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Which aquatic organism will have the highest concentration of PCBs?
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What were the main uses of PCBs when they were still produced?
Electronic encapsulation such as Printed Circuit Boards (yes the same acronym PCB) and also electrical transformers.
What are organic pollutant?
Organic pollutants are persistent organic pollutants(POPs). Examples are DDT and lindane, industrial chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and substances such as dioxins, all of which accumulate and are slow to degrade, and may have adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
What fluid comes out of a stator plate?
It is difficult to be definitive without more information, especially about the nature and quantity. It is possible that a small quantity of grease or oil may be present in the vicinity of an electric motor. However PCBs (or polychlorinated biphenyls) are liquids used as insulators in electric motors, alternators, starter motors, transformers and capacitors. They may escape due to damaged components. They are toxic in high quantity and contact with skin should be avoided. Disposal is problematic and must be done by professionals under controlled circumstances.
Did black snow fell at the Christmas of 1969 in Sweden?
In the arctic and alpine regions, pink and red snow is not an uncommon sight. The color comes from algae that live among the crystals. However, snow has also been known to fall in tints of blue, green, gray, and black. On Christmas of 1969, black snow fell on a 16,000-square-mile region of Sweden. The snow had apparently accumulated local soot and pollution in its fall. When it was later examined, it was found to contain DDT and PCBs. In 1953, glowing green snow fell near Dana, California (USA). People who tasted the flakes reported a green persimmon flavor, but many who touched the substance came up with rashes and severe itching. The source of the green snow is still a mystery.
What are the different types of bio-magnification?
Biomonitoring. Source: NIEHSIntroduction Bioaccumulation is a process resulting in the concentration of substances in living tissues. The term is used often in reference to such chemical contaminants that may do harm to organisms as chlorinated pesticides and heavy metals. Nonetheless, organisms do accumulate chemicals and minerals needed for their survival-this may be referred to as bioaccumulation. Many substances entering organisms are eventually eliminated in wastes; whereas such others as heavy metals and fat-soluble organic substances (for example, persistent organic pollutants or POPs) may remain in the body for long periods of time. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency uses the term persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic pollutants (PBTs) to categorize substances that raise human health and environmental health concerns. Depending on their affinity for fatty tissue and the length of the body's exposure, PBTs may accumulate in high concentrations and may cause physiological problems. PBTs enter the organism through a variety of active and passive means, including respiration, food intake, and epidermal (or skin) contact.Types of Bioaccumulation Organismal - Compounds present in an organism's environment may concentrate in the body over time. For example, fish that swim frequently in contaminated water may build up pollutants in their fatty tissues. This type of accumulation, in organisms experiencing continuous environmental exposure, is linear.Trophic transfer - Here, fat-soluble compounds pass from prey to predator. The more prey that are eaten, the greater the magnification of the compound as it travels up the food chain. Such organisms at the top of the food chain as humans or polar bears, can receive the highest concentrations. This process is sometimes referred to as biomagnification, since the concentration of pollutant in the predator is a large multiple of that measured in the prey.Soil Bioaccumulation - PBTs that are dumped into surrounding environments from specific waste sites or that leak from specific factories are point-source pollutants. Often, the substances bind to soil particles and persist until they are removed through erosion, water percolation, or uptake by plants, microorganisms or animals in soils or sediments. This process includes both linear accumulation through abiotic processes, and biomagnification-as pollutant-laden bacteria and fungi are consumed by earthworms and other detritivores (or detritus eaters). Often, soil bioaccumulation is the initial source of PBT exposure for terrestrial organisms. Such methods as phytoremediation (using plants to remediate) and mycoremediation (using fungi to remediate) have proven useful in removing or even breaking down pollutants in soil, and could be increasingly important solutions in the future.ExamplesChlorinated pesticidesDDT, a chlorinated pesticide used heavily on U.S. farms in the middle of the 20th century, was found to bioaccumulate through earthworms to organisms higher on the food chain. Various songbirds, waterbirds and birds of prey