VALIDATING A PHARMACOKINETIC MODEL OF POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs) USING BLOOD LEVELS IN CHILDREN FROM BIRTH UP TO 22 MONTHS OF AGE

Background and aims: Recent evidence suggests that not only can PCBs disrupt neurodevelopment following prenatal exposure, but also that there are postnatal windows of susceptibility during which exposure may impact additional processes. Estimation of children exposure during different time windows is crucial when assessing such chemically induced ailments. However, the validation of a previously developed pharmacokinetic tool was restricted to the first 6 months of life. We aimed at validating a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for the postnatal exposure to PCBs using blood levels sampled up to 22 months of age in a birth cohort of children from Slovakia. Methods: We simulated blood PCB-153 level profiles in 328 children with sufficient information on cord blood levels, weight and height at or close to blood sampling times, duration of breast-feeding, gender and blood levels at two time points (on average at 6 and 16 months, ranging from 5 to 22 months). Predictions were compared to mea...