benzofurans and 2-8-dichlorodibenzo-4-dioxin

Root uptake and subsequent translocation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in 12 agricultural crops were comparatively investigated. All crop plants were exposed hydroponically to a mixture of three kinds of dioxin congeners over 4d. The root concentration factor (RCF) of dioxin showed a logarithmic correlation with extractable lipid content in plant root. On the assumption that the dioxin escaping via gas phase from nutrient solution in the closed container can evenly diffuse in the air and equally absorb onto the shoot tissues of the dioxin-exposed plant and their nearby blank control plant, the amount of translocated dioxin was estimated by subtracting dioxin content in the shoot tissues of the blank control plant from that of the dioxin-exposed plant, and then the transpiration stream concentration factor (TSCF) of dioxin was calculated. The TSCF values of PCDD/Fs largely varied according to the plant species, and the TSCF values of 2,4,8-TrCDF were a little higher than those for 1,3,6,8-TeCDD expect for zucchini. For 1,3,6,8-TeCDD, zucchini had the highest TSCF value of 0.0089, followed by pumpkin (0.0064) towel gourd (0.0027), and cucumber (0.0010), verifying plants of the genus Cucurbita have the higher abilities of dioxin translocation. The TSCF values of 1,3,6,8-TeCDD for wheat and sorghum were 0.0013 and 0.0012, respectively. For maize, soybean, rice, Chinese cabbage, tomato and garland chrysanthemum, translocation was an insignificant mechanism of dioxin contamination in shoot tissues.

Topics: Benzofurans; Crops, Agricultural; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Dioxins; Plant Roots; Plant Shoots; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; Soil Pollutants; Water

Aqueous solutions of selected polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were prepared using a generator column and exposed to UV (300 nm) light in the laboratory and to sunlight in an outdoor environment. In the laboratory, additional exposures were also carried out using 60% acetonitrile/water solutions. At 300 nm di- and tetra PCDDs had higher first-order photodegradation rate constants in 60% acetonitrile/water than in pure water. The solvent effect was reversed for PCDFs. These results may be a reflection of the higher polarity of PCDFs compared to PCDDs. In both the indoor and outdoor exposures photodegradation rates decreased with increasing concentrations of chlorination. However, OCDF exposed to 300 nm light in 60% acetonitrile/water and to sunlight in pure water photodegraded more rapidly than tetra CDF. Photolysis rates in sunlight were considerably slower (t(1/2) of 6.4-23 h) than photolysis rates at 300 nm in the laboratory (t(1/2) of 4.3-680 min), reflecting the lower intensity of sunlight in the 300 nm region of the UV/Vis spectrum. The extent of dechlorination of the PCDDs/PCDFs was less than 20% and reductive dechlorination does not appear to be a major process in the photodegradation of PCDDs/PCDFs in aqueous solutions.

Topics: Benzofurans; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Dioxins; Light; Photochemistry; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; Soil Pollutants; Solutions; Solvents; Ultraviolet Rays; Water