Polychlorinated Biphenyls: A Review of Recent Updates on Food Safety and Environmental Monitoring, Health and Toxicological Implications, and Analysis

A class of organic chemicals known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) consists of chlorine, hydrogen, and carbon atoms. High boiling points, chemical stability, non-flammability, and insulating properties have enabled them to be used in various industries. Because of their high toxicity, PCBs were one of the first industrial compounds to be banned from production. These compounds have high-fat solubility with bioaccumulation and biomagnification properties in the environment, food chain, and individuals. Hence, they may have an impact not only on individual organisms but ultimately on whole ecosystems. The main sources of PCB exposure are food and environmental pollutants. In the toxicology of PCBs, oxidative stress plays the most influential function. The induction of CYP1A1 due to the high affinity of PCBs for aryl hydrocarbon receptors is considered a trigger for oxidative stress. Production of reactive oxygen species and depletion of glutathione occur due to phase I and II metabolism, respectively. Thus, cellular redox balance may be disrupted in the presence of PCBs and their metabolites. Chronic and long-term exposure to these compounds can often lead to life-threatening diseases, like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, cancer, and reproductive and endocrine disorders. We present the current knowledge of the routes of PCB exposure and bioaccumulation, the outlook regarding environmental and food safety, the potential role of PCBs in various diseases, the principal mechanisms responsible for PCB toxicity, and the main detection techniques used for PCBs.

Automated summary

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are organic chemicals composed of chlorine, hydrogen, and carbon atoms. They have been widely used in various industries due to their high boiling points, chemical stability, non-flammability, and insulating properties. However, PCBs are highly toxic and have been banned from production. They have the ability to accumulate and magnify in the environment and can have negative impacts on organisms and ecosystems. PCB exposure mainly occurs through food and environmental pollutants, and oxidative stress is the most influential mechanism of PCB toxicity.