Hexachlorobiphenyl

One of the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) used for a variety of industrial purposes, including the manufacture of capacitors, transformers, and other electrical equipment. PCBs resist breakdown, accumulate in fat, and concentrate up the food chain, making fatty fish, dairy products, and meat the main dietary exposure routes for people. Manufacture is banned worldwide under the Stockholm Convention, but legacy contamination of the environment means monitoring in food continues. Food-safety programmes measure PCB levels in vulnerable commodities and set maximum levels to keep dietary exposure as low as possible.