by: michael null, james ogletree, and cody christianson
TRANSCRIPT
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
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