Research uncovering the harmful effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) production and pollution has advanced legislation in the United States and around the world. The controversy surrounding PCBs is largely centered on its possible adverse health effects on humans and animals. PCBs are manmade compounds that have been widely used in various electrical and industrial applications, including transformers and capacitors, electrical equipment, oil in motors, plastics, and construction. A key issue with PCB usage is that the compound’s structure is not biodegradable and persists in the environment for an extended period of time. PCBs and dioxin are among a class of similar toxic compounds that are persistent organic pollutants. PCBs have a …show more content…
Humans exposed to PCBs run the risk of many health c o m p l i c a t i o n s i n c l u d i n g a d v e r s e s k i n a n d l i v e r d a m a g e . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e s e a r c h Agency on Cancer, studies have found that PCBs are a definite carcinogen in humans and can cause cancer in animals as well ( IRAC Monographs, 2013). Individuals most at risk of PCB exposure are the employees who work in industrial settings. Studies have shown that mothers who worked with PCBs in factories gave birth to infants with lower birth weights and resulted in an increased number of premature births (PCBs and Human Health, …show more content…
When PCBs from plastics pollute the environment, they may contaminate water sources and become ingested by fish. The chemicals ingested by fish are then stored in fatty tissue and bioaccumulate up the food chain. Thus, humans who consume fish and other seafood may be consuming PCBs as well. Another key route of PCB exposure lies in the use of PCBcontaining personal care products. An increasing number of personal care products including facial scrubs, soaps, and toothpastes contain thousands of microplastics in the form of plastic microbeads. These beads are then flushed down drains and make their way into the environment via poor disposal methods or by other means as part of their intended use (PCBs and Human Health, 2016). Due to the potential adverse health effects of PCBs on populations, there has been considerable controversy surrounding PCB contaminations. In North Carolina in 1978, 31,000 gallons of PCBcontaminated oil was sprayed onto 240 miles of highway. In Clyde, Ohio, in 1996, a childhood cancer cluster surfaced affecting many families. The issue grew serious
Bisphenol A (BPA) has been commercially used since 1957, and has been employed to make certain plastics and epoxy resins. Bisphenol A has been made into a variety of common consumer goods, such as water bottles, CDs and DVDs. While in epoxy resins that contain Bisphenol A are used to line water pipes, coatings on the inside of beverage cans, and in thermal paper such as sales receipts. A research conducted by the Environmental Health Perspective has said that from the years 1992-1999 Bisphenol A has rose in human urine. In which has been resulted by the Environmental Health Perspective that the cause of rise of Bisphenol A in human consummation is the use of consumer goods such as the lining of beverage drinks, and certain water bottles (Environmental Health Perspective study WEB 2). Also with the rise of littering in the world such products are being thrown into lakes, ponds, and the oceans which is resulting in contamination. Which is greatly affecting the marine life, environment, and human life. So ultimately this experiment is being conducted to display the harmful physical effects of Bisphenol A on marine life, and if it can be later translated
Also depicted in this paper is the type of cancers caused by each chemical and other related health problems associated with each chemical. Finally, the role of government agencies such as FDA, EPA and OSHA in preventing excessive amount or zero amounts of toxic chemicals from entering the environment will be discussed. The last paragraphs will enumerate the inferred conclusion from my research on Agent Orange, DDT and Benzene.
Jamestown and Plymouth Plantation are just like any other city now, they are different in many ways but still are similar in ways. Plymouth Plantation had a leader, Bradford, he was very strong and knew what he was doing because of his experiences it didn't “crash and burn”. Unlike Jamestown's leader, Smith, he was a strong leader at first and he knew what he was doing but then he left and Jamestown went bad. Both of them were sent to go explore the new land and see what is in it. When going through it there were always obstacles, but they managed to overcome it and continue with their voyage.
From 1947 to 1977, these two plants legally discharged from 500,000 to 1.5 million pounds of PCBs into the Hudson, and unknowingly saturated the bedrock beneath both sites with at least that much again. There are PCBs in Hudson River water, biota, and sediment from Hudson Falls to New York City - 200 miles that comprise the nations largest Superfund site. Pure PCBs are oozing out of the bedrock to this day, constantly recontaminating the river and over 300,000 pounds remain concentrated in bottom sediments of the river today. The spread of PCBs throughout the Hudson River and the food chain, which it supports, has created one of the most extensive hazardous waste problems in the nation. Polychlorinated biphenyl’s (PCBs) are a group of synthetic oil-like chemicals (therefore insoluble in water) of the organochlorine family. Until their toxic nature was recognized and their use was banned in the 1970s, they were widely used as insulation in electrical equipment, particularly transformers. Reputable chemists have since concluded, “it was probably a mistake ever to make or use PCBs.” These are serious poisons, which have been shown to cause damage to the reproductive, neurological and immune systems of wildlife and humans and are known to cause cancer. Exposure has also been linked to behavioral damage. Specifically, because PCBs in the body mimic estrogen, women of childbearing age and their infants are particularly susceptible
Also depicted in this paper is the type of cancers caused by each chemical and other related health problems associated with each chemical. Finally, the role of government agencies such as FDA, EPA and OSHA in preventing excessive amount or zero amounts of toxic chemicals from entering the environment will be discussed. The last paragraphs will enumerate the inferred conclusion from my research on Agent Orange, DDT and Benzene.
