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CHEMICALS
Persistent Bio-accumulative Toxic Substances (PBTs)


Chemical Index

PERSISTENT TOXIC SUBSTANCES (PTS)

An introduction to Persistent Toxic Substances



There are many persistent toxic chemicals, some with the potential to bioaccumulate in living organisms. While some be eventually added to the list of POPs, others continue to be used and are found in everyday products. These pose a real ongoing threat to human health and the environment and form the chemical legacy and burden that we pass onto future generations.

Through a global project focusing on a Regional Based Assessment of Persistent Toxic Substances, 28 priority persistent toxic substances (PTS) were identified however these included the POPs chemicals as well.

Globally, NGOs have focused on the assessment and phaseout of persistent toxic substances such as the perfluorochemicals like perfluorooctanyl sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acids (PFOA) as well as the brominated flame retardants (BFRs). BFRs are incorporated into plastics, foams and components of electrical and electronic goods which often end up being incinerated at the end of their use life resulting in the production of brominated dioxins and furans. The brominated and fluorinated PTS have been a focus of the international OECD Chemical Joint Meetings.

Other PTS of concern include:

  • alkylphenols, used in industrial detergents, textile and leather treatments, water based paints and in some personal care products;

  • phthalate esters used as softeners in PVC products such as toys and flooring s as well as personal products like cosmetics and perfumes;

  • organotin compounds used as stabilizers in plastics and as a common treatment against dust mites and mould in carpets, mattresses and PVC floorings;

  • lindane still used in some countries as a treatment for mites and headlice;

  • atrazine, a herbicide particularly used in forestry; and

  • endosulphan used as a general insecticide in crops like cotton.








    Chemical Index - Persistent Bio-accumulative Toxic Substances


    Chemicals found in the Regional Based Assessment Reports
    Open Document Aldrin Open Document Atrazine
    Open Document Chlordane Open Document Chlordecone
    Open Document Chlorinated paraffins Open Document DDT
    Open Document Dieldrin Open Document Dioxins
    Open Document Endrin Open Document Endosulphan
    Open Document Heptachlor Open Document Hexchlorobenzene (HCB)
    Open Document Hexchlorocyclohexanes (HCH) Open Document Lindane
    Open Document Mirex Open Document Organotin
    Open Document Organolead Open Document Organomercury
    Open Document Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) Open Document Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbens (PAH)
    Open Document Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) Open Document Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
    Open Document Phthalates/phthalate esters Open Document Paraffins -Polychlorinated alkanes
    Open Document Alkyl phenols (nonyl/octyl phenols) Open Document PFOS
    Open Document Toxaphene


    End of Document








    IPEN Body Burden Community Monitoring Handbook - 2005
    • Persistent Organic Pollutants
    New Persistent Organic Pollutants
    Persistent Bio-accumlative Toxic Substances
    Introduction
    Body Burden
    Community Monitoring
    Chemicals
    Global Monitoring
    World Maps
    Factsheets
    Reference Library