Document NGwjK7X2b8xD1gN0w0eoqB2xb

BLOOMINGTON, IND. HERALD TIMES SUN. 31.300 JUl 1 8 1976 ocuviMinu lur*--ncurutvu Aroclor 1016 just another PCB By DON JORDAN H-T Environmental Writer `Even though Westingbouse continues to disagree with the U S. Environmental Protection Agency refutation of the Westinghouse datm that Arocior 1011 is a less harmful PCB toan Monsanto Quids used until the last few years, evidence submitted and agreed upoa by hearing officer Abraham Sofaer over PCB pollution of the Hudson River by General Electric in New York details the case against 1016. Aroclor 1016 was the first of the Monsanto fhnds to deviate from a numerical designation system where the first two digits indented the number of carbon atoms to the biphenyl rings (12), and the last two digits the per cent of chlorine in tbe fluid (hence 12S4is54per cent chlorine). THE 1616 FLUID was introduced to 1971 by Moosaiuo. This was three yean after the infamous YushoPCB poisoning incident and (be year before the federal legislation which mandated controls over PCBs and other Untie substances immediately but is still languishing in limbo. As in the General Electric case. Westinghouse has switched from heavy use of Aroclor 1242 and 12S4 to predominately use of 1016. New York's bearing officer, Abraham Sofaer, noted: 1`Aroclor 1016 is a deceptive numerical designation for that compound. The chemical has 12 carboos, not ten, and contains over 41 per cent chlorine, not 16. Moo* santo's Manager of Predict Acceptability testified that there was no scientific reason for the riesigiattoe `1016', mid conceded that 'foUowing the old no menclature it should be called Aroclor 1241 plus. " SOFAER POINTS OUT that there it a difference between 1016 and 1242 in that 1016 has fewer biphenyls containing five or more chlorae atoms per biphenyl Monsanto, General Electric and WestuuAeuse maintain that this difference means the 1016 fluid Is less environmentally harmful "GE contends that, whatever the toxicity of PCBs to general, 1016 is far less toxic than the mixtures uwd to most experiments of PCB effects. 1016 is said to be less toxic, not because it cootains a lower permit ay of chlorine than other PCBs, but because it renttone a relatively low proportion of PCB bomotogs with four or more chlorine atoms," notes Sofaer. HE CONTINUES IN his interim opinioa and order to General Electric requiring dean-up, that the higher bomologs are less biodegradable, that they btoac cumulate to bitfier levels, and that a PCB isomer with four chlorine atoms (tetrachlorobipbeayl) "may be metabolized into highly toxic hydroxylated PCBs. Sofaer points out that the tower kxnoiogs to 1Q1C are more highly soluble than the higher chlorinated biphenyls and are more rapidly absorbed by fish swim* ming in contaminated water. "FUTHERMORE, 1016 HAS been observed to eause effects similar to those caused by other mixtures to many contexts. After a series of experiments desiped specifically to test the toxicity of 1016, became of its increased use, Dr. DJ. Hansen (Einvirotuaeotai Research 363.1974) and his coauthors concluded that Aroclor 1016 is similar to other PCBs in its toxicity to, and uptake and retentionby estuarine animats. " "Acute toxititie* of Aroclor 1016 to oysters, brown shrimp and pinfish," said Hansen, "were similar to that of Aroclor 1242 and Arodor 12S4." IN ANOTHERSTUDY by Dr. Alan V. Nebeker noted by Sofaer, he found "not much difference to toxicity between tricfclorotopbreyl and tetrachlorabiphenyl homoiogs which suggests that mixtures such as Arodor 1016 and Arodor 1242 would be similar to toxicity." ' In yet another study on the relative toxicity of 1242 and 1016 on raabow trout and bluegiUi based on data front Fish-Pesticide Laboratory m Columbia, Mo., Sofaer said it was "apparent that their toxicity is similar." Other studies showed that toxksty to some fish, in ducting catfisl and hluegiUs, is more serious with the 1016 PCBs thas with the higher bomologs. riNALLY, THE EVIDENCE that tetrachlorob$benyl may be metabolised into an hydrnylatod derivative is inconclusive: Arodor 1016 cootains 21 per cent tetrachlorobiphenyl, much of which has the isomers that are suspected of bring particularly toxic,''saidSofaer. An expert who testified for GE, coauthored a 1975 article which noted: "tower chlorinated biphenyls an of special interest because their biological degradability migit lead to metabolites of increased toxicity" THAT ARTICLE, COAUTHORED by the GE witness, is entitled "In Vitro Metabolism of Polychlorinated Biphenyls" and was printed in Edvinnmeotal Cnitimmatkm A Toxicology, Voi. 424,13 Bulletin, 1975. Dr. J R Alton who has conducted and is continuing PCB studies with rhesus monkeys at the University of Wisconsin identified the tetrachlorobiphenyl as cap able of altering DNA and RNA, and therefore linked with mutations, cancer and the death of livingcrils. And. even if the MonsantoGE-Westiogbouse argu ments for Nil were acceptable, notes Sofaer. the ample fact is that there's still plenty of 1242 and other previously used Arodor PCBs around to stream sedi mentand landfills. "Counting theeffects of all existing PCB mixtures In judging GE's liability is especially aacessary, store the record indicates that 'mixtures of tote and higher chlorinated Aroctoriare more toxic than the eembtoed ( measuresof their individual Uuicities." save Sober 1 HONS 037337