Persistent Environmental Contaminants

updated Jan 25, 2011 by Maria Mergel

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Sean Foley

Overview

Persistent bioaccumulative toxicants (PBTs), also known as persistent environmental contaminants, persistent pollutants, or persistent toxic chemicals, are resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes. They have been observed to persist in the environment, be capable of long-range transport, bioaccumulate in human and animal tissue, biomagnify in food chains, and have potential significant impacts on human health and the environment.

PBT Chemicals

Persistent Environmental Contaminants
Name: Persistent Environmental Contaminant,
Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxicant (PBT), or Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP)
Use: varies, often restricted or banned (but still present in the environment)
Source: industry, waste sites, food chain, and environment
Toxicity/symptoms: range of toxic effects including developmental, learning and memory, and cancer
Regulatory facts: various local, national, and international agencies working to eliminate or greatly reduce
General facts: long history of use, bioaccumulates
Environment: global environmental contaminants
Recommendations: avoid, reduce use

Breaking News

PBT News from *Environmental Health News*

Breaking stories

Release of toxins were highest in Pacific Northwest in 2010.

Toxic releases up in 2010 Indiana Department of Environmental Management says.

Ethanol plants add to pollution in South Dakota.

Waxman requests chemicals data.

EPA analysis shows reduction in 2009 toxic chemical releases.

Toxic chemicals in toys: Limitations of current responses and recommendations for change.

Could estimating environmental risk soon be a click away?

New cancer findings bring urgency to chemicals laws.

New look at chemical safety.

County booms, landfill looms.

Unpublished CDC report indicates high pollutant levels in Great Lakes. See full Environmental Science & Technology article.

Study suggests good hygiene reduces exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants. See full Environmental Science & Technology article.

Teaching Resources

Powerpoint presentation on Persistent Environmental Contaminants

External Links

References

Wargo, John. Our Children's Toxic Legacy: How Science and Law Fail to Protect Us from Pesticides. Yale University Press, 2nd edition, (New Haven: 1998).

Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring Houghton Mifflin (Boston: 1994), 368 pages.

Atkin, J. and Klaus M. Leisinger, eds. Safe and Effective Use of Crop Protection Products in Developing Countries. CABI Publishing, CAB International. (2000). 163 pages.

Schmitt, C.J., and C.M. Bunck. "Persistent Environmental Contaminants in Fish and Wildlife." Retrieved from National Biological Service Website. Accessed on 3-19-2007.

_This article is tagged for development._
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{authors}Topic editor:Sean Foley
Lead author:Sean Foley
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h1. Overview


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Persistent bioaccumulative toxicants (PBTs), also known as persistent environmental contaminants, persistent pollutants, or persistent toxic chemicals, are resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes. They have been observed to persist in the environment, be capable of long-range transport, [bioaccumulate|bioaccumulation] in human and animal tissue, [biomagnify|biomagnification] in food chains, and have potential significant impacts on human health and the environment.
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h3. {color:#ff0000}PBT Chemicals{color}


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* [Chlordane]
* [Chlorinated Paraffins]
* [DDT]
* [Dieldrin]
* [Dioxin]
* [Endosulfan]
* [Endrin]
* [Heptachlor]
* [Hexachlorobenzene]
* [Lead]
* [Mercury]
* [PCBs]
* [Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)]
* [Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons]
* [Toxaphene]
{right-column}
|| Persistent Environmental Contaminants ||
| Name: Persistent Environmental Contaminant, |
| Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxicant (PBT), or Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) |
| Use: varies, often restricted or banned (but still present in the environment) |
| Source: industry, waste sites, food chain, and environment |
| Toxicity/symptoms: range of toxic effects including developmental, learning and memory, and cancer |
| Regulatory facts: various local, national, and international agencies working to eliminate or greatly reduce |
| General facts: long history of use, bioaccumulates |
| Environment: global environmental contaminants |
| Recommendations: avoid, reduce use |
\\

h1. Breaking News


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*PBT News from* \*[*Environmental Health News*|http://environmentalhealthnews.org/]\*
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*Breaking stories*

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* Unpublished CDC report indicates high pollutant levels in Great Lakes.  See full [Environmental Science & Technology article|http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/mar/policy/nl_greatlakes.html].

* Study suggests good hygiene reduces exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants.  See full [Environmental Science & Technology article|http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/mar/science/kb_wipes.html].

\\

h1. Teaching Resources


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* [Powerpoint presentation on Persistent Environmental Contaminants|^chp_14_sl_perchem.ppt]

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h1. External Links


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* [United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP)|http://pops.gpa.unep.org/].
* [Critical Contaminants in the Great Lakes - Human Health and the Great Lakes|http://www.great-lakes.net/humanhealth/fish/critical.html]
* [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Persistent Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) Chemical Program|http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pbt/].
* [U.S. Geological Survey|http://www.usgs.gov/].
* [Washington State Department of Ecology - Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxins|http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/pbt/pbtfaq.html] \- Information on this state's approach to persistent, bioaccumulative toxins.
* [Health Care Without Harm|http://www.noharm.org/]
* [Pesticide Action Network UK|http://www.pan-uk.org/banlindane/]
* [Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)|http://www.panna.org/]
* [Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC)|http://www.watoxics.org/]
* [Beyond Pesticides|http://www.beyondpesticides.org/]
* [Environmental Defense Fund/-/The Arctic at Risk: A Circumpolar Atlas of Environmental Concerns|http://rainbow.ldgo.columbia.edu/edf/]

h1. References


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Wargo, John. _Our Children's Toxic Legacy: How Science and Law Fail to Protect Us from Pesticides_. Yale University Press, 2nd edition, (New Haven: 1998).

Carson, Rachel. _Silent Spring_ Houghton Mifflin (Boston: 1994), 368 pages.

Atkin, J. and Klaus M. Leisinger, eds. _Safe and Effective Use of Crop Protection Products in Developing Countries._ CABI Publishing, CAB International. (2000). 163 pages.

Schmitt, C.J., and C.M. Bunck. "Persistent Environmental Contaminants in Fish and Wildlife." Retrieved from [National Biological Service Website|http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/noframe/u208.htm]. Accessed on 3-19-2007.

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Persistent Environmental Contaminants

Overview

PBT Chemicals

Breaking News

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References

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