Persistent Organic Pollutant
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that are resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes. Because of this, they have been observed to persist in the environment, to be capable of long-range transport, bioaccumulate in human and animal tissue, biomagnify in food chains, and to have potential significant impacts on human health and the environment.
Many POPs are currently or were in the past used as pesticides. Others are used in industrial processes and in the production of a range of goods such as solvents, polyvinyl chloride, and pharmaceuticals. There are a few natural sources of POPs, but most POPs are created by humans in industrial processes, either intentionally or as byproducts.
Read more about Persistent Organic Pollutant: Compounds, Chemical Properties, Long-range Transport, Health Effects
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