FireMaster BP-6 is a commercial polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) preparation containing a complex mixture of isomers with the major component being identified as 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl. Column chromatographic techniques have been developed in which the crude FireMaster is separated into three fractions, F1, F2, and F3, in increasing order of polarity. F1 consists of highly purified 2,2',...

Male, albino rats of the F-344/N strain and mice of the B6C3F1 strain were dosed by gavage, 5 days per week for a toal of 22 doses with 0.03--30 mg/kg of FireMaster FF-1, 0.168-16.8 Mg/kg of 2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexabromobiphenyl (HBB), or corn oil vehicle. A battery of tests was administered at the end of repeated dosing (30 day examination) and 30 days after dosing ceased (60 day test). FF-1 and, t...

In a preliminary study, 12 male and 12 female weanling Sherman strain rats were given a single dose of 1000 mg polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) FireMaster FF1 Lot 7042 kg/body weight as a 5% solution in corn oil. Three male and three female weanling rats were given corn oil. One day after dosing PBB blood levels ranged from 78 to 162 ppm and 42 days later they ranged from 1.1 to 2.99 ppm. The li...

One of the major biochemical effects of PCBs is the induction of microsomal enzymes in the liver. Risebrough et al. (1) suggested that PCBs have the capability to induce the activities of microsomal enzymes. Subsequently, Street et al. (2), demonstrated the induction of liver enzymes in rats by PCBs. Since then, a great number of articles have been published on this subject. The enzyme systems ...

The composition, environmental fate, and effects of the polybrominated biphenyls (Firemaster BP-6 or FF-1) involved in the accidental contamination of cattle feed in Michigan in 1973 are reviewed. Toxic effects referred to in this report are limited to those occurring in domestic and laboratory animals and include general toxicity, neurobehavioral toxicity, immunotoxicity, reproductive toxicity...