14.3.5 Drinking Water
Dioxin can accumulate in potable water from incineration. Dioxins accumulated in
potable water get deposited into water bodies. Also effluents and chemical industry
waste containing dioxins might pollute the potable water.
14.4 Fate of Dioxins in Environment
Dioxins and dioxins-like compounds exhibit high lipid solubility which leads to the
bioaccumulation in fatty tissues. Also, these halogenated dioxins exhibit enhanced
stability, resistance of C–Cl bond hydrolysis and photolytic degradation. As, the
stability and lipophilicity correlate with degree of halogenation, Dioxins are a topic
of concern because dioxins exert adverse impact on environment by long range
transport, that allow dioxins to travel and spread far from the source, and its
bioaccumulation, that concentrates to potentially dangerous levels (Walker 2001).
14.5 Impact of Dioxin on Human Health
There have been a series of incidents which brought public attention where human
being has been exposed to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds. In 1976, Seveso
(Italy) accidental release of dioxins led to various symptoms such as multiple
myeloma and myeloid leukaemia, developmental effects, chloracne (Mocarelli et
al. 2008). Also, Triangle of death (a polluted land in Italy) has accumulated years of
waste disposal due to organized crime and illegal activities now contaminated with
TCDD (highly toxic dioxin). In 2004, Viktor Yushchenko (presidential candidate) of
Ukraine was poisoned with TCDD (blood TCDD level—108,000 pg/g fat) and he
suffered from chloracne with several medical complications (Sorg et al. 2009).
14.6 Metabolism of Dioxins in Mammals
TCDD and dioxin-like compounds interact with aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor and
it can modulate several hundred of genes related to enzymes that can activate the
hydrolysis/breakdown of toxic compounds, e.g. carcinogenic benzo(a)pyrene. The
Ah receptor (transcription factor) present in cell is a phylogenetically highly
conserved in vertebrates, and the ancient analogs of Ah receptor are important
regulatory proteins that are present in primitive species (Wittsiepe et al. 2007).
The genotoxic and mutagenic effects of TCDD are still being a topic of controversy,
however, involvement of TCDD/F in development of cancer has already been
confirmed probably by inducing oxidative stress and the DNA damage.
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P. K. Jaiswal and J. Gupta
Dioxin can accumulate in potable water from incineration. Dioxins accumulated in
potable water get deposited into water bodies. Also effluents and chemical industry
waste containing dioxins might pollute the potable water.
14.4 Fate of Dioxins in Environment
Dioxins and dioxins-like compounds exhibit high lipid solubility which leads to the
bioaccumulation in fatty tissues. Also, these halogenated dioxins exhibit enhanced
stability, resistance of C–Cl bond hydrolysis and photolytic degradation. As, the
stability and lipophilicity correlate with degree of halogenation, Dioxins are a topic
of concern because dioxins exert adverse impact on environment by long range
transport, that allow dioxins to travel and spread far from the source, and its
bioaccumulation, that concentrates to potentially dangerous levels (Walker 2001).
14.5 Impact of Dioxin on Human Health
There have been a series of incidents which brought public attention where human
being has been exposed to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds. In 1976, Seveso
(Italy) accidental release of dioxins led to various symptoms such as multiple
myeloma and myeloid leukaemia, developmental effects, chloracne (Mocarelli et
al. 2008). Also, Triangle of death (a polluted land in Italy) has accumulated years of
waste disposal due to organized crime and illegal activities now contaminated with
TCDD (highly toxic dioxin). In 2004, Viktor Yushchenko (presidential candidate) of
Ukraine was poisoned with TCDD (blood TCDD level—108,000 pg/g fat) and he
suffered from chloracne with several medical complications (Sorg et al. 2009).
14.6 Metabolism of Dioxins in Mammals
TCDD and dioxin-like compounds interact with aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor and
it can modulate several hundred of genes related to enzymes that can activate the
hydrolysis/breakdown of toxic compounds, e.g. carcinogenic benzo(a)pyrene. The
Ah receptor (transcription factor) present in cell is a phylogenetically highly
conserved in vertebrates, and the ancient analogs of Ah receptor are important
regulatory proteins that are present in primitive species (Wittsiepe et al. 2007).
The genotoxic and mutagenic effects of TCDD are still being a topic of controversy,
however, involvement of TCDD/F in development of cancer has already been
confirmed probably by inducing oxidative stress and the DNA damage.
296
P. K. Jaiswal and J. Gupta