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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCHES IN BIOSCIENCES, AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY © VISHWASHANTI MULTIPURPOSE SOCIETY (Global Peace Multipurpose Society) R. No. MH-659/13(N) www.vmsindia.org CHEMICALS PERSISTENCE IN THE BIOSPHERE: A GLOBAL ISSUE

Reshal Deshmukh and Yogita Meshram Department of Chemistry ,Shivaji Science College,Nagpur(M.S) India [email protected]

ABSTRACT Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. With the evidence of long-range transport of these substances to regions where they have never been used or produced and the consequent threats they pose to the environment of the whole globe, the international community has now, at several occasions, called for urgent global actions to reduce and eliminate releases of these chemicalsbecause they are highly toxic to humans and the environment, Persist in the environment, resist bio-degradation, Take up and bio-accumulate in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, Capable of long-range, transboundary atmospheric transport and deposition. KEY WORDS- Persistent Toxic Substances , Monitoring Process

Introduction Convention a scientific review process that has Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic led to the addition of other POPs chemicals of chemicals that adversely affect human health global concern. dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and the environment around the world. Because (DDT) dieldrin endrin heptachlor they can be transported by wind and water, hexachlorobenzene mirex toxaphene most POPs generated in one country can and do polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) affect people and wildlife far from where they are polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins(dioxins) used and released. They persist for long periods polychlorinated dibenzofurans (furans) of time in the environment and can accumulate Persistent organic pollutants (POP s) and pass from one species to the next through are organic compounds that are resistant the food chain. To address this global concern, to environmentaldegradationthrough chemical, the United States joined forces with 90 other biological, and photolytic processes. Because of countries and the European Community to sign this, they have been observed to persist in the a groundbreaking United Nations treaty Exit in environment, to be capable of long-range Stockholm, Sweden, in May 2001. Under the transport, bioaccumulate in human andanimal treaty, known as the Stockholm Convention, tissue, bioaccumulate in food chains, and to countries agreed to reduce or eliminate the have potential significant impacts on human production, use, and/or release of chemicals health and the environment. Many POPs are and specified under the Convention a scientific currently or were in the past used as pesticides. review process that has led to the addition of Others are used in industrial processes and in other POPs chemicals of global concern. the production of a range of goods such A Global Issue as solvents, polyvinyl chloride, Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic and pharmaceuticals. There are a few natural chemicals that adversely affect human health sources of POPs, such as volcanic activity and and the environment around the world. Because vegetational fires but most POPs are created by they can be transported by wind and water, humans in industrial processes, either most POPs generated in one country can and do intentionally or as byproducts Public concern affect people and wildlife far from where they are about contamination by POPs exists, due to the used and released. They persist for long periods multitude of evidence showing the negative of time in the environment and can accumulate effects of POPs on human health and the and pass from one species to the next through environment. Several compounds have been the food chain. To address this global concern, identified as hormone disruptors which can the United States joined forces with 90 other alter normal function of endocrine and countries and the European Community to sign reproductive systems in humans and a groundbreaking in Stockholm, Sweden, in May wildlife. Cardiovascular disease,cancer, obesity, 2001. Under the treaty, known as the and diabetes have also been linked to POPs. Stockholm Convention, countries agreed to Exposure to POPs during pregnancy has been reduce or eliminate the production, use, and/or linked to developmental defects in the resulting release of POPs and specified under the offspring. There are many risks and effects of

