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I
MILWAUKEE, WISC.
D. 169.011
MAY 9 1969
t i
i By QUINCY DADISMAN was read was not ready for reproductive failures among
Sentinel Staff Writer
publication then, ;
the birds.
\Madison, Wis. - A group of . . Distribution Cited
Distinction "Difficult'*
chemicals widely used in in In the paper, polychlorinat Porter said that distinguish
dustry and difficult to separate ed biphenyls fPCB'sI were ing between DDT and the
from DDT in chemical analysis called, with DDT, the "most PCBs was "possible, with diffi
has five times the effect of DDT in producing enzymes
widely distributed contami nants" of the environment of
culty," but that most commer cial laboratories did not go into the complete separation
that break down hormones, a the entire world today.
because of the cost involved.
hearing on a petition to ban the pesticide was told here
PCB's, which include a vari
Asked about the Wisconsin
Thursday:-------
ety of compounds, are used as Alumni Research Foundation
Paul E. Porter, a researcher for--Qliell DeiuRlPment Corp.,
called by opponents of the ban,
"plasticizers" making the ma terials to which they are added more elastic arid better con
Institute, I n c,, laboratory, where many of the tests on
which the petitioners base their case were made, Porter
said he agreed with the state ment when it was read from a paper prepared.bv JRnhertTfisS;
'iJrtnjgfiTa Calif o r n i a bioCheitiTST'
ductors of heat. They are used in electrical equipment, cutting oils, rubber goods, paint and lipstick. .. '
said the WARF lab was one of the few commercial laborator ies in the United States in which Shell placed enough confidence to send its work.
The hearing is being held by rthe state natural resources de partment on a petition from the Citizens Natural Resource 'association and the Izaak Wal ston league's Wisconsin chap
ter. The ban is opposed by the industry task force for DDT of the National Agricultural Chemicals association.
Much attention has been fo cused during the hearing on
the fact that chemists analyz ing samples for small concen trations of DDT by the use of a gas chromatograph have been bothered by the fact that some PCB's cause peaks on chro matographs which "underlie" those caused by DDT and one
A WARF employe testified Wednesday that, in some cases, when an indication of PCB interference was found on chromatographs made there,
the person asking the analysis would be asked if he wished further work done at an extra charge.
' Porter, who lives in Modes of its isomers, DDD.
Porter traced the break
to, Calif., is on leave from his post with the Shell Oil Co. sub
Risebrough's statement with which Porter agreed would in
down, in nature, of DDT under various conditions.
sidiary as an exchange profes
sor in an agriculture school in
England. He is an analytical
;chemist. .
.
Risebrough testified last De
cember in the hearing. The {Ta
dicate that some of the effects blamed on DDT could be the result ofJECBs^Enzyme induc tion has been blamed for the breakdown of sex hormones, particularly in marine birds,
In the atmosphere, he said, sunlight and oxygen lead to its decomposition, with about a 12 day half life in sealed petrie dishes, where only sunlight is effective. He said the changes
per from which the quotation resulting in thin egg shells and Tutn to Page 10, Col 3
DSW 200981
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