CHLORDANE ACCUMULATION IN PEOPLE

Human breast adipose tissues were examined for 13 components and metabolites of technical chlordane. The geometric mean concentrations of heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, and trans-nonachlor were 48, 88, and 120 ng/g of fat, respectively. These concentrations increased with the subject's age, but were not much different from 1970-1980 values. The nanochlors and the pentachlorocyclopentene chlordanes are the most highly retained compounds in people, when compared to their abundances in technical chlordane. Chlordane accumulation in people was compared to its accumulation in other mammals, in fishes, and in invertebrates by using a calculated parent/metabolite ratio. The sources of chlordane exposure were evaluated, and it was concluded that exposure to chlordane in indoor air was an important source of these components to the U.S. population.