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New Trends in Allergy IV pp 109–118Cite as

Immunotoxicity of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Related Compounds

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Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) are hydrocarbons containing two ring structures that can be substituted with a varying number of chlorine atoms, altogether comprising 419 different congeners (Fig. 1). PCBs have been produced commercially in large quantities: the total production has been estimated on 1.5 million metric tons worldwide. Due to their thermal stability and high heat capacity, the major application of PCBs was as insulating and cooling material in transformers and capacitors. Although the current use is restricted to closed systems, release of PCBs in the environment has not fully ceased yet as disposal by thermal destruction is not fully controlled (De Voogt and Brinkman 1989). PCDFs and PCDDs have, in contrast to PCBs, not been produced as commercial products, but are formed as unwanted products during the synthesis of industrial chemicals (e. g. the formation of PCDFs and PCDDs during the synthesis of PCBs and chlorophenols, respectively). PCCDS and PCDFs are also formed during

Possible congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (Top), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (middle), and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (bottom)

combustion processes, such as municipal waste incinerators and car engines (Rappe and Buser 1989). As a result of the large scale production processes and the resistance towards chemical oxidations and hydrolysis, PCBs, PCDFs and PCDDs have become widely spread into the global environment. Moreover, the higher chlorinated PCBs and the 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDFs and PCDDs withstand biodegradation. In combination with the high lipophilicity this leads to effective transport in the foodchain with accumulation at higher trophic levels

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Authors
  1. J. G. Vos
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  2. C. De Heer
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  3. R. L. De Swart
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  4. P. S. Ross
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  5. H. Van Loveren
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik and Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie am Biederstein, Technische Universität München, Biedersteiner Str. 29, 80802, München, Germany

    Johannes Ring

  2. Abt. Experimentelle Dermatologie und Allergologie, Universitäts-Krankenhaus Eppendorf, Martinistraße 53, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Heidrun Behrendt

  3. Hautklinik/Allergieabteilung, Universitäts-Krankenhaus Eppendorf, Martinistraße 53, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Dieter Vieluf

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© 1997 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Vos, J.G., De Heer, C., De Swart, R.L., Ross, P.S., Van Loveren, H. (1997). Immunotoxicity of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Related Compounds. In: Ring, J., Behrendt, H., Vieluf, D. (eds) New Trends in Allergy IV. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60419-5_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60419-5_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64398-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-60419-5

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