Organochlorine Compounds in the Environment

Abstract

Recent pollution by organochlorine compounds (OCs) has been found to cause ecological damage, initially by causing declining populations. Poisoning of animals having high OC levels was often found to be similar to poisoning of man and animals in dioxin accidents. Dioxin toxicity has been shown to occur from structural binding of the toxin to a cytosolic receptor, and this action has been extended to many planar and coplanar aromatic OCs which are released into the environment from pesticide uses, dumping of chlorophenol wastes, chlorobleaching of pulp, chlorodisinfection of water, and combustion of OCs or chloride-containing materials. More efficient combustion has been developed to restrict OC emissions. Recent analyses of wildlife samples have shown that certain planar or coplanar aromatic chlorohydrocarbons and ethers, instead of the notorious polychlorinated dibenzo dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), could be the most important receptor-specific environmental toxins. Despite the fact that the pollution of the aquatic ecosystem by the forest industry in many areas is decreasing due to improved processes and treatment plants, organochlorine bleaching products still appear to have importance due to harmful discharges, especially since they still cause taste problems in seafood due to the bioaccumulation of chloroanisoles and chloroveratroles.