The report analyzes the exposure of the human population to hexachlorobenzene (HCB), a fully chlorinated, six-membered aromatic carbon compound that has been used as a pesticide and is also present as a contaminant in other agriculturally dispersed organochlorine compounds. HCB also has been used, in the past, in several manufacturing processes not related directly to agriculture. It has been detected in nearly all human fat samples monitored in the U.S.A. Section 2 of the report lists the chemical and physical properties of HCB. Section 3 presents a source assessment, which contains estimates on HCB releases to the environment. Section 4 provides information of the environmental fate of HCB in air, water, and soil, along with a discussion of the bioaccumulation of HCB in plants and animals. A discussion of the available monitoring data is included in Section 5. Section 6 presents the modeling results of the estimated HCB concentrations in air near incinerators that may release HCB and in air and ground water near model landfills that contain HCB. Several exposure scenarios are presented in Section 7. Finally, conclusions and hypotheses are provided in Section 8.

"EPA Contract No. 68-02-3968." "September 1986." "EPA 560/5-86-019." Prepared by Versar Inc. of Springfield, Va.