The concentrations of chlorinated biphenyls (CBs), 1, 1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethene (DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and the methylsulfonyl metabolites of CBs (MeSO(2)-CBs) and DDE (MeSO(2)-DDE) were determined in human plasma samples and in the fractions obtained by ultracentrifugation of plasma into very-low-density (VLDL), low-density (LDL), high-density (HDL) lipoprotein and lipoprotein depleted (LPDP) fractions (containing primarily albumin). The concentrations of triacylglycerols, cholesterol, phospholipids, and apolipoprotein B (apoB) were determined. The organochlorine compounds were associated with all fractions, but predominantly with the LPDP fraction. On an average 44% of CBs, 61% of MeSO(2)-CBs, 73% of DDE, 77% of MeSO(2)-DDE, and 45% of HCB were distributed in the LPDP fraction. A tendency to greater association of 3-methylsulfonyl substituted than of corresponding 4-methylsulfonyl substituted chlorobiphenyls to the LPDP fraction was noticed. Among the lipoprotein fractions, LDL was the main carrier of HCB, DDE and CBs. MeSO(2)-DDE was predominantly found in HDL and MeSO(2)-CBs were distributed equally among the LDL and HDL fractions. Calculating the concentrations of organochlorine compounds in relation to the content of apoB, the levels were about 10 times higher in VLDL than in LDL.

Methylsulfonyl metabolites of chlorinated biphenyls (MeSO2-CBs) and p,p'-DDE (MeSO2-DDEs) were determined in human adipose and liver tissues obtained at autopsy of seven Swedish individuals 47-80 years of age. Twenty MeSO2-CBs and two MeSO2-DDEs were found in the analyzed samples. In adipose tissue, most of the 4-MeSO2-CBs were found at higher concentrations than the corresponding 3-MeSO2-CBs and, in all samples of adipose tissue, 4-MeSO2-2,2',3',4',5-pentaCB (4-87) and 4-MeSO2-2,2',3,4',5',6-hexaCB (4-149) occurred at higher concentrations than other MeSO2-CBs. In the liver, 3-MeSO2-2,2',3',4',5,6-hexaCB (3-132) was by far the most abundant MeSO2-CB, contributing to 61-82% of the sum of MeSO2-CBs. In this tissue, most of the other 3-MeSO2-CBs were also found at higher concentrations than the corresponding 4-MeSO2-CBs. The ratios of the sum of MeSO2-CBs to the sum of determined chlorinated biphenyls (CBs) were 1/250 and 1/28 in adipose tissue and the liver, respectively, calculated from the median values. The concentration of 2-MeSO2-DDE was lower than that of 3-MeSO2-DDE in both adipose tissue and liver, except in the liver from one of the individuals. The concentration ratios of 2-MeSO2-DDE to 3-MeSO2-DDE were about 10 times higher in liver than in adipose tissue. The ratios of the sum of MeSO2-DDEs to p,p'-DDE were 1/455 and 1/61 in adipose tissue and liver, respectively, calculated from the median values. MeSO2-CBs and MeSO2-DDEs were also determined in lung tissue from one of the individuals. In this sample, the profiles of MeSO2-CBs and MeSO2-DDEs were similar to the profiles of these compounds in adipose tissue.ImagesFigure 1.Figure 2.Figure 3.

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