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Monsanto Dapt. of Medicine& Environmental Health D.L. Coleman, M. D.-G2WF-8Of June 10, 1981 George Roush rdt-WTof* TO John Craddock - A2SA Received a call from Mr. Raymond Cesta, Industrial Hygiene Engineer for Eastern Airlines. His inquiry concerned some of their employees who had been exposed to inhalation of PCB's via explosion of capacitors and clean-up therefore. His employees had requested the medical department for evaluation because of their worries about health hazards and specifically about the possibility of dioxin contamina tion of PCB's and the health effects alleged from "agent orange". I reviewed the health effects of PCB's as we know them or lack of same and specifically mentioned that acute exposure would not expect to find such things as chloracne or liver effects from just inhalation, par ticularly if they were skin protected as he said they were. I reviewed the known associations of health effects in the past to chronic exposures, specifically liver changes, elevated triglycerides possibly in a long-term exposure and chloracne with skin exposure or ingestion. I also mentioned doing blood PCB's and that there is a natural background level in long-term workers. Their workers do have higher than background levels of blood PCB's, but that health effects due to this are certainly not evident and not well worked out. I also cautioned him that he should also have this done in at least two labs because of the wide variability of lab methods and lack of reliability in lab procedures. I also cautioned him to consider what he would say if there was an elevated level before he went to do these. He stated that they had no intentions of doing blood levels at the present time. Vie discussed the supposed cancer hazard evidence, parti cularly the Kimbrough Studies and the controvery sur rounding these and the fact that other studies of IN IOM (AfV. 2/7*1 HONS 003041 PAGE 2 John Craddock - A2SA June 10, 1981 worker populations have not shown an increase in cancer incidents, after sufficient lead time or lag time to have these effects manifest themselves. I closed stating that he should be reassuring to his employees that if an exam shows no effects that they should not have concern for long-term effects of the casual exposure that he described. He stated that he was reassured by what we said and he would certainly recommend through their medical department the contents of the exam to include a liver blood screen and skin examination, plus general exam. /ab Donald L. Coleman, M.D. ADDENDUM The phone number is AC[305) 873-2354. HONS 003042