Organohalogens in nature: More widespread than previously assumed

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Environmental Science and Technology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00020a001· OSTI ID:5456303

Asplund, G; Grimvall, A ^[1]

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1. Linkoeping Univ. (Sweden)

Although the natural production of organohalogens has been observed in several studies, it is generally assumed to be much smaller than the industrial production of these compounds. Nevertheless, two important natural sources have been known since the 1970s: red algae in marine ecosystems produce large amounts of brominated compounds, and methyl halides of natural origin are present in the atmosphere. During the past few years it has been shown that organohalogens are so widespread in groundwater, surface water, and soil that all samples in the studies referred to contain measurable amounts of absorbable organohalogens (AOX). The authors document the widespread occurrence of organohalogens in unpolluted soil and water and discuss possible sources of these compounds. It has been suggested that these organohalogens originate from long-range atmospheric transport of industrially produced compounds. The authors review existing evidence of enzymatically mediated halogenation of organic matter in soil and show that, most probably, natural halogenation in the terrestrial environment is the largest source.

• OSTI ID: 5456303
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States), Vol. 25:8; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
DATA COMPILATION
ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS
GROUND WATER
HALOGENATION
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
LONG-RANGE TRANSPORT
MEASURING METHODS
ORGANIC MATTER
POLLUTION SOURCES
SOILS
SURFACE WATERS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLYSIS
INFORMATION
LYSIS
MASS TRANSFER
MATTER
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SOLVOLYSIS
WASTES
WATER
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)