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Session Evaluation

AOHC 2026 Concurrent Sessions

Environmental Health

310 - Summary of findings from exposure to PCBs in a school.

Tuesday, April 21, 2026
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM CT
Location: Chicago Ballroom X
Claim 1.0 CME

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.


Disclosure(s):

Kenneth Richard Spaeth, MD, MPH, MOEH: No financial relationships to disclose
Pamela J. Anderson-Mahoney, MS, PhD: No financial relationships to disclose
James G. Dahlgren, MD: PacTox: Ownership Interest (Ongoing)
Session Description: This session reviews epidemiologic evidence from a contaminated school site where airborne lower-chlorinated PCBs were linked to health effects among teachers, staff, and students. OEM physicians are more likely to be aware of PCB exposure through ingestion of contaminated food, but less informed about inhalation as a toxicologically and clinically relevant pathway. Attendees will learn how inhalation exposure differs, why risk may be increasing with aging infrastructure and fluorescent light ballasts, and what sentinel health effects may indicate exposure. Descriptive epidemiological findings from those exposed, including teachers, staff, parents and students (even upon reaching adulthood) will be discussed. Practical steps for evaluating environmental sources, recognizing symptoms, and improving clinical suspicion in patients who work or study in older buildings will be discussed.

Educational Gaps: OEM Clinicians tend to be untrained in the hazards from inhalation of PCBs despite mounting evidence that airborne lower-chlorinated PCBs pose health risks in schools and public buildings. OEM physicians should better recognize symptoms, assess environmental sources, and address risks for both staff and students.

Is this session being sponsored by an ACOEM Section or Component?: Yes,
Environmental Health
Occupational Toxicology

Has this session previously been presented?: N/A

The AOHC 2026 theme is Healthy workers. Healthy world: The AOHC 2026 theme emphasizes the need to address occupational hazards not only in traditional workplace settings but also in the environments where people learn, grow, and build their futures. Airborne polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) exemplify this broader perspective: once primarily viewed as an industrial hazard, they are now recognized as a continuing environmental and public health challenge.

Learning Objectives:

  • Broadening Clinical Awareness: Physicians are generally aware of foodborne PCB risks but less prepared to recognize or address inhalation exposures. By bridging this knowledge gap, clinicians can better safeguard the health of both workers and the communities they serve.
  • Promoting Environmental Justice: Schools with aging infrastructure are disproportionately located in lower-income communities. Identifying airborne PCB exposure risks in these settings speaks directly to the need for equity in occupational and environmental health protections.
  • Strengthening Prevention and Surveillance: By recognizing sentinel symptoms, clinicians can serve as the first line of detection for environmental hazards. Their vigilance helps prevent ongoing harm, improves workplace safety, and extends protection to students and families, thereby promoting the “Healthy World” vision.