Dioxins are toxic, chlorinated chemicals that persist in the environment for long periods. They accumulate in the food chain and enter the human body primarily through consumption of animal products like meat and dairy. Major sources of dioxin contamination include waste incineration, industrial processes, and natural events like forest fires. Exposure to dioxins is linked to increased risks of cancer, skin conditions, diabetes, and damage to the immune system. Recommendations to reduce dioxin intake focus on choosing low-fat animal products and increasing consumption of plant-based foods.

1. Dioxin exposure and health effects “ Let us watch well our beginnings, and results will manage themselves” Alexander Clark Maryna Kuzminska Master student in Chemistry University of Leipzig Leipzig, 2010

2. Contents What are dioxins: general information 2. Behavior of dioxins in the environment: how long dioxins remain in the environment? 3. Sources of dioxins contamination: where are dioxins found? how do dioxins enter the environment? Dioxin toxicity: effects on humans; dioxin incidents How to avoid dioxins: few tips Conclusions

3. 1. What are dioxins?

4. Dioxins group of polyhalogenated compounds colorless and odorless solids T melt depends on numbers of chlorine atoms water-insoluble environmental pollutants toxic substances 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) - toxicity is compared to TCDD (from 0 to 1)

5. 2. Behavior of Dioxins in the environment

6. Behavior of dioxins in the environment Dioxins are absorbed by plants and by soil Landfill leakage into soil Accumulation in food chain Emissions: can be transported long time in air Chemical-resistant Half-decay period is more than 10 years

7. 3. What are the major sources of dioxins?

8. Sources of dioxins contamination Waste Incineration 2% Energy Generation 4% Other High Temperature Sources 1% Metallurgical Processes 3% Chemical Manufacturing 1% Land Sludge Application 4% Societal 5% (e. g., residential wood combustion, crematoria, gasoline and diesel use) Industrial 15% Natural Forest Fires 54% Backyard Trash Burning 26%

9. 4. Dioxin toxicity and human health effects

10. disrupting chemical binds to cell hormone receptors modifies the functioning and the genetic mechanisms of the cell causes a wide range of effects Dioxin

11. Minimum toxic dose – 0,5-1 μ g/kg Symptoms of acute toxic exposure: lack of appetite physical weakness chronic tiredness depression weight loss Diseases: cancer chloracne porphyria diabetes damaging the immune system

12. 5. Dioxin contamination incidents

13. 1976, Italy Accident at a chemical factory in Seveso A cloud of toxic chemicals, including TCDD, was released into the air; contamination - 15 km 2 inhabited by 37 000 people

14. 1997, the USA Chickens, eggs, and catfish were contaminated with dioxins when a tainted ingredient was used in the manufacture of animal feed

15. 1998, Brazil High levels of dioxins in milk sold in Germany were traced to citrus pulp pellets used as animal feed exported from Brazil a ban on all citrus pulp imports to the EU from Brazil

16. 1999, Belgium High levels of dioxins were found in poultry and eggs

17. Detection of increased dioxin levels in milk (traced to a clay used in production of animal feed) 2004, the Netherlands

18. 2006, the Netherlands Elevated dioxin levels were detected in animal feed; The source - contaminated fat used in production of feed

19. 2004, Ukraine 2004 - Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko was poisoned with dioxin (TCDD) three and a half years after poisoning before poisoning three months after poisoning

20. 6. How to avoid dioxins? Recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines

21. Choose fish, lean meat, poultry, and low or fat-free dairy products Increase consumption of fruits, vegetables and grain products

22. Beef or pork meet should be avoided (it has the largest concentrations of dioxin of all food sources) Limit your intake of ocean and freshwater fish Vegetarian meat substitutes such as tofu, beans and rice have essentially no contamination!

23. Drink only skim milk since dioxins exist in the butterfat Avoid all full-fat dairy products: butter, cheese, ice cream Use non-fat skim-milk products or non-dairy substitutes

24. Wash all fruits and vegetables carefully to remove chlorophenol pesticide residue Avoid grapes and raisins unless they are clearly labeled as organic (grown without pesticides)

25. Use unbleached (brown) coffee filters If you smoke cigarettes (although tobacco has other cancer hazards) roll your own in unbleached paper

26. Avoid all organic chemicals that have "chloro" as part of their names Avoid chlorine bleach and products containing it Use unbleached paper products

27. Avoid household or personal products and toys made of or packaged in polyvinyl chloride - PVC (labeled V on plastic)

28. The way to reduce the dioxin threat is to stop burning trash and to stop producing PVC and other chlorinated chemicals!

29. 6. Conclusions Dioxins are super-toxic chemicals Dioxins are unwanted by-products of different processes Dioxins enter the food chain through animals Dioxin levels in environmental samples, in food have decreased over the 1970s till present Effects of dioxins on human health Proposed dietary recommendations

30. References: www.cdc.gov/exposurereport Gullett, B.K. and Touati, A. (2003). PCDD/F emissions from forest fire simulations, Atmospheric Environment 37, p. 803 www4.nas.edu/cp.nsf/Projects+by+PIN/BEST-K-03-08-A?OpenDocument http://www.who.int/ipcs/assessment/en/index.html

31. Thank you!