FAMILIAR HARMFUL SUBSTANCES AND NEWLY DISCOVERED TOXAPHENES IN THE ADIPOSE-TISSUE OF CHILDREN

Rationale: Did concentrations of chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHC) change in the adipose tissue of children in the last 14 years! Are there yet other noxae stored in fat other than those already known! Method: Con centrations of CHC were determined quantitatively by means of gas chro matography and mass spectrometry and expressed in relation to the fat content (mu g/kg fat=ppb) in specimens of adipose tissue from 1267 inf ants, children and adolescents from Western and Eastern Germany as wel l as Saratov/Russia. Results: The concentrations of hitherto known CHC have all declined substantially during recent years. However, so far unknown CHC were also detected in the adipose tissue, namely small amo unts of two toxaphenes (parlar 26 and parlar 50). Conclusion: The expo sure of our children to hitherto known CHC has decreased substantially in recent years. However, more sensitive methods of detection led to the identification of so far unknown potential noxae in adipose tissue , so that a complete ''all-clear'' is not yet justified.