO-PCB ( HO-PCBs) concentrations were different among regions, with geometric mean concentrations of 553 (range 238-1,750) , 286 (103-788) , and 234 (147-464) pg/g wet weight plasma for the Lower North Shore, Nunavik, and the southern Québec groups, respectively. Lower North Shore samples also had the highest geometric mean concentration of sum PCBs (sum of 49 congeners ; PCBs) , 2,710 (525-7,720) pg/g wet weight plasma. PCB concentrations for Nunavik samples and southern samples were 1,510 (309-6,230) and 843 (290-1,650) pg/g wet weight plasma. Concentrations (log transformed) of HO-PCBs and PCBs were significantly correlated (r = 0.62, p < 0.001) , as were concentrations of all major individual HO-PCB congeners and individual PCB congeners. In Nunavik and Lower North Shore samples, free thyroxine (T4) concentrations (log transformed) were negatively correlated with the sum of quantitated chlorinated phenolic compounds (sum PCP and HO-PCBs ; r = -0.47, p = 0.01, n = 20) and were not correlated with any PCB congeners or PCBs. This suggests that PCP and HO-PCBs are possibly altering thyroid hormone status in newborns, which could lead to neurodevelopmental effects in infants. Further studies are needed to examine the effects of chlorinated phenolic compounds on thyroid hormone status in newborns. Key words: hydroxylated metabolites, pentachlorophenol, polychlorinated biphenyls, retinol, thyroxine, umbilical cord plasma. Environ Health Perspect 110:411-417 (2002) . [Online 12 March 2002] http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2002/110p411-417sandau/ abstract.html Address correspondence to C. Sandau, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Mail stop F17, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724 USA. Telephone: (770) 488-4299. Fax: (770) 488-4609. E-mail: csandau@cdc.gov The project was funded by the Canadian Chlorine Coordinating Committee (C4) and the Canadian Chemical Producers Association. Funding for cord blood studies was provided by Hydro-Québec, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (Northern Contaminants Program) , and Health Canada (St. Lawrence Vision 2000 Health Program) . Informed consent was obtained from all volunteers prior to their participation in this study. Received 16 May 2001 ; accepted 24 July 2001.
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