Persistent Organic Contaminants

Abstract

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are toxic compounds of global concern that adversely affect the environment and human health around the world. POPs are forbidden at worldwide level and regulated by the Stockholm Convention, managed by UNEP. It was created in 2001 and entered into force in 2004, and currently has 184 members. POPs consist mainly of organochlorine pesticides, industrial compounds (PCBs, PBDEs, PFAS, PCN, SCCPs), and chemical delivered unintentional by-products of urban and industrial processes (dioxins and furans). They persist in the environment, are adsorbed to organic matter of soils and sediments, bioaccumulate in fatty tissues and biomagnify through the food web, and are transported across international boundaries far from their sources, through moving air masses, water currents and migratory species. The dynamics of POPs in the environment depends on several factors, such as physicochemical characteristics of POPs and abiotic components, environmental conditions and the properties of the species inhabiting different ecosystems. In terrestrial and aquatic environments, plants, invertebrates, fish, birds, marine mammals and other organisms, can incorporate POPs directly from soils, sediments, water, and also through food chain.