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On the Environmental Health Effects and Socio-Economic Considerations of the Potential Listing of Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins into the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Thanh Wang, Yawei Wang,* and Guibin Jiang State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China available technologies between developing and developed regions. Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) can be classified into SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs according to their carbon chain length, and are synthesized by the chlorination of n-alkane (paraffins) from petroleum distillation.2 Commercial SCCP mixtures are very complex, consisting of thousands of congeners, and are not separated from its feedstock during production. Consequently, standard analytical methods are still not available and reported results could differ greatly between different analytical protocols. For example, more than 300% deviations in quantitative results have been reported from different laboratories.3 This is also one of the main reasons why there is currently very limited monitoring data available on SCCPs in the environment, wildlife and humans. Presently, a few interlaboratory comparison exercises, such as those headed by the QUASIMEME network and Environment Canada, are in process to evaluate the state of SCCPs analysis of environmental matrices.4 The fourth and fifth Conference of the Parties resulted in the inclusion of eleven new POPs into the SC. According to the precautionary principle and Article 8 of the SC, lack of full n 2012, the eighth meeting of persistent organic pollutants scientific data should not prevent the POPRC from moving a review committee (POPRC) of the Stockholm Convention candidate compound to the next stage of consideration. Most (SC) resulted in the postponement of the review of the draft of the candidate POPs were smoothly adopted into the SC risk profile of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) to its although information on environmental levels is scarce for eleventh meeting.1 From 2007 to 2012, the draft risk profile of some chemicals that are no longer produced. For example, the SCCPs has been reviewed five times (except in 2011). A risk profile for hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) was adopted by member of the POPRC even chaffed that the review of the the POPRC within only two years with only few available SCCPs draft is as persistent as it is persistent in the reports on environmental levels. However, the review process for those substances that are still being widely produced and environment. The main reasons why the POPRC did not used were met with greater opposition, especially by developing reach a general agreement were (1) whether the environmental countries and those in transition, as much of the production has SCCP concentrations have resulted in “significant adverse been moved there. This was the case for PFOS and endosulfan, environmental and human health effects” via long-range where specific exemptions were made for continued production transport. On the basis of currently available reports, the and usage. The main reasons were the lack of suitable concentrations in the environment in most locations are far substitutes and alternative technologies, and economic below the no observed effect concentrations. (2) There is a considerations for chemical producers, downstream producers scarcity of monitoring data of SCCPs in the environment and and consumers. humans, and (3) the general guidance for the toxic interactions The two main raw materials used for production of SCCPs among SCCPs, medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) are paraffins and chlorine. Paraffins are byproducts of crude oil and long-chain chlorinated paraffins (LCCPs) has not been refining and chlorine gas is one of the main products when completed yet. However, in further reviewing the potential producing sodium hydroxide. The feedstock and reagent for listing of SCCPs into the SC, we also consider that the SCCPs manufacturing is therefore readily available at large stakeholders should take into account the special circumstances of developing regions and transition economies, and be mindful Published: October 7, 2013 about the uneven distribution of scientific information and
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© 2013 American Chemical Society
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paraffins to support global regulatory efforts. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46, 4697−4698. (5) Zeng, L. X.; Wang, T.; Wang, P.; Liu, Q.; Han, S. L.; Yuan, B.; Zhu, N. L.; Wang, Y. W.; Jiang, G. B. Distribution and trophic transfer of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in an aquatic ecosystem receiving effluents from a sewage treatment plant. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45, 5529−5535.
amounts and at relatively low cost. An eventual listing of SCCPs into the SC will deeply affect the manufacturing activities of these two important chemical industries and requires extensive technological reformation. Throughout the past eight POPRC meetings, most of the substance drafts reviewed by the POPRC were mainly based on the scientific research from developed countries and regions or from available risk evaluations by major corporations or international organizations, such as the 3 M Company and UNECE. These works are, to a large extent, based on frontier scientific research, availability of advanced equipment, improved evaluation methods and the increased public awareness in developed countries. On the other hand, information on the distributions, environmental fate and risk assessment of the candidate POPs in developing countries are mostly scarce. The bioaccumulation potential of SCCPs in organisms and their persistence in the environment are mostly agreed upon.5 However, the chronic effects have not yet been sufficiently proven, which is important considering the large production volume of chlorinated paraffins. Uneven distribution of scientific information and knowledge, the lack of support from domestic stakeholders, and the different tolerance levels on the economic cost imposed by the restriction of the reviewed substance are the main reasons for the disagreements and heated debates during the POPRC reviewing process. The members and observers of the SC agreed on the POPRC8 meeting that additional research should be undertaken on the risk assessment to human health and the environment as a result of long-range environmental transport. Therefore, it is advised that the stakeholders take into account the current conflicting viewpoints by different parties. Just as a member has mentioned in the POPRC8 meeting, the Annex E of Stockholm Convention “should give greater prominence to matters of relevance to developing countries”.
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*E-mail:
[email protected]. Notes
The authors declare no competing financial interest.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We greatly appreciated the support provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (YSW2013B01) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21222702, 21077114)
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REFERENCES
(1) POPRC8. Report POPRC.8/16. Report of the persistent organic pollutants review committee on the work of its eighth meeting. UNEP/POPS/POPRC.8/16; Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, 2012. (2) Tomy, G. T.; Stern, G. A.; Lockhart, W. L.; Muir, D. C. G. Occurrence of C10−C13 polychlorinated n-alkanes in Canadian midlatitude and Arctic lake sediments. Environ. Sci. Technol. 1999, 33, 2858−2863. (3) Pellizzato, F.; Ricci, M.; Held, A.; Emons, H.; Bohmer, W.; Geiss, S.; Iozza, S.; Mais, S.; Petersen, M.; Lepom, P. Laboratory intercomparison study on the analysis of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in an extract of industrial soil. Trends Anal. Chem. 2009, 28, 1029−1035. (4) Sverko, E.; Tomy, G. T.; Marvin, C. H.; Muir, D. C. G. Improving the quality of environmental measurements on short chain chlorinated 11925
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