Accidental exposure of children to polychlorinated biphenyls.

Children exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) while playing with parts of a capacitor had elevated serum concentrations of lower chlorinated PCBs, similar to Arochlor 1242. These levels declined over 11 months of followup to about half their initial values, from a mean of 12.9 to 6.3 ppb (parts per billion, ng/mL) among four children. In comparison, other persons in the same household and a reference group of persons seen in the same geographic area had serum levels of Aroclor 1242-like PCBs below the limit of detection (less than 5 ppb). All three groups--the children, household members, and geographic referents--also had higher chlorinated PCBs in their serum similar to Aroclor 1260 (HPCBs). HPCB concentrations were similar in these groups (approximately 2 ppb) and did not decline significantly.