Document 718mdGZBVLwLD0q33eeKj2La8

06/01/2005 11:06 FA:! 61 425 15252 7f MATSDNASSOCXAT 421 u jd/ uuij o cc: Hr. D* S- ,Meron ME < RISING & STRAND OP/BO akti e m o la a TOpCfCWl 6T II 44 4J MtWKi* tM*4K4'**i 79*0*4* 11)4 ITOCK KOtM v VKAr)kIM 47 November 28, 1966 Monsanto Europe BRUSSELS 5 Belgium For the attention of Mr. D. WOOD Bear David, rei AROCLORS --^ As mentioned, there has been Borne publicity im Sweden,, concerning investigations made at the ImtitubLon--vfr Analytical Chemistry at the Stockholm University, These hs.ve revealed that a group of products called Polychlorinated B1-Phenols - PCB for short - accumulated in certain organs of animals. They are said to be related to DDT and equally poisonuoun. The findings were discussed at a meeting of scientists at the Wenner-Gren Gentre in Stockholm on November . Below please find a translation of an article in the Swedish dally paper "Dagens Nyheter":- If It is found in salmon and in pike. It .Is found in 3ea eagle living on fleh. It Is found.'.da thKRur- face of the needles of the fir trees, lybat is^n the air. It is found in the hair of five.months baby... ' ' "J The scientists workihg with biocides have for at'long time seen this something as unknown,"peeks',1 on yfchelr gas chromatographs and at a meeting'-Sit the WennerCJren Center, Research Assistant SSren''Jensen of the Institution for Analytical Chemistry at the Stock holm University could reveal the identity of these peeks. It has been found that they consist of a group of poisons. Polychlorinated Biphenols (for short PCB) which are closely related to, and equally poisonous as, DDT. FCB is broken down considerably slower than DDT and gives rise to damagp'of liver and skin. PCB is not HONS 090D78 LEXOLDMONOOOOI5 ni M N G k S T K A N O A > . * h t| v * * >. MESA, Brussels - Mr. D. Wood 2. used as a herbicide. It Is not manufactured In Sweden but Is supposed to used by the Industry to quite some extent. Mo special industry oan so far be accused of being the source of contamination. Research Asst. S. Jensen has tested 200 fishes and a number of birds. He has taken several samples of air and has reaohed the conclusion that PCB is equally common In Nature as ohlorinated hydrocarbons of the type of DOT, DDE, and Lindane. Even fi6h In Laddjojaure in Lapland contain PCB. Mr. Jensen has also found that PCB does not appear In animals living on a vegetarian diet, such as the elk. In the oourse of his work, Mr. Jensen has not found anything indicating that the source of contamina tion ooraes from agricultural additives. It is, however, obvious already now that PCB is most frequently found in organisms living in water or feeding from water animals. In all examined pikes PCB was found. In a sea eagle round dead outside Stockholm it was found that the liver contained 30 mg of mercury per kilo, 76 mg DOT and consider ably more PCB. The exact figure ha6 not yet been "determined. PCB is found in water and in air, and not only in the Swedish air, but also in e.g. London air. Mr. Jensen has not yet been in London for sampling but could identify the poison by studying a gas chromatogram of air published in a British techni cal Journal. 5. Mr. Jensen hap also examined thehair of his family and himself and has found PCB on all samples. Most PCB was found in the hair of his wife but most sensational was that the girl aged 3 months had more PCB in her hair than her brothers and slstera of 3 And 6 years. Probably the girl had got the poison via the mother's milk. In the State Museum Mr. Jensen has examined the whole collection of sea eagles datin' back to i860. By testing it could he established tnat PCB was present only in birds from 19M and thereafter while birds collected before 1944 were quite free from PCB. The use of PCB in Sweden is not established in detail. Aooordlng to American sources these types of products are used in the manuraoture of s variety of heat- resistant materials. They are used for eleotrical insulation, for fire-proof heat transport in hydraulic oils. In lubrloating oils used at high 090521 MON* ft t S I N G t STRAN I . H >. h A ;SA, Brussels - Mr. D. Woo . 3. temperature and pressure, in paints and as pig ments In various plastics. PCS is not imported only as such. It is also part or several finished products. Nothing is known as to the way in which it reaches the water and the air. Acocrfllng to Mr. Jensen, products Containing PCB should have this openly declared. PCB is equally harmful whether absorbed via the skin, through the food, or by inhalation. In con tact with the skin it can eause dema. For DDT the highest permissible concentration in the air has been set at 0.5 - 1 mg/cu,metre. For PCB it has been mentioned to be 0.5 mg/cu.metre. Mr. Jensen will now try to get more complete analytical material. He hopes eventually to be able to disclose the souroe of the contamination and will also increase his cooperation with tDxocologists and geneologists." Another daily paper, Svenska Dagbladet, has a similar article, Here it Is mentioned that Mr. Jensen, work ing under Laborator (Professor) Gunnar Widmark, has disclosed facts which will have far-reaching Importance since the findings have proved a new source of pollu tion of the nature. One of the participants at the meeting was Dr. A.v. Holder, of Scotland, scientific.contact man between the twelve Q.E.C.D. oountriBB, who has established coordinated analysis of chemicals used and found in nature. 1 suppose there ie no doubt that what has been termed Polychlorinated Biphenyls is equal to Aroclor. There is also no doubt that the published facts will cause considerable unrest in several quarters. We probably will have to have Arcelor registered with the Swedish Board of Poisonous Substance a and the industry will have to be particularly careful in handling the material. The problem in some oases of oourse may be the disposal of used material, I understand that there hardly exists a convenient method of destroying Arocior and that possibly burying unuseable material may be the only answer. We shall be glad to hear from you soon. Yours sincerely, MOMS 090080 LEXOI DMnMnnnm