Polychlorinated biphenyls
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polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB-compounds), a group of oily stable chemicals, which are mixtures of many congeners (see chemical structures). They are very poorly water soluble and lipophilic (see PCB - physicochemical properties), and therefore accumulate in lipids (fats) of living organisms (see PCB - environmental persistence), and bioaccumulate in trophic levels (see PCB - biomagnification). They contain small amounts (1 to 40 mg/kg) of PCDFs as impurities (see PCB - contaminants). (For detailed information, see International Programme on Chemical Safety, Environmental Health Criteria 140, WHO, Geneva, 1993; Safe, Crit. Rev. Toxicol. 1994:24:87-149).