Tissue distribution of planar and non-planar chlorobiphenyls, 4,4′-DDE and hexachlorobenzene in sheep and lambs

The bioconcentration and distribution pattern of individual PCB congeners (IUPAC Nos: −54, −80, −155 and −169) and organochlorine pesticides (HCB and 4,4′-DDE) in blood, adipose tissue, liver and brain were examined in sheep two months after administration and in their offspring continuously exposed during the two months lactation period. Analyses were performed by high resolution gas chromatography. The levels of individual organochlorines varied significantly between tissues; the tissue/blood ratio (on a fat basis) varied by two orders of magnitude for individual congeners. The bioconcentration of the toxic planar PCB-169 congener was the highest in the liver and the lowest in the brain of the sheep.