experienced drastic population decreases during the 1950s due to such severe reproductive problems as overly thin, breakable eggshells. These problems were associated with widespread spraying of DDT. Writer and biologist Rachel Carson affected U.S. policy and public perception regarding pesticides greatly by describing the devastating effects of DDT in her 1962 best-selling book, Silent Spring.Heavy metalsA study of bioaccumulation in cyprinid fish of the Kor River in Iran found high levels of mercury in the fishes' muscles, liver, kidneys, brain, and gonadal tissue. One species was sampled in three river stretches: the Upper, Central, and Lower Kor, and the monitored fish proved to have significantly higher mercury contamination in the middle reach of the river where two cities (Shiraz, Marvdasht) produced industrial metals.In Japan during the 1950s, strange cases of human neurological disorders and death began to appear in Minamata City and other industrial areas. The "Minamata Disease" was traced to fish and shellfish that contained high levels of methylmercury, and that had been eaten by local townspeople. The methylmercury was traced to the Chisso Corporation's Minamata factory, the largest Japanese producer of acetaldehyde (a chemical used in manufacturing plastics) during the 1950s. Methylmercury is formed during the production of acetaldehyde, and the factory had been discharging a large amount of methylmercury via wastewater directly into the Yatsushiro Sea. People who ate a lot of the contaminated fish over a long period of time were especially at risk for Minamata Disease.Synthetic industrial compoundsPolychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, are synthetic chemical substances used in a large number of mechanical and electrical systems because of their high thermal and chemical resistance. They do not break down easily-remaining in the environment for long periods of time and that build up as inputs continue. Exposure to, and the consequent bioaccumulation of, PCBs has been associated with cancer in animals, as well as negative effects to the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems. When PCBs are disposed of through incineration, dioxins are formed-another type of bioaccumulated compound that has shown extremely disconcerting long-term effects on the human body. The result of PCB and dioxin bioaccumulation has revealed itself in the fat of polar bears and in human breast milk of Inuit women, sometimes at toxic levels.Related terms: bioconcentration, biomagnification, biotransformation, biomonitoringFurther readingCarson, Rachel. Silent Spring. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1962.Johansen, Bruce E. 2002. The Inuit's struggle with dioxins and other organic pollutants. The American Indian Quarterly 26(3): 479-490.[link to http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/american_indian_quarterly/v026/26.3johansen.pdf]Kinney, C.A., E.T. Furlong, D.W. Kolpin, M.R. Burkhardt, S.D. Zaugg, S.L. Werner, J.P. Bossio, & M.J. Benotti. 2008. Bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals and other anthropogenic waste indicators in earthworms from agricultural soil amended with biosolid or swine manure. Environ. Sci. Technol. 42(6):1863-70.National Institute of Minamata Disease, Japan Ministry of the Environment [link to http://www.nimd.go.jp/english/]Taherianfard, M., M. Ebrahimi & S. Soodbakhsh. 2008. Bioaccumulation of Mercury in Fishes of Kor River. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences 2(4): 904-908. [link to http://insipub.net/ajbas/2008/904-908.pdf]World Health Organization, "Dioxins and their effect on human health" [link tohttp://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs225/en/index.html]
How many people are affected by PCBs in America?
Everyone is affected by PCBs, in the US and otherwise. PCBs are most commonly stored in the fat of large fish, so anyone who has consumed fish has probably consumed at least minute quantities of PCBs.
Why is calling pcb?
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the boards that are used as the base in most electronics – both as a physical support piece and as the wiring area for the surface-mounted and socketed components. PCBs are most commonly made out of fiberglass, composite epoxy, or another composite material.Most PCBs for simple electronics are simple and composed of only a single layer. More sophisticated hardware such as computer graphics cards or motherboards can have multiple layers, sometimes up to twelve.There are several overall types of PCB boards each with their own particular manufacturing specifications, material types, and usages: Single-layer PCBs, Double-layer PCBs, Multi-layer PCBs, Rigid PCBs, Flexible PCBs, Rigid-Flex PCBs, High-frequency PCBs, Aluminum-backed PCBs.
Are PCBs highly biodegradable?
PCBs are considered to be persistant environmental pollutants and thus are not very biodegradable.
PCBs that disrupt hormones in humans are interfering with the?
PCBs, or polychlorinated bis-phenols, are believed to disrupt normal endocrine function. This is thought to occur because PCBs mimic sex hormones in the body.
What are PCBs used for?
