title: The environmental fate and ecological impact of organosilicon materials: a review.
abstract: In order to assess reliably and safely the potential threats posed by the environmental presence of any class of materials, one must carefully consider a number of key parameters. In addition to chemical reactivity, one must consider a material's physical properties such as vapor pressure, density, water solubility, lipid solubility, and often most importantly, the molecular weight. These factors define how and where the substance is likely to be distributed in the environment and what, if any, undesirable ecological consequences are to be anticipated. It is particularly important to realize that a material does not represent an ecological threat simply because it is toxic or persistent, or lipid soluble, or bioconcentratable. Hazard is proportional to the exposure intensity which is defined by the parameters of time and concentration. Therefore, only those materials which are toxic and persistent and bioconcentratable are likely to manifest undesirable ecological consequences. Based on extensive toxicological and environmental fate studies, commercially important organosilicon materials do not appear to present any ecologically significant threat. Recurrent suggestions that methylsiloxanes might produce methylmercury species under aquatic conditions are also discussed and shown to be highly improbable.
authors.affiliation: Health and Environmental Sciences, Dow Corning Corporation, Midland, MI 48640.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Frye
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004463:Ecology; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D012825:Silicon / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D012825:Silicon