The relationship between
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (
PCBs), and
Polychlorinated Quaterphenyls (PCQs) concentrations in the skin surface
lipids and blood was investigated in twenty two patients with PCB
poisoning (Yusho) and 9 control subjects were analyzed. The collection of skin surface
lipids was performed by the method of cotton pad with 70%
ethyl alcohol. The alkaline decomposition method described as "the official standard analytical methods for the isolation of
PCBs and PCQs fractions" was used. In the blood of control group, the mean value of
PCBs concentration was 1.8 ng/g, and that of PCQs concentration was very low and undetectable by our analytical method. On the other hand, the
PCBs concentration in the Yusho group was three times higher than those in the control group. The mean value of PCQs concentration was 1.90 ng/g in Yusho group, while it was not detectable in the control group. In the skin surface
lipids of patients with Yusho, the mean value of
PCBs concentration was 668.6 ng/g, but was 256.7 ng/g in the control group. The mean value of PCQs concentration in the skin surface
lipids of Yusho patients was 35.4 ng/g, although it was not detected in the control group. These values of the skin surface
lipids in 1993 were decreased as compared with those in 1992.
PCBs and PCQs levels in the skin surface
lipids were higher than those in the blood. These findings suggests that cutaneous sebaceous system is one of the excretory systems of polyhalogenated chemicals, such as
PCBs or PCQs, when these chemicals are precipitated in human or mammalian.