Specific accumulation and elimination kinetics of tris(4-chlorophenyl) methane, tris(4-chlorophenyl)methanol, and other persistent organochlorines inhumans from Japan

We examined human adipose tissue, liver, and bile from humans in Japan to u nderstand the contamination status, specific accumulation, and elimination of two newly identified environmental contaminants, tris(4-chlorophenyl) me thane (TCPMe), tris (4-chlorophenyl) methanol (TCPMOH), and other persisten t organochlorines such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT and its met abolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (H CB), and chlordane compounds (CHLs). TCPMe and TCPMOH concentrations in Jap anese human adipose tissue were slightly higher than those reported previou sly, indicating widespread exposure to these compounds in humans. Elevated residues of PCBs and DDTs are found in adipose tissue and liver. Concentrat ions in bile strongly correlated with concentrations in adipose fat and Eve r, which may suggest an equilibration in adipose fat/bile and liver/bile an d possible biliary excretion of persistent organochlorines in humans. Compo sition of the organochlorines accumulated further indicates a metabolic cap acity in humans higher than that of marine mammals. We observed age-depende nt accumulation for TCPMe, TCPMOH, and other organochlorines, but there wer e no significant gender differences. p,p'-DDE and TCPMe were estimated to h ave low biliary excretion rate. Elimination potential of persistent organoc hlorines may be related to their octanol-water partition coefficient. The r elationship between excretion rate and octanol-water partition coefficient may be used to predict the biliary excretion potential of some other lipoph ilic organochlorines such as dioxins and dibenzofurans in humans. The prese nce of organochlorines in bile suggests that the hepatic excretory system p lays a major role in the elimination of xenobiotics in humans. To our knowl edge, this is the first study of accumulation and elimination of TCPMe and TCPMOH in humans.