Fish present some of the greatest concerns from the standpoint of biomagnification and bioaccumulation. They are not only contaminated with PCBs and various heavy metals such as mercury, but also with petroleum hydrocarbons and halogenated organic compounds. In a prominent medical textbook on environmental medical issues, Dr. Kenneth Rosenman of Michigan State University stated, The major ongoing source of PCB exposure for the general population is the consumption of fish. Along with concerns about causing cancer, there is preliminary evidence linking both PCBs and dioxins with elevated blood cholesterol and triglycerides. Other data indicate that PCBs may affect male sperm counts and fertility. Research suggesting that these contaminants can harm the developing fetus has increased the stakes in the PCB issue even further. Dr. Theo Colborn has pointed out that the research literature suggests that PCB present in the womb can affect the developing nervous system of the embryo, fetus, and newborn. Recently, the New England Journal of Medicine grabbed headlines when Drs. Joseph and Sandra Jacobsen further determined the developmental risks of PCB exposure. At 11 years of age, children with higher exposures to PCBs before birth showed impaired intellectual development. Although the children were not retarded, those with the highest PCB exposures were three times more likely to have low IQs and twice as likely to be at least two years behind in their reading comprehension.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 10:52:13 +0000
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