Document NN2YajG82YeEYErrmXze4OZeE

4 u the hakteokd IES, UunJay, |tilr SI, 19S9 4< ^J:H- '*V$$i** `*l'i PCBs New Threat to Man? NFAV HAVEN -- Polychlor- Inal biphcnals may prove to be an entirely new threat to man kind -- aggrava ing present problems of put lie concern over pollution, persistent pestitides and population explosion. The long-term effects of this class of cf* mica! oom* founds simply is not yet nown. But they have been reported to be toxic. They have hern found In laboratory samp rs of lih and wildlife bein; tested for residues of chlorinated hydrocarbon pes.ieidcs such as DDT and dielJrin. "Chemists u,;ing gas chromatography in these tests have rrpo'.lcd uniden tified peaks an <hclr graph* as early as 196ft," said Lloyd Keirstcad, a n analytical chemist at the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Sta tion here. "One chemist, after testing samples of birds, simply call* cd them avian sibstanccs" The gas diron.airgraph is a sensitive laboratory In* slrument that produces a moving graph like a lie dctcclor. Different substances By *i Bill Clede * Wi cause peaks in the graph at different points. These unidentified peaks came very near whe e persis tent pesticides like T PT show on the graph. According to . some experts, t ii i s in terference could haY.i caused some confusion fn pesticide testing prior to 1MB Since they were identified as polychlorinated opinion that they were in* troduced through 'natural* sources." PCBs have maty and varied industrial ises in cluding the manufalcure of plastics and elects leal in sulators'. But they ar; not us- ed as pesticides. "As analytical Uchniques become more soph.sticated, we find more nrd more material* in eur fish, wildlife and waters," Keirstcad ad ded. What this might metn' In terms of pollution of ou* en vironment simply has not been determined. The question will sure v ex pand the scope of research, experts agree, but there von't be any quick and teady answers. * biphenals -- PCBs for short--by a Swedish sricnH.it, findings have been reputed also in England, Holland and California. New tests aro under w*y now to determine (he pr*. able source of PCBs fn fish samples tested at the Ton ne c l i c u t Agriculture Ex periment Station. New samples are being taken from waters previously tested. Some are being held In sterile glass bottles. 0 hers are being wrapped in pi istic bags as they were befor*. "In all good conscience we want to make sure the firing of PCBs is net a matter of their being soaked up rom the plastic." Keirsteart ex- _plained. "Frankly, it's my MGNS 030206