Rapid decline of persistent organochlorine pollutants in serum among young Swedish males

The percentage of men with CB-153 or p,p′-DDE below the limit of detection (LOD) was significantly higher in 2004 than in 2000 (30% vs. none, p < 0.001 for CB-153 and 65% vs. 6%, p < 0.001 for p,p′-DDE). Moreover, the median serum concentration of CB-153 decreased from 66 ng g−1 lipid to 19 ng g−1, corresponding to a yearly decrease of about 26%. The analogous analysis was not done for p,p′-DDE since the median serum concentration in 2004 was below the LOD.