Environmental Effect Assessment of Organic PBT Compounds

Abstract

PBT is the abbreviation of persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic compounds (materials); vPvB chemicals are very persistent, very bioaccumulating compounds. Both type of materials exist for a longer period in the environment. These all are persistent organic pollutants (POP) that disperse in the environment and exert effect on distant territories too. PBT or vPvB? Difference is not so sharp in the reality. Dangers source from bioaccumulation and/or biomagnification (multiplicative effect) after or during bioaccumulation period. Scientifiic and civil communities have to think on acceptability of these chemicals else more than half of existing compounds should be excluded from daily usage. There are additional dangers of chronic exposure that can cause unrequested side effects, destroy integrity of endocrine system and can be hardly measured by conventional tests. We composed a preliminary PBT assessment methodology as a possible first approach to determine the PBT properties of an organic compound with the aspect of determining direction of further investigations. Importance and application of PBT assessment: we can predict the real danger of compounds not tested yet without additional costs and in short time considered to be as an advantage of the approach, especially in case of non-existing data. This method is more exact than traditional ones because applying just risk factors can be overt based on precautionary principles. An overt application of risk factors can restrict the broad application of a compound. Assessing existence of PBT danger as a part of hazard evaluation of compounds are based on PBT aspects that can be done with help of (Q)SAR-models (Quantitative/Qualitative Structure Activity Relationship) and/or applying PBT-vPvB criteria and/or EPIWIN and additional programs in case of non-existing experimental and monitoring data. We consider some aspects of REACH (new European chemical regulation) requirements too.