Persistent organic compounds in the environment their impact on human health: A review

Om Prakash Bansal

doi:10.30574/gscbps.2019.8.2.0145

Authors

Om Prakash Bansal Chemistry Department, D.S. College, Aligarh-202001, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2019.8.2.0145

Keywords:

Persistent organic compounds, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Environment, Human health, Polychlorinated biphenyls

Abstract

Globally the organic contaminants are most widespread persistent organic compounds (POPs). The POPs include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated di benzo -p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, antimicrobials, etc. The PAHs are generated by incomplete combustion of coal, diesel, coal tar pitch, tobacco; volcanic eruption and motor vehicle exhaust, etc.; the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCCDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are introduced in the environment via agricultural applications, industrial waste, household wastes. Major exposure routes to the POPs for humans are via inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact. These contaminants are deposited in marine, freshwater ecosystem and food chain and have adverse effects on organisms and human health. Some of these chemicals have mutagenic and/or carcinogenic properties. In this review methods of the removal of the PAHs have also been discussed.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Wang L, Xu X and Lu X. (2016). Composition, source and potential risk of polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in vegetable soils from the suburbs of Xianyang, Northwest China: a case Study. Environmental Earth sciences, 75, 1-13.

Odabasi M, Dumanoglu Y, Kara M, Altiok H, Elbir T and Bayram A.(2016). Spatial variations of PAHs and PCBs in Coastal air, seawater and sediments in a heavily industrialized region. Organohalogen Compounds, 78, 592-593.

Umweltbundesamt (Hrsg). (2016). In Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Harmful to the Environment! Toxic! Inevitable? Dr. Marc Brandt, Doreen Einhenkel-Arle (Eds.) Publisher: German Environment Agency Section IV 2.3 PO Box 14 06 06813 Dessau-Roßlau January 2016.

Schuhmacher M, Mari M, Nadal M and Domingo JL. (2019). Concentrations of dioxins and furans in breast milk of women living near a hazardous waste incinerator in Catalonia, Spain. Environment International, 125, 334-341.

Brajenović N, Karačonji IB and Jurič A. (2018). Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in human milk samples in European countries. Archives Industrial Hygiene Toxicology, 69, 135-153.

Bansal V and Kim Ki-Hyun. (2015). Review of PAH contamination in food products and their health hazards. Environment International, 84, 26-38.

World Health Organization (WHO). (2007). The use of DDT in malaria vector control. WHO Position Statement, 2011 World Health Organization 20. Avenue Appia – CH-1211 Geneva 27 infogmp@who.int.

Van den Berg H. (2009). Global status of DDT and its alternatives for use in vector control to prevent disease. Environmental Health Perspective, 117, 1656–1663.

IPCS (International Programme on Chemical Safety) (2010). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, selected non heterocyclic.

Unwin J, Cocker J, Scobbie E and Chambers H. (2006). An assessment of occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the UK. Annual Occupational Hygiene, 50, 395–403.

Adenijj O, Okoh OO and Okoh AI. (2019). Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Water and Sediment of Buffalo River Estuary, South Africa and Their Health Risk Assessment.

Cachada A, Da Silva EF, Durate AC and Pereira R. (2016). Risk assessment of urban soils contamination: The particular case of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Science of the Total Environment, 551-552, 271-284.

Igwe JC and Ukaogo PO. (2015). Environmental Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. Journal of Natural Sciences 5, 117-132.

Gao P, da Silva E, Hou L, Denslow ND, Xiang P and Ma LQ. (2018). Human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Metabolics perspective. Environment International, 119, 466-477.

Thompson LA, Ikenaka Y, Yohannes YB, van Vuren JJ,Wepener V and Smit J. (2017) . Concentrations and human health risk assessment of DDT from KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A, 34, 1959-1969.

Cohn BA, La Merrill M, Krigbaum NY, Yeh G, Park JS, Zimmermann L and Cirillo PM. (2015). DDT Exposure in Utero and Breast Cancer. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 100, 2865–2872.

Mladenovi´c M, Arsi´c BB, Stankovi´c N, Nezrina Mihovi´c N, Ragno R, Regan A, Mili´cevi´c JS, Trti´c-Petrovi´c TM and Mici´c R. (2018). The Targeted Pesticides as Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors: Comprehensive Cross-Organism Molecular Modelling Studies Performed to Anticipate the Pharmacology of Harmfulness to Humans In Vitro. Molecules, 23, 2192-2203.

Pongpiachan S, Hattayanone M and Cao J. (2017). Effect of agricultural waste burning season on PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels in Northern Thailand. Atmospheric Pollution Research, xxx, 1-12, 1309-1042.

