"Estimation of Half-Lives of 2,3,7,8-Chlorine Substituted Dioxins and Furans, and Dioxin-Like PCBs in Humans" 

Oki Hashimoto¹, Satoshi Nakai¹, Kikuo Yoshida¹, Junko Nakanishi²

¹Yokohama National University
²National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Organohalogen Compounds, Vol.52 pp.330-333 (2001)

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Abstract

The health effects of dioxins are a public concern. Dioxin toxicity in animals is severe, and their half-lives are long. Investigation of health effects and risk evaluation are important for the health risk management of dioxins. Important factors for risk evaluation are the body burdens of dioxins and the strength of toxicity. Body burdens are calculated from longitudinal exposure levels and half-lives of dioxins. 

The half-lives of only a few congeners are known. However, the contribution of 2,3,7,8-TCDD for total TEQ is not so large among Japanese, while that of coplanar PCBs (Co-PCBs) is more than 50%. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the health effects and risks of many congeners other than 2,3,7,8-TCDD which have toxicity (TEF>0). In this study, the half-life of several dioxin congeners in humans was estimated using a single compartment model for a health risk study. 

Keywords

half-lives, 2,3,7,8-TCDD, Co-PCBs, Body burdens