Evaluation of Persistence and Long-Range Transport of Organic Chemicals in the Environment - Hardcover

9781880611227: Evaluation of Persistence and Long-Range Transport of Organic Chemicals in the Environment

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1880611228 ISBN 13: 9781880611227

Publisher: SETAC Press, 2001

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are bioaccumulative and toxic organic compounds of natural or anthropogenic origin that resist photolytic, chemical, and biological degradation. They have low water solubility and high lipid solubility, resulting in bioaccumulation in fatty tissues of living organisms. POPs may be transported in the environment at low concentrations by movement of fresh and marine waters. Because of their semi-volatility, POPs can also be transported long distances in the atmosphere, resulting in widespread distribution around the earth, including in regions where they were never produced or used. Thus, both humans and ecosystems may be exposed, in many cases for extended periods of time.

In 1998, a SETAC workshop brought together experts from academia, industry, government, and non-governmental organizations to reach consensus on where we are today and what we can accomplish with the current scientific understanding, as well as what should be done in the future as we address this issue. From this dialogue came the final proceedings, which are presented here.

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