Wang X, Thai PK, Li Y, Li Q, Wainright W, Hawker DW and Muller JF. (2016). Changes in atmospheric concentrations of Polycyclic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls between the 1990 and 2010 in an Australian city and the role of bushfires as a source. Environmental Pollution, 213, 223-231.

Kong S, Li X, Li L, Yin Y, Chen K, Yuan L, Zhang Y, Shan Y and Ji Y. (2015). Variation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric PM 2.5 during winter haze period around 2014 Chinese Spring Festival at Nanjing: Insights of source changes, air mass direction and firework particle injection. Science of the Total Environment, 520, 59–72.

Choi SD. (2014). Time trends in the levels and patterns of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in pine bark, litter, and soil after a forest fire. Science Total Environment, 470,1441-1449.

Caruso JA, Zhang K, Schroeck NJ, McCoy B and McElmurry B. (2015). Petroleum Coke in the urban environment: A review of potential health effects. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12, 6218-6231.

Singh DK and Gupta T. (2016). Effect through inhalation on human health of PM1 bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons collected from foggy days in northern part of India. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 306, 257-268.

Pham CT, Tang N, Toriba A and Hayakawa, K. (2015). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Nitropolycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Atmospheric Particles and Soil at a Traffic Site in Hanoi, Vietnam. Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, 35, 355–371.

Orecchio S, Amorello D, Barreca S and Valenti, A. (2016). Wood pellets for home heating can be considered environmentally friendly fuels? Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in their ashes. Microchemical Journal, 124, 267–271.

Luo W, Gao J, Bi X, Xu L, Guo J, Zhang Q and Kang S. (2016). Identification of sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons based on concentrations in soils from two sides of the Himalayas between China and Nepal. Environmental Pollution, 212, 424–432.

Wang C, Dao X, Zhang LL, Lv YB and Teng EJ. (2015). Characteristics and toxicity assessment of airborne particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of four background sites in China: Zhongguo Huanjing Kexue/China. Environmental Science, 35, 3543–3549.

Li PH, Wang Y, Li YH, Li HL and Yi X. (2015). Origin and Distribution of PAHs in Ambient Particulate Samples at High Mountain Region in Southern China. Advances in Meteorology. 15,245438.

Shen G, Zhang Y, Wei S, Chen Y, Yang C, Lin P and Tao S. (2014). Indoor/outdoor pollution level and personal inhalation exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons through biomass fuelled cooking. Air quality. Atmosphere & Health, 7, 449–458.

Jiang YF, Yves UJ, Sun H, Hu XF, Zhan HY and Wu YQ. (2016). Distribution, compositional pattern and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban soils of an industrial city, Lanzhou, China. Ecotoxicological Environmental Safety, 126,154–162.

Karyab H, Yunesian M, Nasseri S, Mahvi A.H, Ahmadkhaniha R., Rastkari N and Nabizadeh R. (2013). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in drinking water of Tehran. Journal Environmental Health Science Engineering, 11, 25-37.

Edokpayi JN, Odiyo JO, Popoola OE and Msagati TAM. (2016). Determination and Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Rivers, Sediments and Wastewater Effluents in Vhembe District, South Africa. International Journal Environmental Research Public Health, 13, 387-394.

Tzoraki O, Karaouzas I, Patrolecco L, Skoulikidis N and Nikolaidis NP. (2015). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metal occurrence in bed sediments of a temporary river. Water Air Soil Pollution, 226, 421-430.

Malik A, Verma P, Singh AK and Singh KP. (2011). Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and bed sediments of the Gomti River, India. Environmental Monitoring Assessment, 172, 529–545.

Aly-Salem DMS, Abou-Elmagd F, Morsy M, El Nemr A, El-Sikaily A and Khaled A. (2014). The monitoring and risk assessment of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of the Red Sea, Egypt. The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research, 40, 333-348.

Maliszewska-Kordybach B, Smreczak B and Klimkowicz-Pawlas A. (2009). Concentrations, sources, and spatial distribution of individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in agricultural soils in the Eastern part of the EU: Poland as a case study. Science of the Total Environment, 407, 3746–3753.

Kumar V, Kothiyal N and Saruchi. (2016). Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon, Toxic Equivalency Factor and Related Carcinogenic Potencies in Roadside Soil within a Developing City of Northern India. Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, 36, 50-526.

Bortey-Sam N, Ikenaka Y, Nakayama SMM, Akoto O, Yohannes YB, Baidoo E, Mizukawa H and Ishizuka M. (2014).Occurrence, distribution, sources and toxic potential of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface soils from the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. Science Total Environment, 496,471-478.

Bi X, Luo W, Gao J, Xu L, Guo J, Zhang Q, Romesh KY, Giesy JP, Kang S and de Boer J. (2016). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils from the Central-Himalaya region: Distribution, sources, and risks to humans and wildlife. Science of the Total Environment, 556, 12–22.

