Analysis on a toxin in the environment, PCB
As one of POPs, PCB pollution has a unimaginable impact on the environment. PCB mainly comes from the extensive use of PCB factories worldwide, such as the motor factory uses PCB as insulating oil, and chemical plant extensive uses PCB as heat carrier and lubricating oil. The corrosion resistance of coating in ship contains PCB, so if it is dissolved by seawater, it is also a considerable pollution source. PCB from such sources enters the drainage system with the forms of waste oil, slurry, and paint peeling, deposits on the bottom, then slowly flows to the water, and pollutes ecology system. PCB in the atmosphere are mainly attached to the particles, and attached on the suspended particulate matter in the water. Under the condition of strong agitation or the presence of surfactant, PCB can be partially soluble in water. The oil polluting the sea can cause PCB disperse in water, and flow along with water. A lot of PCB dissolve in the oil film floating in the surface of sea and make the surface layer of plankton suffer serious damage. After PCB pollutes the atmosphere, water and soil, it enters the organisms through the food chain.
It is estimated that the total PCB reach 250 thousand to 300 thousand tons in ocean, soil, and atmosphere all over the world, with a wide range of pollution. From the seal in the North Pole, the yellow flesh in Galapagos, to the sea birds' eggs in Antarctic Pole, it can be detected with PCB, so the PCB pollution has become a global problem. After PCB is absorbed by people or other animals, it can widely distribute throughout tissues, among which the fat has the most of content. The test on mammals with acute toxicity of has showed that rabbit is 8 ~ 11 ...
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...lychlorinated biphenyls. The methods mentioned above can be taken full use to deal with the PCB pollution.
Works Cited
Falck Jr, F., Ricci Jr, A., Wolff, M. S., Godbold, J., & Deckers, P. (1991). Pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyl residues in human breast lipids and their relation to breast cancer. Archives of Environmental Health, 47(2), 143-146.
Fein, G. G., Jacobson, J. L., Jacobson, S. W., Schwartz, P. M., & Dowler, J. K. (1984). Prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls: effects on birth size and gestational age. The Journal of pediatrics, 105(2), 315-320.
Safe, S. (1990). Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and related compounds: environmental and mechanistic considerations which support the development of toxic equivalency factors (TEFs). CRC Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 21(1), 51-88.
In 1966, Monsanto managers discovered that fish submerged in that creek turned belly-up within 10 seconds, spurting blood and shedding skin as if dunked into boiling water. They told no one. In 1969, they found fish in another creek with 7,500 times the legal PCB levels. They decided "there is little object in going to expensive extremes in limiting discharges." In 1975, a company study found that PCBs caused tumors in rats. They ordered its conclusion changed from "slightly tumorigenic" to "does not appear to be carcinogenic."
EPA. (2009, December 29). Retrieved January 15, 2011, from Toxicity and Exposure Assessment for Children's Health: http://www.epa.gov/teach/
The birth of a healthy child is a blessing. The prenatal period is susceptible in terms of embryonic development, and some exposures to teratogens can have adverse and lifelong affects on a baby. Although physical outcomes resulting from teratogen exposure cannot be reversed, with hope, some of the behavioral effects of Teratogens may have a decreased impact on the life of the child, though all mothers should pay special attention to the health of their child throughout their pregnancy.
Humans are among the many terrestrial mammals affected by the endocrine-disrupting capabilities of bisphenol A. The majority of human exposure comes from consumption of BPA from food products packaged in polycarbonate plastics (Crain et al., 2007). Laboratory studies done on mice indicate that exposure to high concentrations of BPA can cause pregnancy complications, reproductive organ defects, obesity, early puberty, and cancer (reviewed by Flint et al., 2012).
Exposure to medications or drugs during pregnancy can result in abnormalities such as withdrawal symptom, respiratory problems, growth retardation, developmental retardation, congenital heart defects, caudal deficiency and CNS defects. Known prenatal birth defects resulting from environmental toxins such as Lead, mercury or PCB’s are miscarriage, CNS damage, spasticity, mental retardation, skin discoloration and low birth weight.
