PCDES: Sources and environmental fate

Polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDE), which similarly to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) form a group of mono‐through decachlorinated congeners, have been observed in biotic and abiotic samples from the water environment, in predatory birds and humans. Major sources of PCDEs in the environment have been the production and use of chlorophenol preparations, which contain PCDEs as by‐products. So far, due to the limited knowledge on the toxicology of PCDEs, their role as environmental pollutants have been uncertain. It is possible that PCDEs are environmentally significant contaminants because they are persistent, bioaccumulating and possible precursors to toxic polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF).

Keywords:

• PCDE
• chlorophenols
• water environment
• biota