[Dioxin-l] Impacts of chlorine-bleaching pulp & paper mills

[pat.costner@dialb.greenpeace.org]

Joy, 

Perhaps this study is of interest to you as well as others who are in 
the vicinity of chlorine-bleaching pulp and paper mills.  One of the 
more interesting aspects of this study is bioaccumulation of 
chemicals that are of a size regarded by some to be too large to 
bioaccumulate. 

Pat


M. Salkinoja-Salonen, Jussi Uotila, J. Jokela, M. Laine, and E. 
Saski.  Organic Halogens in the Environment: Studies of 
Environmental Biodegradability and Human Exposure. Environ 
Health Perspect 103(Suppl 6):00-00 (1995)

Abstract

Organic halogens from chlorobleaching of kraft pulp were not as 
biorecalcitrant as has been assumed. Fifty percent were
removed during biotreatment of wastewater, and 50% of the 
remaining organohalogens faded in fresh water ecosystems in 200
to 400 days. Molecular size seemed not to hinder biodegradation 
up to sizes of approximately 2000 daltons. Anoxic
biodegradation was of prime importance for halomineralization of 
pulp bleaching organohalogens but could also lead to toxic
metabolites such as vinyl chloride from tri- and tetrachloroethene in 
anoxic soil. Indigenous soil microbes were unable to clean
old organohalogen pollution but had converted chlorophenols into 
polymeric substances, chlorohumus which were found
bioaccumulable by earthworms in spite of the large (up to 5000 
g/mole) molecular sizes. Because of the danger of formation of
toxic metabolites, the biochemistry of the xenobiotic degradation 
must be elucidated before active bioremediation is practiced
on polluted soil or water. Groundwater pollution by chlorophenols 
led to increased disease among the exposed population in
one well-studied case. Two further cases of potential environmental 
health impact are described. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pat Costner
Greenpeace
P.O. Box 548
 or 512 County Road 2663
Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632
ph: 1 501 253 8440
fx: 1 501 253 5540
em: pat.costner@dialb.greenpeace.org
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