Pentachlorophenol (PCP) and pentachloroanisole (PCA)

• Main Authors: Kylin, Henrik, Muir, Derek
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: Linköpings universitet, Tema Miljöförändring 2017
• Subjects: Pentachlropheno. PCP; Pentachloroanisole; PCA; Environmental Sciences; Miljövetenskap; Geochemistry; Geokemi; Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences; Meteorologi och atmosfärforskning; Oceanography; Hydrology and Water Resources; Oceanografi; hydrologi och vattenresurser; Biological Sciences; Biologiska vetenskaper; Ecology; Ekologi; Canada; Arctic
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-144539

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) was first synthesized for use as a fungicide for wood protection in the 1930s. PCP affects most organisms by decoupling oxidative phosphorylation and other crucial biochemical functions (IPCS, 1987; UNEP, 2013e). As a result it has found a wide range of biocidal and pesticidal uses. Due to adverse environmental and health effects, restrictions on the use of PCP were first imposed in the 1970s with total bans in effect in some countries by the 1980s (UNEP, 2013d). As of 2014, PCP was still in use in India, Canada and the USA (UNEP, 2014a). In May 2015, PCP was included in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention: calling for elimination, with a time-limited exemption for impregnation of utility poles and crossarms (UNEP, 2015a).