The problem with plastic ending up in the ocean is that marine life is being harmed by the presence of it. A study done on the harbor seals in the Netherlands found that more than 12% had plastic in the digestive system (California Coastal Commission). The list of affected species indicates that marine debris is affecting a significant number of species. It affects at least 267 species worldwide, including 86% of all sea turtle species, 44% of all seabird species, and 43% of all marine mammal species (Save our shores). The problem is underestimated because the marine life that ingests plastic or dies from entanglement often goes undiscovered due to the vastness of the ocean, as they either sink or are eaten by predators before they are discovered (Plastic Debris). The potential harm from ingestion of plastics is not restricted to seabirds. Plastic bags drifting on ocean currents resemble the prey of turtles. There is evidence that their survival is being hindered by plastic debris with young sea turtles being vulnerable (Ocean pollution). Over the past 20 years polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have polluted marine food webs at an increasing rate, and are prevalent in seabirds. Though their adverse effects may not always be apparent, PCBs lead to reproductive disorders, increase the risk of disease and alter hormone levels. These chemicals have a detrimental effect on marine organisms even at very low levels and plastic pellets could be a route for PCBs into marine food
Between 1947-1977 General Electric (GE) dumped 1.3 million pounds of PCBs in the river polluting it and making it hazardous. Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, are used as an insulator and a fire preventer. They also can cause illnesses, such as cancer. If the fish take in the PCBs and then we eat the fish, we can get sick.
In 2002, a deceased female orca was discovered on Dungeness Spit in Washington. The dead orca contained 1000 parts per million (ppm) PCBs, an estimated six times more than the average Pacific Northwest orca (1). PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are a type of manufactured chemical. Their use was predominantly within electrical equipment, acting as coolants or lubricants, along with being used in paints, cement, or other common material (2). Such chemicals are a large issue in the PNW, despite being banned decades ago.
Between 2002 and 2005 alone, the amount of chemical substances produced or imported in the United States increased from 42 billion pounds per day to 74 billion pounds per day. The amount of chemicals in commerce in the United States has increased from 62,000 grandfathered chemicals in 1976, to almost 83,000 in 2008, a difference of more than 20,000. Of this 83,000, the EPA has only been able to ban or restrict five chemicals under TSCA: PCBs, dioxin, CFCs, hexavalent chromium, and asbestos. Additionally, the EPA has independently tested only 250 of the 83,000 registered chemicals in commerce in the United States. Richard Denison, a Senior Scientist for the Environmental Defense Fund explained these incredibly low numbers by stating, “TSCA places an impossibly high burden on EPA before it can act to control a chemical.” In fact, under TSCA, “the EPA can’t even require testing to determine whether a risk exists without first showing a risk is likely.” For that reason, a large majority of chemicals used in the United States have never been tested for health and environmental effects. Studies have shown that due to the proliferation of these chemicals into homes, workplaces, and schools, the average American has a detectable concentration of 300 environmental chemicals. Among other issues, many of these chemicals can affect brain and organ function and cause cancer. Consequently, it is clear that
Polychlorinated biphenyls is an industrial chemical that can be found in insulators, capacitors, or any electric appliances that are use everyday. This potential toxic may affect a local community that live near the Hudson River because they are being exposed to the chemicals that are transmitted through the environment. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency website, they stated, “Once PCBs entered the river, they were deposited and mixed with the sediments at many locations on the river bottom and at some locations along the shoreline in the floodplain. PCBs build up in the environment (bioaccumulate), increasing in concentration as you move up the food chain.” (“EPA”, 2016) This shows that it is possible for this toxic to leak into the river which would be consumed by living organism that live there such as fishes. Rivers plays a major role moving PCBs throughout moving waters because it can locate PCBs anywhere. Also, according to the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration website, they states, “Microorganisms, such as bacteria, algae, or fungi, biodegrade PCBs when found in soil or sediments.”(“NOAA”, 2014) This shows how it is possible for this toxin to hit land because it would be sunk into the soil, which can impact anyone who comes in contact with the dirt. This would result in being intoxicated with PCBs in the long run and would harm their health if they are not full aware of this
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
With the combination of polymers that don’t biodegrade and mass overproduction, companies are harming the environment in severe ways. Plastic, a material seen everywhere, is a polymer made from oil. It is mass produced to make everything from shampoo bottles to automobiles and does not biodegrade. When it is eventually thrown out, the waste usually finds it way into the ocean, where it is either buried under sediment or eaten by marine life (Weisman 287-295). Creating a material that will ultimately kill marine life will undoubtedly wreak havoc on the
Sika Group (Sika) is a globally integrated groupengaged in the field of specialty chemicals. Theoperations of the company are divided into twobusiness divisions namely the construction divisionand the industry division. Sika offers processingmaterials, which are used in sealing, bonding,damping, reinforcing and protecting
Some people would say that because PCB’s and Dioxins cause cancer that they should be done away with. However they do not realize that this would mean giving up their electricity in their homes and their transportation. This is because every home uses a transformer to convert its electricity to a usable voltage. And without capacitors to keep the amperage and voltage in phase cars would not run properly. (1)
PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls) and dioxins have been in focus recently as there are concerns that the different structures are appearing to mimic the effects of female oestrogenic hormones. (Gray 1996) These chemicals can cause genetic chromosomal problems and major concerns to the reproductive effectiveness of marine animals. Oil spills and the burning of wood and coal can cause poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which has a negative effect on all wildlife causing genetic abnormalities. (EMCBTAP-ENVIS Newsletter 2002).