Environmental Fate, Toxicity, and Risk Assessment of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

Abstract

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are ubiquitous compounds of a natural or anthropogenic source that resist chemical, photolytic, and biological degradation. They are recognized by low solubility in water and high solubility in lipids, ensuing bioaccumulation primarily in fat tissues of living organisms and its toxic effects. Scientists are paying attention to studying the environmental fate and behaviour of the POPs, largely when local releases have resulted in the distribution of pollutants far away from the source region. With the evidence of long-range transport of these chemicals to distant regions, the global community has called for immediate worldwide plans to diminish and eliminate releases of POPs. Global distributions of POPs have become governed progressively by phase partitioning between environmental reservoirs, such as air, soil, water, vegetation, and ice, where POPs accumulate during the original applications. At present, further transport occurs within the atmospheric and aquatic reservoirs. Due to their ubiquitous occurrence, they have become a subject of threat to both humans and biota. The epidemiological and experimental studies available so far suggest the carcinogenic, endocrine disruption potential along with a severe impact on reproductive health and development of the tested species of rodents. The POPs such as PCBs, DDT, PBDEs, dioxins and furans, PFOA, HCBs, and other organochlorine pesticides also cause neurotoxicological effects, immunological effects, thyroid system effects, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.