New research from the University of Iowa shows that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chemicals known to cause cancer in humans, are present in older schools and that the source of the PCBs is most likely outdated building materials, such as window caulking and light ballasts.
The multi-year study by the Iowa Superfund Research Program at the UI is the largest yet to examine airborne PCBs in schools. It shows that though the presence of PCBs can vary from school to school and even classroom to classroom, children’s exposure rates are roughly the same in rural and urban areas. It also shows that exposure to PCBs by inhalation may be equal to or higher than exposure through diet, a finding that surprised researchers.
Researchers collected indoor and outdoor air samples at six schools in …
Source: Iowa Now
