PCB-153 could cause cancer

STE: Although polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are banned worldwide since 2001, they have not disappeared from our planet. PCB-153, which serves as insulating fluid in the industry and as a plasticizer for plastics, is highly resistant to degradation. We still found some in foods high in fat. A Spanish study published in the journal "Science of The Total Environment" has again demonstrated a link between the chemical and the development of cancer in humans. Researchers from the University of Granada have analyzed the levels of certain pollutants accumulated in the body fat of 368 men and women. They then observed the occurrence of cancers in the study subjects over a period of nine years. The study showed a correlation between an increased concentration of PCB-153 in the body fat and the risk of cancer. For each additional 100 nanograms per gram of fat, cancer risk was multiplied by 1.2. The monitoring of the cohort will continue. Such as PCB-153 is present mainly in fatty foods such as tuna or salmon, high levels of PCB-153 could be the consequence of a high-fat diet, the researchers said. However, the cancer may have been triggered by the chemical through several mechanisms, including various hormone receptors.