[Study on the environmental pollution of PCBs].

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Toxicology
• Industrial Ecology

Background:

• Disused transformer dismantling facilities can release hazardous chemicals.
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants with potential environmental and health risks.
• Assessing PCB contamination is crucial for understanding industrial impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate environmental pollution by PCBs originating from the dismantling of disused transformers.
• To quantify PCB and TEO levels in various environmental samples from different exposure zones.

Main Methods:

• Comparative study using three towns with varying proximity to a transformer dismantling site (high, low, and distant contrast).
• Random sampling of piped water, farmland, rice, and eggs (hen and duck).
• Analysis of PCB and TEO levels using exceed-mark-quantity detection methods.

Main Results:

• PCB content varied significantly across sample types, with piped water showing no significant differences.
• Hen eggs exhibited the highest diversity in PCB levels, followed by duck eggs, then farmland.
• The general order of PCB contamination was: hen eggs > duck eggs > farmland > rice > river water > piped water.

Conclusions:

• PCB levels in all samples from the high-exposure town (Town F) were elevated compared to the low-exposure (Town P) and contrast (Town DXG) areas.
• The dismantling of disused transformers demonstrably caused local environmental pollution.
• PCB contamination poses a risk, particularly accumulating in food sources like eggs and farmland near industrial sites.