Monday, December 7, 2009

What are dioxins?

Dioxins are cyclic molecules composed of atoms of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and chlorine or bromine. They are mainly produced by the metallurgical industry, paper mills and incineration in industrial and domestic waste. The burning of wood (especially during forest fires) is also a source of dioxins.
In animals, dioxins decreased immunity, reduce fertility and cause cancer after exposure to relatively low doses. In humans, TCDD (dioxin principal) is classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The daily intake in food (ADI) is 2 picograms per kilogram of body weight per day in Europe (2001) and 1 to 4 pg / kg / d according to WHO.

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