Abstract
The polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are tricyclic aromatic compounds, which in chemical and toxicological respects are very similar to polychlorinated dioxins (PCDDs). The 2,3,7,8-tetra-, 1,2,3,7,8- and 2,3,4,7,8-penta-CDFs are extremely hazardous compounds, they can be compared with the extremely toxic 2,3,7,8-tetra-CDD (ref. 1). PCDFs have been identified in PCBs at levels of 1–10 p.p.m., the major peaks being 2,3,7,8-tetra- and 2,3,4,7,8-penta-CDF (refs 2–4). A large number of PCDFs and PCDDs occur as contaminants in chlorophenols5–7, and they have also been recognized and identified in fly ash and other incineration products at the p.p.b.–p.p.m. level18–11. In 1968,1,200 people in Japan were poisoned (Yusho disease) by a cooking oil contaminated by PCB12 and more than 50 PCDF isomers13. Liver samples from exposed patients were found to contain a highly reduced number of PCDFs, apparently many isomers were excreted or metabolized14. We report here the identification of a series of PCDF isomers in environmental samples.
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Rappe, C., Buser, H., Stalling, D. et al. Identification of polychlorinated dibenzofurans in environmental samples. Nature 292, 524–526 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/292524a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/292524a0
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