Document qm9vOKQGdvxNmN8arZRBxnLnk

cc: Mr. D-S- imeron - ME RISING & STRAND OP/BO A KT I E e O UA G ITOQKHOLM V lyiArASIN 47 November 28, 1966 Monsanto Europe BRUSSELS J Belgium For the attention of Mr, D. WOOD Dear David, re; AROCLQRS As mentioned, there has been some publicity in Sweden., concerning investigations made at the InstitufcLaiu-e-f^ Analytical Chemistry at the Stockholm University, These have revealed that a group of products called Polychlorinated Bl-Phenols - PCB for short - accumulated in certain organs of animals. They are said to be related to DDT and equally poisonuous. The findings were discussed at a meeting of sclentlets at the Wenner-Gren Centre in Stockholm on November 2. Below please find a translation of an article in the Swedish daily paper "Dagens Nyheter"s- "It is found in salmon and in pike. It is found in soa eagle living on fish. It Is found.'.bn thw- Rim- face of the needles of the fir trees, tjtoat is jji the air. It is found in the hair of-a- five .mobshe baby... ' ' "Jl . .! The scientists working with, biocides have for atlong time seen this something as unknown /'peekson J'thelr gas chromatographs and at a meet ing',S;t the Wenner- Gren Center, Research Assistant S&ren "Jensen of the Institution for Analytical Chemistry at the Stock holm University could reveal the identity of these peeks. It has been found that they consist of a group of poiaonB, Polychlorinated Blphenols (for short PCB) which are closely related to, and equally poisonous as, DDT. PCB is broken down considerably slower than DDT and gives rise to damag/of liver and skin. PCB is not HONS 090D7S TOWOLDMON0046256 WATER PCB-00037233 Kto *. STHan u MESA, Brussels - Mr. D. Wood 2. used as a herbialde. Ik is not manufactured In Sweden but le supposed to used by the Industry to quite some extent. Mo special Industry can so far be accused of being the source of contamination. Research Asst. S. Jensen has tested 200 fishes and a number of birds. He has taken several samples of air and has reached the conclusion that PCB is equally common In Mature as ohlorinated hydrooarbon* of the type of DDT, DDE, and Lindane. Even fish In Laddjojaure in Lapland contain PCB. Mr. Jansen has also found that PCB does not appear in animals living on a vegetarian diet, such as the elk. In the course of his work, Mr. Jensen has not found anything indicating that the source of contamina tion ooraes from agricultural additives. It is, however, obvious already now that PCB is most frequently found in organisms living in water or feeding from water animals. In all examined pikes PCB was found. In a sea eagle found dead outside Stockholm it was found that the liver contained 30 mg of mercury per kilo, "J6 mg DDT and consider ably. rocrfi_PCB_. The exact figure has not yet been determined. PCB la found in water and in air, and not only in the Swedish air, but also in t-.g, London air. Mr. Jensen has not yet been in London for sampling but could identify the poison by studying a gas chromatogram of air published in a British techni cal Journal. 5. Mr. Jensen hap also examined the hair of his family and himself and has found PCB on all samples. Most PCB was found in the hair or his wife but most sensational was that the girl aged 5 menthe had mors PCB in her hair than her brothers and alstera of 3 and 6 years, probably the girl had got the poison via the mother's milk. In the State Museum Mr. Jensen has examined the whole collection of sea eagles dating back to 1880. By testing it could be established tnat PCB was present only in birds from 19^4 and thereafter while birds oolleoted before 1944 were quite free from PCB. The use of PCB in Sweden is not established in detail. Aocordlng to American sources these types of products are used in the manufacture of a variety of heat- resistant materials. They are used for electrical insulation, for fire-proof heat transport lr. hydraulic oils, in lubrloating oils used at high 090521 TOWOLDMON0046257 WATER PCB-00037234 yts/vim'VB i i: uu i-sr b i4:u i MH I :j U Ti JIJUl f* i ! N! G fe> STRAND SA Brussels - Mr, D. Woo a 3. temperature and pressure, in paints and es pig ments in various plastics. PCS is not imparted only as such. It is also part of several finished products. Nothing is known as to the way in which it reaches the water and the air. Acocrding to Mr. Jensen, products containing PCB should have this openly declared. PCB is equally harmful whether absorbed via the skin, through the food, or by inhalation. In con tact with the skin it can cause dema. For DDT the highest permissible concentration in the air has been set at 0.5 - 1 mg/cu,metre. For PCB it has been mentioned to be 0.5 mg/cu.metre. Mr. Jensen will now try to get more complete analytical material. He hopes eventually to be able to disclose the source of the contamination and will also increase his cooperation with toxocologists and genealogists." Another daily paper, Svenska Dagbladet, has a similar article. Hare it is mentioned that Mr. Jensen, work ing under Laborator (Professor) Gunnar Widmark., has disclosed facts which will have far-reaching importance since the findings have proved a new source of pollu tion of the nature. One of the participants at the meeting was Dr. A.V. Holder, of Scotland, scientific, contact man between the twelve O.E.C.D, countries, who has established coordinated analysis of chemicals used and found in nature. I suppose there is no doubt that what has been termed Polychlorinated Biphenyls is equal to Aroclor. There is also no doubt that the published facts will cause considerable unrest in several quarters. We probably will have to have Aroclor registered with the Swedish Board of Poisonous Substances and the industry wi21 have to be particularly careful in handling the material. The problem in some oases of oourse may be the disposal of used material. 1 understand that there hardly exists a convenient method of destroying Aroclor and that possibly burying unuseable material may be the only answer. We shall be glad to hear from you soon. Yours sincerely, MONS 090080 RISING A aTRASb u .~ jOLAG wy STRAND TOWOLDMON0046258 WATER_PCB-00037235