Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in settled house dust from urban dwellings in China and their neurodevelopmental effects on preschool-aged children

We investigated the levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in settled house dust (SHD) from urban dwellings with resident preschool-aged children in Nanjing, China. The possible neurodevelopmental effects of house-dust PCBs were also explored. SHD was collected from 114 urban houses. The levels of 39 PCB congeners were measured by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The Child Behavior Checklist and the Gesell Development Inventory were used to evaluate the child's development. All 39 target congeners measured were detected. The mass percentage of di-PCBs was the highest at 47.8%, followed by tetra- and tri-PCBs at 16.8% and 13.0%, respectively. Spearman's rho correlation showed that di-, tri-, hexa-, hepta-, nona- and total PCBs were positively associated with somatic, thought problem and total problem scores (0.24 < r < 0.36). After dichotomization at the 75th percentile PCB concentration, we found that the higher PCB3, 6, 12, 25, 44, 71, 174 and 203 might increase the risk of certain behavior problems. Moreover, among the lower-chlorinated PCBs, PCB3 and PCB4 showed some risk of adaptive and gross motor abnormality, respectively. In conclusion, PCBs (especially lower-chlorinated PCBs) are ubiquitous in urban SHD in Nanjing and may carry a risk of certain developmental abnormalities. The potential adverse effects of postnatal exposure to PCBs on the behavior and neurodevelopment of preschool-aged children need to be studied in larger follow-up studies.