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having these chemicals in our environment. 12 years. Endrin is highly toxic to aquatic After these pollutants are put into the and humans as a neurotoxin. Human environment, they are able to stay in the system exposure results primarily through food. for decades causing problems such 4. Heptachlor, a pesticide primarily used to kill as cancer, birth-defects, learning disabilities, soil and termites, along with cotton immunological, behavioral, neurological and insects, grasshoppers, other crop pests, and reproductive disorders in humans and animals. malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Heptachlor, The effect of POPs on human and environmental even at every low doses has been associated health was discussed, with intention to with the decline of several wild bird eliminate or severely restrict their production, populations – Canadian geese and American by the international community at kestrels. In laboratory tests have shown high- the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic dose heptachlor as lethal, with adverse Pollutants in 2001. behavioral changes and reduced reproductive Initially the Stockholm Convention recognized success at low-doses, and is classified as a only twelve POPs for their adverse effects on possible human carcinogen. Human exposure human health and the environment, placing a primarily results from food. global ban on these particularly harmful and 5. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), an industrial and toxic compounds and requiring its parties to technical chemical first introduced in 1945– take measures to eliminate or reduce the release 1959 to treat seeds because it can of POPs in the environmentAldrin, an kill fungi on food crops. HCB-treated seed used in soils to kill termites, grasshoppers, grain consumption is associated with Western corn rootworm, and others, is also photosensitive skin lesions, colic, debilitation, known to kill birds, fish, and humans. Humans and a metabolic disorder called porphyria are primarily exposed to through dairy turcica, which can be lethal. Mothers who products and meats. pass HCB to their infants through the 1. Chlordane, an insecticide used to control placenta and breast milk had limited termites and on a range of agricultural crops, reproductive success including infant death. is known to be lethal in various species of Human exposure is primarily from food. birds, including mallard ducks, bobwhite 6. Mirex, an insecticide used against ants and quail, and pink shrimp; it is a chemical that termites or as a flame retardant in plastics, remains in the soil with a reported half-life of rubber, and electrical goods. Mirex is one of one year. Chlordane has been postulated to the most stable and persistent pesticides, with affect the human immune system and is a half-life of up to 10 years. Mirex is toxic to classified as a possible human carcinogen. several plant, fish and crustacean species, Chlodane air pollution is believed the primary with suggested carcinogenic capacity in route of humane exposure. humans. Humans are exposed primarily 2. Dieldrin, a pesticide used to control termites, through animal meat, fish, and wild game textile pests, -borne diseases and Scope of the challenge insects living in agricultural soils. In soil and • Prevent the exposure of humans and the insects, aldrin can be oxidized, resulting in environment to harmful chemicals and waste rapid conversion to dieldrin. Dieldrin’s half-life of global importance. is approximately five years. Dieldrin is highly • Combine environmentally safe technologies toxic to fish and other aquatic animals, and systems with financial and organizational particularly frogs, whose embryos can develop mechanisms, policies, and practices that help spinal deformities after exposure to low levels. countries move towards innovative, rapid, Dieldrin has been linked to Parkinson's transformational change. disease, breast cancer, and classified as • Develop the enabling conditions, tools and immunotoxic, neurotoxic, with endocrine environment for the sound management of disrupting capacity. Dieldrin residues have harmful chemicals and wastes been found in air, water, soil, fish, birds, and • Reduce the prevalence of harmful chemicals mammals. Human exposure to dieldrin and waste and support the implementation of primarily derives from food. clean alternative technologies/substances 3. Endrin, an insecticide sprayed on the leaves of Of all the pollutants released into the crops, and used to control rodents. Animals environment every year by human activity, can metabolize endrin, so fatty tissue Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are among accumulation is not an issue, however the the most dangerous. POPs are pesticides, chemical has a long half-life in soil for up to industrial chemicals, or unwanted by-products

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of industrial processes that have been used for new system, if the results of these evaluations decades but have more recently been found to show that even if risk reduction measures are share a number of disturbing characteristics, taken, the chemical substance may have long- including: term toxicity and pose a risk of environmental • Persistence — they resist degradation in air, pollution, the government can direct the water, and sediments; manufacturer or importer to conduct a hazard • Bio-accumulation — they accumulate in living survey to establish/evaluate whether or not the tissues at concentrations higher than those in chemical substance has long-term toxicity. If the surrounding environment; this survey determines that the chemical • Long-range transport — they can travel great substance has long-term toxicity it shall be distances from the source of release through immediately designated as a Class I Specified Chemical Substance and its manufacture, air, water, and migratory animals, often contaminating areas thousands of kilometers import and/or use is to be de facto prohibited. away from any known source. References POPs are highly toxic and long-lasting, and 1. "The Dirty Dozen". United Nations Industrial cause an array of adverse effects, including Development Organization. Retrieved 27 disease and birth defects in humans and March 2014. animals. Some of the severe health impacts from

POPs include cancer, damage to the central and 2. Lee, D.H., Lee, I.K., Song, K., Steffes, M., peripheral nervous systems, reproductive Toscano, W. Baker, B.A., Jacobs, D.R. (2006). A Strong Dose-Response Relation disorders, and disruption of the immune Between Serum Concentrations of Persistent system. Organic Pollutants and Diabetes. Diabetes POPs do not respect international borders, and Cares. 29(7), 1638–1644. are often intergenerational, affecting both adults and their children. POPs can affect people and 3. Yu, G.W.,, Laseter, J., Mylander, C. Persistent organic pollutants in serum and wildlife even at very low doses. The serious several different fat compartments in environmental and human health hazards humans. J Environ Public Health. created by these chemicals particularly affect 2011;2011:417980. developing countries, where systems and 10.1155/2011/417980. PMID 21647350. technology for monitoring, tracking, and 4. Damstra, T. (2002). Potential Effects of disposing of them can be weak or nonexistent. Certain Persistent Organic Pollutants and Across Africa, for example, at least 50,000 tons Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals on Health of obsolete pesticides are contaminating soil, of Children. Clinical Toxicology . 40(4), 457– water, air, and food sources. 465. PMID 12216998 Monitoring Process 5. Walker, C.H., "Organic Pollutants: An The amended law introduces a scheme Ecotoxicological Perspective" (2001) that enables persistent and highly bioaccumulative chemical substances to be controlled by statute until their toxicological properties are revealed. In other words, the new scheme classifies persistent and highly bioaccumulative substances as Type I Monitoring Chemical Substances and enables the government to grasp the use of these chemical substances by mandatory reporting of quantities manufactured or imported from manufacturers and importers. The manufacture of Type I Monitoring Chemical Substances is not restricted at the stage when they are so designated. After carrying out the stipulated exposure evaluation based on information concerning the notified manufacture and/or import volume and the use of the chemical substance, as necessary the government will carry out a preliminary toxicity evaluation of long-term toxicity for humans and top predators and a risk assessment. Under the

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