Document o9oyprwe9rx11Gby6j9o8kjnr

-MiilviOK i*UM TO Di r e c ti7 I.'I ElIS I'U iiu c iik a j.th .s': vir.y. N.V7infill. L'511IVIKiu: J.XM/11| JJATf.: i'iiirch 1, ')r.l77 - t k o m : ' Acting Assc-ciota Director O jl ' Research Resources Program sur-incr: Studies on Possible Peufcexhlurophjuiol/nibsnzodioxin Intoxication (Progress Report} *{ The Rational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Dr. Moore) was contacted by Mr. Gsorgo Uvlunyan in Recc:iiib.';r 197'-. Mr. LcMynyan owns n dairy farm in Cedar Springs, Mighigan. Ilis farm was one which lost all of its cattle during the Michigan PUD incident a couple of yetirs go. In'aduition,* his farm buildings had burned soon after this incident. He constructed new barn facilities and repopulated his farm with cisiry cattle fro:? another state. f:or several months after tins repopulation, his operation from a herd health standpoint was fairly norm?!. After these first few Months however, ho started experiencing various types of problems which included calf loss, illness and death in adult animals, n;>d loss of milk-production. These lasses continued through 1375. Late* in 1070, several animals from the LeMirnyan herd were transported to the Veterinary Clinic of Michigan State University for surveillance and evaluation. Tissues from one of tiles*.- animals collected at the time of necropsy werd evaluated for the presence of a number of chemical toxicants The Je s u it s or this evaluation revealed the presence of pcntachlor-jphunol (PCI') in the parts- per-biII ion, range. Mr. l.eMuny;*..-: contacted rev vv; sc.-o if I could offer any suggestions or assistance. I discussed this fannls problem with Pr. David 1*11 is of Michigan State University with ft focus . : .noton pentachlore-phenol intoxication per so, but an intoxication that could'bo a consequence of chemical contaminants associated with PC?'; i.o., dibanzodioxins and dibenzerurans.' a g en e raliz e d circum stance. To th is cud. v;a bled a number o f i l l anis.wils. HSU had the blood samples evaluated fu r the presence o f pen Lachi orephenol v;hyc h y;as' f o*.r.d i n isost ov'ry i n t a n c o . The 1cveI rf PZ!1 c!:-;Letc-.! not o f s u f f i c i e n t inagniv.ud:: to be of prime to x ic o lo g ic concern; i t did in d ic a te co n tin u a l and chronic exposure to PCP (through trea te d lumber i n t h n c-v; b u rn ). The rhreni c er.pns*.;r? v r.dors cove s the pcih? nt i a1 \or accur::~a;l a t i on oi dibeuzndiuxinr and diboncufurcins which coy Id i;tj of to;: i c olo g ic s i g;, i f i cunce . 1 r,gree d to have tis s u e s from ani ir.aIs o va1us. tud f o r tiie presence o f diber.zodioxin a t iiIF.ilii. Tissues ( l i v e r and f a t ) Cl8543 were sen:-to iriu" es was n piece of treated 1umber from the barn. Dibcnzojdicxins can only be .octet:Led tln*ough*GC/iii methodologies, an analytic*! method clearly within our capabilities and experience. We observed the .presence of ocU-CD arc hapta-Cf);) in the wood sample. Analyses "of liver tissues (after extensive efforts to develop an effective extraction procedure suitable for the higher chlorinated dibenzodioxins) confirmed the presence of dibanze-dioxins in 15 of IS livers. Oct?.dioxin values are in the pnrts-per-bil'lion range with decreasing incidence and levels of hoptadi.oxins and three instances of *hozad iox ins in the partr.per-triIlion range. These analyses are not yet como!etc. In my opinion, the presence of these dibenzodioxinS (and likely equivalent amounts of the toxic c!ibc::;;ifurans, although' we have not assayed for these) is of prime toxicologic.importance. Pfo^ipus work at NIF.rlS has ^ shown that the hexa-CD present (i.c., 1,2t3,f7$T) is a most toxic iL dibenzodioxin isc-mar with a single oral LD5Q in guinea-pigs of-less than 100`vg/kg. Although the heptachlorinaled'dibonze'dioxin present (1 >2,3,4,6,7,8] has not received thorough toxicologic evaluation, its structure is such that one would predict it to have significant toxicologic properties. The octachlorinntod dibanzodioxins have been reported by many to be of little or diminished toxicologic significance. 'This is based in large part upon its extremely poor solubility and consequent lack of absorption. Studies with this compound are all seriously flawed in one way or another. The chronic toxicity of ccfca-CDD has not bean properly evaluated. The "poor" absorption and therefore diminished toxicity cannot be reassuring in this circumstance since v;e are detecting it in liver. Its possible toxicity cannot be ignored. Early attempts to analyze fat for these compounds has been unsatisfactory. Most of the "fat samples" failed to yield much extractable lipid indicating that the majority of tissue submitted is of connective tissue origin (this reflects possible cachexia). Whore sufficient lipid was extracted, early analyses suggest that dibenzotlioxin levels in this tissue may be orie to two magnitudes greater then that, found in liver. One of the high values detected was from a young calf liver which, I believe, had ba:n allowed to-drink milk produced on the farm. Previous work at 'IEM3. with TCDQ showed this chemical to be readily secreted in the milk. One must consider the possibility that the excessive calf mortality experienced at the LeMimyan farm may be due to the dibenyo-Ji ox ins received in milk. Summary This w-oH -tlri--Trstrrorrffrned " in.**;errretr This work is in my opinion the first confirmed instance of the presence .of dibenzoriios;Ins in a:rimai tissues as a likely consequence- of chronic exposure to PCP treated wood. It ha:; been mentioned to me by a number of practicing v-: :crinarians that this circumstance, although clearly unusual in its severity, may not be a unique situation. The public health implications are somewhat obvious: CONFIDENTIAL h u ^ C T TO PROTECT^ ORDER. C18544 .- Possible ;>o ilation exposure lo di bonzodio:;in and dibenzofuran :* contami neinLs through use or PCP or treated lumber. 2. Possible presence of these toxic contaminants in concierei al mill:. 3. The presence of these* impurities in meat products. Mote The I.eMunypn herd is one which hnr, had extensive press exposure. These results will i w c m v c wide cow-r.iqe in the n.,:din. John A. Moore, D.V.H. o q i 846-----pep- C18545 7