Chapter One: Perspective on Halogenated Organic Compounds
Citation:
Kodavanti, P., L. Costa, AND M. Aschner. Chapter One: Perspective on Halogenated Organic Compounds. Edition 1, Chapter 1, Prasada Rao Kodavanti, Lucio G. Costa, Michael Aschner (ed.), Neurotoxicity of Halogenated Organic Compounds. ELSEVIER, AMSTERDAM, Holland, 10:1-25, (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.ant.2023.06.001
Impact/Purpose:
This Book Chapter is a part of a volume entitled "Neurotoxicity of Halogenated Organic Compounds" for series entitled "Advances in Neurotoxicology". This chapter offers a perspective on Halogenated Organic Compounds (HOCs) focusing on three classes of compounds, chlorinated, brominated, and fluorinated ones. This chapter provides background information, different classes, distribution, environmental contamination, and global distribution. In addition, health effects in humans and animals were described briefly focusing on nervous system effects as other chapters in this volume explains more and offer more details. For general public, regulators, and other scientists in this field, this information is very useful to understand the nature of these HOCs.
Description:
During the past century, a vast number of organic chemicals have been manufactured and used in industrial, agricultural, public health, consumer products, and other applications. The widespread use in bulk quantities of halogenated organic chemicals (HOCs; also called as Organohalogens), including chlorinated, brominated, and fluorinated compounds, and their persistent nature have resulted in global environmental contamination. Increasing levels of HOCs in environmental media (i.e., air, water, soil, sediment) and in human tissues including adipose tissue, breast milk, and placenta continue to be a cause of ecological and human health concern. Human exposure can occur through multiple pathways including direct skin contact, inhalation, drinking water, and mainly through food consumption. HOCs exposure has been implicated in a myriad of health effects including reproductive, neurological, immunological, endocrine, behavioral, and carcinogenic effects in both wildlife and humans. In addition, recent studies indicate that exposure to HOCs contribute to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Because of these adverse health effects, several regulatory agencies either banned or placed severe restrictions on their production and usage. In turn, many industries withdrew from production and usage of HOCs. This action resulted in decline of older HOCs such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), but more recent HOCs such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) shows a steady increase/stable with time in the global environment. Based on their use pattern and their persistent chemical properties, human exposure to HOCs will likely continue. Hence, understanding human health effects and taking preventive measures for such exposures are necessary.
