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Persistent Organic Pollutants and Dioxins
Michael A. Trush, PhD
Johns Hopkins University
Section A
General Overview of Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs)
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The Toxicological Paradigm
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Persistent Organic Pollutants
! Remain in the environment for a long time
! Resist chemical and biological degradation
! Can travel long distances
! Bioaccumulate and biomagnify up the food chain
! Have found their way into every living organism on earth
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Environmental Chemicals in Us
This image can not be provided due to
copyright
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Examples of POPs
! Pesticides
- Aldrin
- Hexachlorobenzene
- Chlordane
- DDT/DDE
- Dieldrin
- Endrin
- Toxaphene
- Mirex
- Heptachlor
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Examples of POPs
! Polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins (PCDDs)
! Polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs)
! Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
! Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs)
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PCDDs, PCDFs, PCBs: Have Similar Chemical Structures
10
9
Cl
10 A
1
O
8
Cl
2
X
X
3A
3
7
Cl
Cl
O
6
X
4
5
1
Cl
8
Cl
Cl
3
6
O
5
4
3
Cl
2
7
Cl
Cl
2,3,7,8 - Tetrachlorodibenzo - p - dioxin
9
X
Cl
2,3,7,8 - Tetrachlorodibenzofuran
2'
2
1
4
5
6
3'
1'
4'
6'
Cl
5'
3, 3', 4, 4' - Tetrachlorobiphenyl
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PCDDs, PCDFs, PCBs: Have Similar Chemical Structures
10
9
Cl
10 A
1
O
8
Cl
2
X
X
3A
3
7
Cl
Cl
O
6
X
4
5
1
Cl
8
Cl
Cl
3
6
O
5
4
3
Cl
2
7
Cl
Cl
2,3,7,8 - Tetrachlorodibenzo - p - dioxin
9
X
Cl
2,3,7,8 - Tetrachlorodibenzofuran
2'
2
1
4
5
6
3'
1'
4'
6'
Cl
5'
3, 3', 4, 4' - Tetrachlorobiphenyl
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Regulatory Status of Short List in Six Countries
USA
China
India
Mexico
U.K.
Canada
DDT
!
"
"
#
!
"
Aldrin
!
#
#
!
!
"
Dieldrin
!
#
"
!
!
"
Endrin
!
#
"
!
!
"
Chlordane
#
"
#
#
!
"
Heptachlor
#
#
#
"
!
"
Hexachlorobenzene
!
!
#
Mirex
!
"
Toxaphene
!
#
!
!
!
"
Dioxins/Furans
BP
BP
BP
BP
BP
BP
PCBs
!
"
!
! Banned
" Severely restricted
" No registered uses but unofficially banned
# Not banned or severely restricted; may be registered or unregistered
BP Still produced as a by-product of various industrial processes
Source: (Feb 1998). PSR Monitor.
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