Pollution characteristics and formation mechanism of environmentally persistent free radicals

Abstract

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) is a new class of environmental pollutants with persistence and toxicity, which can cause DNA damage. The knowledge about the adverse health effect and risk control of EPFRs is still scarce. Studies associated with the sources, formation mechanisms and environmental characteristics of EPFRs need to be further conducted for better understanding the health risk and control of EPFRs. This review briefly summarized the toxicity, pollution characteristics and analytical methods of EPFRs. The generation mechanisms and key influencing factors of EPFRs were emphatically discussed. The importance on studying the formation mechanism of EPFRs together with the relationship between EPFRs and dioxins and other unintentional organic pollutants were proposed. The prospective on EPFRs researches was also proposed.