Transformation of Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans in the Environment

Title:Transformation of Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans in the Environment

Volume: 22 Issue: 11

Author(s): Chenxi Zhang, Xiaomin Sun*Mei Li*

Affiliation:

• Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan 250100,China

• Institute of Mass Spectrometer and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632,China

Keywords: PCDD/Fs, sources, concentrations, dry and wet deposition, photolysis, oxidation degradation, biodegradation.

Abstract: Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) are toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic, causing great concern in the public. This review analyzes the properties, toxic effects and sources of PCDD/Fs. The distribution in various environmental compartments, including air, water, soil and sediments, are described. Further, the transformation of PCDD/Fs in the environment was emphatically discussed. The result shows that the fate of PCDD/Fs is mainly controlled by their gasparticle distribution behavior. For gas-phase PCDD/Fs, they are primarily depleted by photolysis and reactions with atmospheric oxidants. For particle-phase PCDD/Fs, dry and wet deposition are the effective removal mode. In the water body, the PCDD/Fs will be inclined to deposit in the sediment. Biodegradation may be a possible environment fate for the PCDD/Fs in sediments. Moreover, PCDD/Fs can enter into the atmosphere in the form of volatilization, especially in the summer. In the soil, the PCDD/Fs can be degraded through anaerobic dechlorination and aerobic dioxygenation, as well as by gas exchange across the air-soil interface. It has a strong net volatilized from the soil into the air for the PCDD/Fs with six or fewer chlorine atoms, while the hepta- and octachloroisomers are approached to the main air-soil exchange balance.

Cite this article as:

Zhang Chenxi , Sun Xiaomin *, Li Mei *, Transformation of Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans in the Environment, Current Organic Chemistry 2018; 22 (11) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1385272822666180419155257