Completely colorless to light, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)are a compound mixture of over 200 different congeners. PCBs are no longer being produced because of the harmful contaimination toxicity that can occur but at one time the mixture was commercially produced for electrical equipment like transformers and capacitors because of the ability for PCBs to act as insulators since they do not burn easily. The manufacture of PCBs was stopped in the U.S. in 1977 because of evidence that PCBs build up in the environment and could cause harmful health effects. Items such as fluorescent light fixtures that were produced prior to 1977 may be a potential for PCB contamination.What happens to PCBs when they enter the environment?PCBs entered air, water and soil during their manufacture, use and disposal; from accidental spills and leaks during their transport; and from leaks or fires in products containing PCBs. PCBs can still be released to the environment from hazardous waste sites; illegal or improper disposal of industrial wastes and consumer products; leaks from old electrical transformers containing PCBs; also incinerating some wastes. PCBs do not readily break down in the environment and thus may remain there for very long periods of time. PCBs can travel long distances in the air and be deposited in areas far away from where they were released.While water contamination can occur, many PCBs dissolve or stick to the bottom sediments or attach themselves to organic particles. Similarly, soil is another compound that PCBs bind to. PCBs are taken up by small organisms and fish and they are also taken up by other animals that eat these aquatic animals as food. PCBs accumulate in fish and marine mammals, reaching levels that may be many thousands of times higher than in water.How might I be exposed to PCBs?Exposure to PCBs may occur if old fluorescent lighting fixtures and electrical devices and appliances, such as television sets and refrigerators, that were made 30 or more years ago, are used. These fixtures, devices, and appliances may leak small amounts of PCBs into the air when they get hot during operation and also could be a source of skin exposure.People can be exposed to PCBs by eating contaminated food. The main dietary sources of PCBs are fish (especially sport fish caught in contaminated lakes or rivers), meat and dairy products. Another way to become exposed to PCBs is through contaminated well water or air near a waste site. Employees may be exposed to PCBs. In the workplace during repair and maintenance of PCB transformers; accidents, fires or spills involving transformers, fluorescent lights and other old electrical devices; and disposal of PCB materials.How can PCBs affect my health?Acne-like skin rashes are a side effect of PCBs exposure in adults, for children, the side effects are much worse seriously affecting neurobehavioral and immunological changes. PCBs are known to cause cancer in animals.The most commonly observed health effects in people exposed to large amounts of PCBs are skin conditions such as acne and rashes. Liver damage may occur in exposed workers and can be found when testing blood and urine levels. PCB exposure in the general population is not likely to result in skin and liver effects. Most of the studies of health effects of PCBs in the general population examined children of mothers who were exposed to PCBs.Animals that ate food containing large amounts of PCBs for short periods of time had mild liver damage and some died. Animals that ate smaller amounts of PCBs in food over several weeks or months developed various kinds of health effects, including anemia; acne-like skin conditions; and liver, stomach and thyroid gland injuries. Other effects of PCBs in animals include changes in the immune system, behavioral alterations, and impaired reproduction. PCBs are not known to cause birth defects.How likely are PCBs to cause cancer?Few studies of workers indicate that PCBs were associated with certain kinds of cancer in humans, such as cancer of the liver and biliary tract. Rats that ate food containing high levels of PCBs for two years developed liver cancer. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has concluded that PCBs may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens (substances that cause cancer). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have determined that PCBs are probably carcinogenic to humans.Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to PCBs?Tests exist to measure levels of PCBs in your blood, body fat, and breast milk, but these are not routinely conducted. Most people normally have low levels of PCBs in their body because nearly everyone has been environmentally exposed to PCBs. The tests can show if your PCB levels are elevated, which would indicate past exposure to above-normal levels of PCBs, but cannot determine when or how long you were exposed or whether you will develop health effects.Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health from exposure to PCBs?The EPA has set a limit of 0.0005 milligrams of PCBs per liter of drinking water (0.0005 mg/L). Reports to the EPA of PCB spill or accidental releases of 1 or more pounds must occur. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that infant foods, eggs, milk and other dairy products, fish and shellfish, poultry, and red meat contain no more than 0.2-3 parts of PCBs per million (0.2-3 ppm). Many states have established fish and wildlife consumption advisories for PCBs
What does the PCBs stand for and what is it?
PCBs stand for polychlorinated biphenyls, which are a group of man-made chemicals that were used in various industrial applications such as insulating fluids and in sealants. PCBs are now banned in many countries due to their toxic effects on human health and the environment.
What is the major pollution problem in Lake Michigan?
PCBs.
Are PCBs poisonous?
PCBs have serious poisons which have been shown to cause damage to the reproductive, neurological and immune systems of wildlife and humans and are known to cause cancer so yes they are poisonous.
What are the effects of exposure to PCBs?
Exposure to PCBs can lead to various health effects, including skin conditions, liver damage, and reproductive issues. Long-term exposure has been linked to cancer and impacts on the immune and nervous systems. PCBs are considered a serious environmental hazard due to their persistence and ability to bioaccumulate in the food chain.
Where have PCBs caused widespread skin and systemic disorders?
Western Japan.
When do flexible printed circuit boards apply the rule of change?
There is no information about when flexible printed circuit boards (PCB) apply the rule of change, however, flexible PCBs are made with identical materials as rigid PCBs but made with photolithographic technology. They are used for their flexibility, space saving and at times where production constraints limit the availability of rigid PCBs.
What manufacturers make microwavs PCB's?
Some manufacturers that make microwave PCBs include Samsung, Sharp and Panasonic. Each brand has their own production facility that makes microwave PCBs for their consumer product line.
