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Potential sources of unintentionally produced PCB, HCB, and PeCBz in China: A preliminary overview

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Abstract

Under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), China is required not only to reduce polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF) but also unintentionally produced polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and pentachlorobenzene (PeCBz). A baseline of the sources in China that generate these unintentional POPs is needed for both research and regulation purposes. In this paper, we have compiled production data of potential sources in China and assessed them in five-year intervals from 2000 to 2015. Most of these activities experienced changes from rapid growth to slow growth. Measured data for PCB, HCB and PeCBz in samples collected from potential sources in China were reviewed. Most information was associated to thermal processes with high potential of emission, including waste incineration and ferrous and non-ferrous metal production. In addition, high levels of PCB, HCB and PeCBz were found as impurities in a few chlorinated products or as by-products in solvent production, which suggested organochlorine industry might be important sources. Finally, based on the studies reviewed, recommendations for future actions in research and policy as well as a few regulatory issues in China are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (2013AA06A305), Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University, The Collaborative Innovation Center for Regional Environmental Quality and project NSFC/UNEP (No. B07, 21561142001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory for Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control (SKLESPC), Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Xiaotu Liu, Heidelore Fiedler, Wenwen Gong, Bin Wang & Gang Yu

  2. School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China

    Xiaotu Liu

  3. MTM Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden

    Heidelore Fiedler

  4. Beijing Research Center for Agriculture Standards and Testing, Beijing, 100097, China

    Wenwen Gong

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  1. Xiaotu Liu
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  2. Heidelore Fiedler
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  3. Wenwen Gong
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  4. Bin Wang
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  5. Gang Yu
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Correspondence to Gang Yu.

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Liu, X., Fiedler, H., Gong, W. et al. Potential sources of unintentionally produced PCB, HCB, and PeCBz in China: A preliminary overview. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 12, 1 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-018-1036-9

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