Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins

By: Michael Null, James Ogletree, and Cody Christianson

The EPA considers it a CDD A CDD is a family of 75 different compounds commonly referred to as polychlorinated

dioxins The CDD family is divided into eight groups

of chemicals based on the number of chlorine atoms in the compound

What is it?

CDDs are released during Combustion of fossil fuels During incineration processes (municipal

and medical solid waste and hazardous waste incineration).

Herbicides and pesticides Burning anything that has chlorine will

release certain CDDs Also found naturally in the environment Agent Orange

Where is it?

Naturally we ingest somewhere between a nanogram (one billionth of a gram) and a picogram (one trillionth of a gram)

Due to breathing or eating meat/dairy products or contact

Stored in your fat and liver Little is known about the breakdown in the

body

How you ingest it

There is no quick way to detect it, since it is stored in your fat it is hard to test for

Blood test after immediate exposure

Detection

Federal agencies that develop regulations for toxic substances include the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Still collecting information on affects and

where it is

Regulation

Chloracne (a cross between acne and a burn)

Liver failure Risk of cancer

How it affects your health

Different amounts of chlorine atoms make up the groups

More deadly versions such as tetrachlorinated

In certain species, 2,3,7,8-TCDD is especially harmful and can cause death after a single exposure to small amounts. Before death, animals may lose as much as 40% or more of their body weight following a single dose of 2,3,7,8-TCDD

Other CDDs

Most famous CDD Herbicide made for the U.S. military Used during operation ranch hand in

Vietnam war 20 million gallons used during the war Includes TCDD in the mixture

Agent Orange

4.8 million people in Vietnam were exposed Many health problems such as mental

defects, extra fingers and toes, cleft palate are some of the symptoms.

Studies of veterans who served in the South during the war have increased rates of cancer, nerve, digestive, skin and respiratory disorders.

Health Affects

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=363&tid=63#bookmark02

http://www.oehha.org/air/chronic_rels/pdf/chlordibenz.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/ncea/pdfs/dioxin/part1/volume2/chap12.pdf

reference