Toxicity of PCB metabolites

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) remain an important group of environmental contaminants whose toxicity is of major concern. Recently, it has become clear that PCB metabolites, such as hydroxylated PCBs, methylsulfonyl PCBs and catechol metabolites of PCBs, show various toxicities and that such metabolites play an important role in the toxicity of PCBs. In the present report, the toxicities of PCB metabolites are summarized.