Transcript The chlorine controversy

Chapter 3
THE CHLORINE CONTROVERSY
WHY IS IT CONTROVERSIAL?
Greenpeace
Environmental organizations
Phase out chlorine
and products made
using it
VS
Society of Toxicology
American Medical Association
ACS
Michigan Environmental
Science Board
American Chemical Council
Chemical Manufactures
Association Chlorine Chemistry
Council
American Industrial Health
Council
United Kingdom Chemical
Industries
Phasing out chlorine
and its products is
unnecessary
POINT #1. NATURE DOES USE CHLORINE
AND OTHER HALOGENS
Epibatidine
Thyroxine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epibatidine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyroid_hormone
USE OF CHLORINE PERCENTAGE OF ALL
CHLORINE USE
•Ethylene dichloride (intermediate for PVC production) 35%
•Pulp and paper 11%
•Propylene oxide (production, use, various industries) 8%
•Chlorinated ethanes (production, use, various industries) 5%
•Chlorinated methanes (production, use, various industries) 4%
• Other organic chemicals (production, use, various industries) 16%
• Inorganic chemicals (production, use, various industries) 11%
•Water treatment (used in various industries) 5%
• Miscellaneous 5%
http://www.epa.gov/chemfact/s_chlori.txt
USE OF CHLORINE BY INDUSTRY
http://www.greenerindustry.org.uk/pages/chlorine/images/chlor_Graph02.gif
https://www.chem.tamu.edu/class/majors/chem470/Chlorine-10.bmp
WHY IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN
THERE?
•Halogen imparts significant biological activity to compounds
•Halogenated compounds and their metabolites accommodate in
unintended places (groundwater, rivers, air)
•Problems with non-target organisms
•Metabolites can be more toxic than original compounds
TOXICITY OF CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
Health: 3 - Short exposure could cause serious temporary
or moderate residual injury (e.g. chlorine)
http://amazingrust.com/Experiments/how_to/Images/Chlorine_gas.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/
7a/Chloralkali_membrane.svg/1280px-
MAJORITY OF POP ARE HALOGENATED
COMPOUNDS
Toxaphene
http://www.taiga.net/issues/burbot.gif
POLYCHLOROBIPHENYLS ACCOMODATES
IN WATER ANIMALS AND PLANTS
PCB were once used
as heat-transfer
liquids in edible oil
production
Eating PCB
contaminated fish
causes:
-Hypothyroidism
-Diabetes
-Asthma
http://worldoceanreview.com/en/files/2010/10/k4_pcb-anreicherung-marinnkette_e_en.jpg
DIOXINES
Health: 4 - Very short exposure
could cause death or major
residual injury
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)
Waste combustion accounts for 95% of dioxin emission in the United
States
Wash your hands off PVC!
http://blog.greendepot.com/environment/wash-your-handsof-pvc/
http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/default.asp?s_i
POLYVINYLCHLORIDE (PVC): AN EVIL IN A
BOTTLE
- Produce dioxins when
combusted;
-Monomer is carcinogenic;
-Plasticizers are endocrine
disruptors;
--Stabilizers contain Pb and Cd
Possible substituents:
Polyolefins and thermoplastic
polyurethanes
http://www.essentialchemicalindustry.org/images/stories/580_Polychloroethene/PolyChloroEthene
_02.JPG
http://sapsmama.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/tumblr_lhjo85HMkY1qao557o1_r1_500.gif
TRICLOSAN
1. Effects on environment
2. Endocrine disruptor
3. Possible breakout into cancerogen
http://www.mineral-makeup-cosmetica.com/images/cosmetic-toxins-top-triclosan550x300.jpg
ESTROGEN MIMICS (ENDOCRINE
DISRUPTORS)
Rates of:
-Attention deficit disorder
- Childhood asthma
-Juvenile cancer
-Autoimmune diseases
- Obesity
-Osteoporosis
-Early testicular cancer
-Breast cancer
-Prostate cancer
-Parkinson’s disease
-Alzheimer’s disease
are rising!
COMPOUNDS RECOGNIZED TO BE
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS
•- Highly chlorinated compounds in general
•Polychlorinated biphenyls
•Dioxins
•Phthalates
•Alkylphenols
•Bisphenols
•Polybrominated dipenys
•Perfluorooctanesulfonates
WAS TO ELIMINATE COMPOUNDS IN
QUESTION
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (plasticizer) : vinyl chloride can be
copolymerized with vinyl stearate or vinyl 2-ethylhexanoate, other
compounds are available too
Problem: $$
Perfluorooctanesulfonate (fabric coating): replaced by
perfluorosulfonamide
Perfluorooctanoate (polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene):
polymerization on super critical carbon dioxide
Pharmaceuticals (primarily acetaminophen) in drinking water:
1. Subsurface flow constructed wetlands
2. Estrogen-degrading bacteria
3. Ozon
4. Granular activated carbon
5. Ultrasound
DOSE-RESPONSE ASSESSMENT
In the dose-response assessment, data from human and animal studies
are used to estimate the amount of chemical that is expected to
produce a given effect in humans
LOEL - lowest observable effect level
NOEL - no observed effect level
NOAEL - no observed adverse effect
level
LOAEL - lowest observed adverse
effect level
PAPER BLEACHING
1000 kg pulp – 45-90 kg organic waste (incl. 4-5 kg of bound Cl)
45 g in recycled paper!
Cl2 alternatives:
Chlorine dioxide
Hydrogen peroxide
Oxygen
Peracids
Ozone
Dioxiranes
Enzymes