Document 6B5qKgRJkq3vJm8vxRBwb1BJd

The University of Wisconsin water CHEMISTRY LABORATORY MADISON. WISCONSIN 33706 262-2^70 AREA C ODE 600 October 22, 1969 Dr. Elmer P. Wlieeler Manager, Environmental Health 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard St. Louis, Missouri 63166 Dear Dr. Wheeler: Thank you for your letter of October 13 and the copies of the work of Widmark in Stockholm. I have previously received these summaries from Dr. Widmark at the outset of our studies. However, present evidence at this laboratory and Canadian laboratories indicate that the procedures described by Widmark may not be reliable in analyses of environmental samples. As you suggested, I will contact Dr. Tucker of Monsanto regarding specific chemical information of the chlorinated biphenyls, I appreciate your enclosure of the results of the chronic feeding studies from your toxicology consulting laboratory. However, the results are not meaningful as you described them because 1) diet levels say nothing concerning levels in various body tissues, 2) uptake effects of laboratory feeding cannot be extrapolated to effects in the environment due to varying uptake rates, metabolic rates, and environmental stresses, and 3) the mammalian liver is generally more active in detoxifying chlori nated hydrocarbons than are the systems of biological communities associated with natural waters. I would be extremely interested in the comments of your research group regarding chemical work on the Arochlor mixtures. Also, 1 would greatly appreciate receiving summaries of the investigation that your chemists conducted in Sweden, future results on toxic effects of the Arochlors, and progress reports of the study with WARF as they become available. Thank you for your continuing assistance. ... GFL/js Water Chemistry OSW 020543 STLCOPCB4008470