Concentrations of PCBs and Persistent Pesticides
Date of SC final approval
About the Measure
Domain:
Pregnancy
Measure:
Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Persistent Pesticides
Definition:
Collect and analyze a blood sample to determine the concentrations of several
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and persistent pesticides.
Purpose:
This biomarker determines the levels of PCBs and persistent pesticides in the subject’s
blood. Prenatal exposure PCBs may lead to poor cognitive function and attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Prenatal exposures to persistent pesticides
(e.g., DDT) may have adverse neurodevelopmental effects on children. PCB and
persistent pesticide exposures are harmful to people of all ages and this biomarker
may be used to measure exposures in children, adolescents and adults.
Essential PhenX
Measures:
Current age, pregnancy status, gestational age
Related PhenX
Measures:
Complete blood count
Keywords:
PCBs, Hexachlorobenzene, Beta-hexachlorohexane, Gamma-hexachlorohexane,
Aldrin, Heptachlor epoxide, Oxychlordane, Trans-nonachlor, p,p'-DDE, Dieldrin,
Endrin, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDT, Mirex
Measure Release
Date:
About the Protocol
Protocol Release Date:
PhenX Protocol Name:
Serum PCBs and Persistent Pesticides
Protocol Name from
Source:
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 MEC
Laboratory Procedures Manual
Description:
Blood is collected from the subject in a pre-screened 3 ml red top tube, and not
inverted or mixed and kept upright on a tube rack for 20-30 minutes to allow to
coagulate. Centrifuge the red-top tubes for 10 minutes, transfer to Wheaton
Bottle and cap. Place serum samples in a -20 NC freezer and store until
shipment.
Analyses is by high-resolution gas chromatography/isotope-dilution high-
Concentrations of PCBs and Persistent Pesticides
Date of SC final approval
resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/ID-HRMS). This device measures
concentrations of PCBs and persistent pesticides in serum.
Specific Instructions:
Follow the venipuncture procedures closely. Collect this blood sample first in a
red top tube.
Standard venipuncture procedures may be used for children aged 1 and older.
Protocol:
Administer the following questions prior to blood collection.
1. Do you have hemophilia or any bleeding disorder?
• Record the participant’s response of “Yes”, “No”, “Don’t know”, or
“Refused”.
• If the participant answers “Yes” or “Don’t know,” or refuses to answer,
blood will not be collected.
2. Have you had cancer chemotherapy within the past 4 weeks?
• Record the participant’s response of “Yes”, “No”, “Don’t know”, or
“Refused”.
• If the participant answers “Yes” or “Don’t know,” or refuses to answer,
blood will not be collected.
The entire standard operating procedure that includes the questions,
venipuncture supplies, and venipuncture procedure appears here.
Follow a standard venipuncture protocol but red top vacutainer tube must be
collected first. Draw the blood with a stainless steel needle and use a prescreened vacutainer tube.
The optimal amount of blood in red top tube is 1 to 10 ml. For collection,
loosen the tourniquet immediately after blood flow is established and release
entirely as the last tube fills. Completely fill all the Vacutainer tubes and then
withdraw the needle with a slow but firm motion. Red-top tubes should not be
inverted or mixed. Label all tubes. Place the red-top tubes upright in a rack and
allow them to clot at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Centrifuge the redtop tubes for 10 minutes at the RPM necessary to attain a force of 1000 x g.
Using a transfer pipette, pipette the serum from each participant's red-top tubes
into the Wheaton Bottle and cap. Check to make sure that the numbers on the
labels are the same. DO NOT ALLOW SERUM TO REMAIN IN CONTACT
WITH THE CLOT FOR LONGER THAN 1 HOUR AFTER THE SPECIMEN IS
COLLECTED. Mix the serum gently, cap each bottle and place upright in a -20
NC freezer and store at the same temperature until shipment. The time
between collecting blood and freezing serum should not be more than 1 1/2
hours. Note on the sample log if a sample is turbid or hemolyzed, or if the
serum was left in contact with red cells for more than 1 hour or left at room
temperature for more than 90 minutes before freezing.
The blood may be aliquoted to cryovials and placed in a -20◦ C freezer prior to
analyses. Specimen stability has been demonstrated for analytes measured by
Concentrations of PCBs and Persistent Pesticides
Date of SC final approval
this method for at least 10 years at -30C or below.
Selection Rationale:
Source:
Life Stage:
Concentrations of PCBs and persistent pesticides are measured in serum
using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to inductively-coupledplasma dynamic-reaction-cell mass spectrometry (ICP-DRC-MS).
NHANES is a cross-sectional study in the U.S. and the methods have been
validated on other studies.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013-2014). National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), MEC Laboratory Procedures Manual.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). CDC Laboratory
Procedure Manual, PCBs and Persistent Pesticides here.
Pregnancy
Adolescents Adults
Language:
English
Participant:
Adolescents
Adults
Pregnant woman
Personnel and Training
Required:
The blood draw and processing procedures should be performed by a certified
laboratory technician or a phlebotomist.
Equipment Needs:
Highly specialized laboratory equipment is necessary to perform accurate
analyses. A stainless steel needle should be used for venipuncture. Collection
tubes need to be pre-screened for these toxicants prior to venipuncture.
General References:
Barr J.B., Maggio V.L., Barr D.B., Turner W.E., Sjodin A., Sandau C.D., Pirkle
J.L., Needham L.L., and Patterson D.G. Jr. (2003). New High-Resolution Mass
Spectrometric Approach for the Measurement of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and
Organochlorine Pesticides in Human Serum. J. Chromatography B, 794: 137148.
Eskenazi B, Chevrier J, Rosas LG, Anderson HA, Bornman MS, Bouwman H,
Chen A, Cohn BA, de Jager C, Henshel DS, Leipzig F, Leipzig JS, Lorenz EC,
Snedeker SM, Stapleton D. (2009). The Pine River Statement: Human Health
Consequences of DDT Use. Environ Health Perspect, 117:1359–1367.
Eubig P.A., Aguiar A., Schantz S.L. (2010). Lead and PCBs as risk factors for
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Environ Health Perspect, 118(12):1654–
1667.
Sjodin A., Jones R.S., Lapeza C.R.,Focant JF., McGahee E.E., and Patterson
D.G. Jr. (2004). Semiautomated High-Throughput Extraction and Cleanup
Method for the Measurement of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers,
Polybrominated Biphenyls, and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Human Serum.
Analytical Chemistry 76: 1921-1927.
Concentrations of PCBs and Persistent Pesticides
Date of SC final approval
Mode of Administration:
Turner W., DiPietro E., Lapeza C., Green V., Gill J., Patterson, D.G. , Jr.
(1997). A Fast Universal Automated Cleanup System for the Isotope-Dilution
High Resolution Mass Spectrometric Analysis of PCDDs, PCDFs, Coplanar
PCBs, PCB Congeners, and Persistent Pesticides from the Same Serum
Sample. Organohalogen Compounds, 31: 26-31.
Bioassay
Derived Variables:
None
Requirements:
Requirements Category
Required (Yes/No):
Major equipment
No
Specialized training
No
Specialized requirements for biospecimen
collection
Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an
unaffected individual
No
No
Annotations for Specific
Conditions:
No annotations at this time.
Process and Review:
The Expert Review Panel has not reviewed this measure yet.