Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been produced commercially since be fore 1930. They proved to be highly versatile mixtures and their uses continued to expand during the early 1970's even after the unanticipated world-wide en vironmental contamination had been discovered (Jensen et aI., 1969; Koeman et aI., 1969). Over 600,000 metric-tons were produced and/or used in the U. S. during this time and it is estimated that worldwide production totaled about 1,200,000 metric-tons (Table 1). With low acute toxicities (Fishbein, 1974), these mixtures were considered gen erally biologically...

On May 25,1978, the Commission on Toxicology ofthe Division of Clinical Chemistry of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) established its Subcommittee on Environmental and Occupational Toxicology of Cadmium following aseries of Commission meetings in Kristiansand, Norway. I was appointed chairman ofthe new Subcommittee by the Commission on Toxicology (chairman at that time F. w. Sun derman Jr. ) in which I served from 1977 as an Associate Member and from 1979 as a Titular Member. From the beginning the Cadmium Subcommittee aimed not only at bringing together cadmium...

Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins and -furans (PCDDs and PCDFs) are potent environmental toxins. Environmental exposures to these compounds in part-per-billion (ppb) and part-per-trillion (ppt) concentrations are of particular interest. These exposures may arise from bleached paper products, paper production process sludge, effluent waste water from paper plants, consumption of food and water from contaminated sources and contact to paper products.