Dioxin is the name given to a group of persistent, very toxic chemicals. The group includes chlorinated dibenzofurans, and dibenzo-dioxins, the most toxic of which is 2,3,7,8 -tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). The group also includes related compounds which are structurally similar and are dioxin-like in their activity. The toxicity of these compounds is measured against TCDD using “toxic equ...

The vaporization enthalpies of 16 polychlorinated biphenyls have been determined by correlation gas chromatography. This study was prompted by the realization that the vaporization enthalpy of the standard compounds used in previous studies, octadecane and eicosane, were values measured at 340 and 362 K, respectively, rather than at 298 K. Adjustment to 298 K amounts to a 7-8 kJ/mol increment i...

Avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) is a disease of unknown etiology, which has been diagnosed in a variety of birds from surface water reservoirs in the southeastern United States. Pathology suggests a natural or anthropogenic compound may be the cause of this disease. With the goal of identifying the toxicant that causes AVM, we qualitatively analyzed sediments and American coot (Fulica america...

Although stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) has been shown to reduce HM (heavy metal) content in soil, its wider phytoremediation potential has been neglected. Urtica dioica was cultivated in soils contaminated with HMs or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). After four months, up to 33% of the less chlorinated biphenyls and 8% of HMs (Zn, Pb, Cd) had been removed. Bacteria were isolated from the pla...

Polyfluorinated biphenyls are interesting and promising substrates for many different applications. Unfortunately, all current methods for the syntheses of these compounds only work for a hand full of molecules or only in very special cases. Thus, many of these compounds are still inaccessible to date. Here we report a general strategy for the synthesis of a wide range of highly fluorinated bip...