title: Chlorinated volatile organic compounds (Cl-VOCs) in environment - sources, potential human health impacts, and current remediation technologies.
abstract: Chlorinated volatile organic compounds (Cl-VOCs), including polychloromethanes, polychloroethanes and polychloroethylenes, are widely used as solvents, degreasing agents and a variety of commercial products. These compounds belong to a group of ubiquitous contaminants that can be found in contaminated soil, air and any kind of fluvial mediums such as groundwater, rivers and lakes. This review presents a summary of the research concerning the production levels and sources of Cl-VOCs, their potential impacts on human health as well as state-of-the-art remediation technologies. Important sources of Cl-VOCs principally include the emissions from industrial processes, the consumption of Cl-VOC-containing products, the disinfection process, as well as improper storage and disposal methods. Human exposure to Cl-VOCs can occur through different routes, including ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact. The toxicological impacts of these compounds have been carefully assessed, and the results demonstrate the potential associations of cancer incidence with exposure to Cl-VOCs. Most Cl-VOCs thus have been listed as priority pollutants by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) of China, Environmental Protection Agency of the U.S. (U.S. EPA) and European Commission (EC), and are under close monitor and strict control. Yet, more efforts will be put into the epidemiological studies for the risk of human exposure to Cl-VOCs and the exposure level measurements in contaminated sites in the future. State-of-the-art remediation technologies for Cl-VOCs employ non-destructive methods and destructive methods (e.g. thermal incineration, phytoremediation, biodegradation, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and reductive dechlorination), whose advantages, drawbacks and future developments are thoroughly discussed in the later sections.
authors.affiliation: College of Environment Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Binbin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Hydraulic Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410114, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Eco-Remediation of Guangdong Regular Higher Education Institutions, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chaohai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: College of Environment Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guangming
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D004203:Disinfection; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D006262:Health; D006795:Household Products / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D007221:Industry; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D014866:Waste Products / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D014866:Waste Products
keywords: Carcinogenicity; Chlorinated volatile organic compounds (Cl-VOCs); Health impacts; Remediation technologies; Sources