Wang L, Zhang S, Wang L, Zhang W, Shi X, Lu X and Li X. (2018). Concentration and Risk Evaluation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Urban Soil in the Typical Semi-Arid City of Xi’an in Northwest China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(4), 607-618.

Zhao L, Dong YH and Wang H. (2013). Residues of organochlorine pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in farm-raised livestock feeds and manures in Jiangsu, China. The Science of the Total Environment, 450–451, 348-355.

Mohamed GG, Souaya ER, Khalil, LH, Rawash El-Shaimaa A, El-Shaimaa GA and El-Gammal MH. (2018). Distribution and Health Hazards of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Egyptian Milk and Dairy-Based Products. Beverages, 4, 63-72.

Grung M, Lin Y, Zhang H, Steen A, Huang J, Zhang G and Larssen T. (2015). Pesticide levels and environmental risks in aquatic environments in China, A review. Environment International, 81, 87–97.

Ogbeide O, Tongo I and Ezemonye L. (2015). Risk assessment of agricultural pesticides in water, sediment, and fish from Owan River, Edo state, Nigeria. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187, 654–666.

Yadav IC, Devi NL, Syed JH, Cheng Z, Li J, Zhang G and Jones KC. (2015). Current status of persistent organic pesticides residues in air, water, and soil, and their possible effect on neighbouring countries: a comprehensive review of India. Science of the Total Environment, 511, 123–137.

Mamta Rao RJ and Wani KA. (2015). Concentration of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides in different molluscs from Tighra reservoir, Gwalior, India. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 95, 332–339.

Barhoumi B, Lemenach K, Dévier MH, El Megdiche Y, Hammami B, Ben Ameur W, Hassine SB, Cachot J, Budzinski H and Driss MR. (2014). Distribution and ecological risk of polychlorinated 625 biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface sediments from the Bizerte lagoon, Tunisia. Environmental science and pollution research international, 21, 6290–6302.

Abdel-Shafy HI and Mansour MSM. (2016). A review on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Source, environmental impact, effect on human health and remediation. .Egyptian Journal of Petroleum, 25, 107-123.

Zhong Y and Zhu L. (2013). Distribution, input pathway and soil–air exchange of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Banshan Industry Park, China. Science of the Total Environment, 444, 177-182.

Bozlaker A, Odabasi M and Muezzinoglu A. (2008). Dry deposition and soil-air gas exchange of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in an industrial area. Environmental Pollution, 156, 784-793.

Wang Y, Li Peng-hui, Li Hong-li, Liu Xiao-huan and Wang Wen-xing. (2010). PAHs distribution in precipitation at Mount Taishan: China, Identification of sources and meteorological influences. Atmospheric Research, 95, 1-7.

Wu X, Fan Z, Zhu X, HwaJung K, Ohman-Strickland P, Weisel CP and Lioy PJ. (2012). Exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and associated health risks of socio-economically disadvantaged population in a “hot spot” in Camden, New Jersey. Atmospheric Environment, 57, 72-79.

Kacálková L and Tlustoš P. (2011). The uptake of persistent organic pollutants by plants. Central European Journal of Biology, 6(2), 223-235.

Rivas J, Beltran FJ and Acedo B. (2000). Chemical and photochemical degradation of acenaphthylene: Intermediate identification. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 75(1), 89-98.

Hassan SSM, El Azab WIM, Ali HR and Mansour MSM. (2015). In: The 18th International conference on petroleum, mineral resources and development. EPRI, Cairo, Egypt, 8–10.

Manariotis ID, Karapanagioti HK and Chrysikopoulos CV. (2011). Degradation of PAHs by high frequency ultrasound. Water Research, 45, 2587-2594.

Qiu Y, Xu M, Sun Z and Li H. (2019). Remediation of PAH-Contaminated Soil by Combining Surfactant Enhanced Soil Washing and Iron-Activated Persulfate Oxidation Process. International Journal Environmental Research Public Health, 16, 441-448.

Nikitha T, Satyaprakash M, Satya Vani S, Sadhana B and Padal SB. (2017). A Review on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Their Transport, Fate and Biodegradation in the Environment. International Journal Current Microbiology Applied Science, 6(4), 1627-1639.

Haritash AK and Kaushik CP. (2009). Biodegradation aspects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): a review. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 169(1-3), 1-15.

Niu X, Ho SSH, Ho KF, Huang Y, Sun J, Wang Q and Cao J. (2017). Atmospheric levels and cytotoxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and oxygenated PAHs in PM 2.5 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Environmental Pollution, 231, 1075–1084.