Tobacco use during pregnancy is another environmental influence. The nicotine, carbon monoxide, and many other harmful chemicals mixed together in cigarettes are very harmful to the mother and especially the unborn child. This can cut off the baby’s oxygen supply, increase the risk of
During recent years, numerous newspaper and magazine articles have suggested that humans may be at risk because small amounts of well known environmental contaminants, such as dioxin, PCBs and DDT, can affect hormone levels. Hormones are produced by the endocrine system as regulators of biological function in target organs. Because hormones play a critical role in early development, toxicological effects on the endocrine system often have an impact on the reproductive system. The term endocrine disruptor is used to describe chemicals that can mimic hormones and may either enhance or counteract their effects. It has been suggested that these hormone changes can, in turn, lead to a variety of health problems including cancer, decreased fertility, and abnormalities in newborns.
There are many factors that are integrated into the successful development of a child from Prenatal growth into toddlerhood. Teratogens (outside factors) have a great impact on the babies’ inutero development. Some outside factors like second-hand smoke, smog, or fumes from cleaning chemicals can cause negative effects on the child inside the womb. A few major affects from teratogens could result in low birth weight, head circumference, slow physical growth as well as an effect on mental, behavioral and motor skills (Berk, 2003). The environment around the mother provides many of these outside factors affecting the baby’s growth. But the main link to teratogens during the gestation period is most likely the mother. Daniel S. Messinger and the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that 2.8% of pregnant women admitted to using illicit drugs during their pregnancy (1996). Through illicit drug use, tobacco use and alcohol use, the mother disrupts her baby’s growth with possibly permanent damage.
When pesticides are consumed by pregnant mothers, it has a serious impact on the fetus. A wide array of disabilities and illnesses can result from the ingestion of these chemicals. This problem can be essentially squashed if we as a community can become educated and make wise decisions about the foods we eat and how we go about cleaning them. Many scientists have shown the dangers associated with these chemicals, all we need to do is recognize their warnings and become knowledgeable in the subjects of organics and pesticides.
Although companies across the globe continue to produce multiple polycarbonate #7 plastic products with BPA, more is being noticed about the adverse health effects to humans can be harmful. Testing on mice has proven that some exposure to BPA can be linked to Cancer and neurological disorders. In countries which have banned the use of BPA in different products, would agree that this chemical is toxic and dangerous. However, as long countries like the United States, who do not currently support banning BPA countrywide due to limited scientific data to back all claims, BPA will continue to be a global issue which continues to be hidden in the dark and a mystery globally
By the oceans being polluted not only are animals affected humans are too. What some people don't know is that they are killing of and disturbing offspring by polluting waters. "Ocean pollution results in smaller catches of fish all over the world, either by killing fish directly, preventing them from breeding, or causing birth abnormalities. Seabirds are unable to breed and whales are poisoned. Pollution also seems to be responsible for a new disease among seals. Without even swallowed, plastic can kill seabirds, turtles, and other creatures by trapping them. People drinking water from polluted seas can become sick. Deadly infectious diseases like cholera and typhoid can break out." There are many different types of sizes of plankton everywhere in our ocean waters.
Y. Mato et al, "Toxic Chemicals Contained in plastic resin pellets in the marine environment- spatial difference in pollutant concentrations and the effects of resin type," Kanyo Kagakukaishi 15 (2002): 425-423
In recent years it has become clear that some environmental chemicals can cause risks to the developing embryo and fetus. Evaluating the developmental toxicity of environmental chemicals is now a prominent public health concern. The suspected association between TCE and congenital cardiac malformations warrants special attention because TCE is a common drinking water contaminant that is detected in water supplies throughout the U.S. and the world. There is a lot of concern about the clean up of toxic pollutants from the environment.
These fragments absorb all the toxins that pollute waterways, contaminate soil, and sicken animals (which are then consumed). Plastic trash also absorbs organic pollutants such as BPA. They take centuries to decompose while sitting in landfills, amounting to billions of environmentally poisonous time bombs. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound used to create polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics are found in a wide range of products, but food and drink containers are the most concerning.
Various medical journals, research papers, and critics have pushed to ensure that people aren’t exposed to these harmful chemicals, by increasing overall public awareness. Currently, there is a steadily growing stigma against plastics, resulting in many people opting to use safer alternatives to plastics for utensils and liquid containers (glass and metal water bottles over plastic). If asked, almost any person would say no to the question of, “Would you be ok with plastics in the drinking water, or in your food?” However, most people don’t realize that the careless disposal of plastics in waterways and oceans results in the creation of microplastics, which fish and other wildlife consume. Microplastics are mainly formed in the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch”: the Pacific Ocean’s currents cause millions of tons of plastics to slowly degrade from the extensive exposure to sunlight and abrasion from water. As a result,