APES Unit 8.7 (POPS)

Persistent Organic (carbon-based) Pollutants

Synthetic (human-made) compounds that do not easily breakdown in the environment

Where do POPs accumulate?

Accumulate and buildup in water & soil; fat-soluble, meaning they also accumulate and persist in animals’ fat tissue instead of passing through the body (don’t easily dissolve into blood/urine) 

Where can POPs be released?

Can slowly be released from fatty tissue into the bloodstream and impact the brain & other organs over time (esp. Reproductive system)

Examples of POPs

DDT (outdated insecticide)

PCBs (Plastic/Paint Additive)

Dioxins (Fertilizer production & combustion of waste and biomass)

Perchlorates (Rocket/Missle Fuel)

Pesticide Source

DDT was widely used as an insecticide before phaseout in most dev. nations

Still persists in soils & sediments in aquatic ecosystems and builds up in food webs

Medications source

Steroids, reproduct. Hormones, antibiotics, that pass through human bodies & into sewage release from treatment plants

Persist in streams/rivers & disrupt aq. Organisms’ endocrine function

Dioxins

Byproduct of fertilizer production & burning of medical waste, FFs, biomass

90% of its exposure comes from animal fats (meat, dairy, fish) since it builds up in animal fat tissue

PCPS

Additives in paint and plastics, released into aquatic ecosystems by industrial wastewater; human exposure comes through animal products

Effects of PCPS

Toxic to fish, causing spawning failure and endocrine disruption

Reproductive failure & Cancer in humans

Common Location of Perchlorates

Common near military testing sites or rocket launch pads

Perchlorate effects

Remain in soil and can leach into groundwater or runoff into surface waters

Water Transports of POPs

Travel long distances through wind & water, impacting ecosystems far away

Sources of POPS

Wastewater released from industrial processes

Leachate from landfills or improperly buried industrial waste

Fertilizer/pesticide production

Emissions from burning waste/biomass

POPs Transport into Living organisms

Enter soil/water, eaten by animals, stored in their fat eaten by humans or taken in via drinking water