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The Possibility for “Natural” Generation of Chlorinated Organic Compounds
Author(s) -
Haas Charles N.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
risk analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.972
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1539-6924
pISSN - 0272-4332
DOI - 10.1111/j.1539-6924.1994.tb00038.x
Subject(s) - hypochlorous acid , chlorine , environmental chemistry , chemistry , environmental science , biochemical engineering , waste management , organic chemistry , engineering
There is continuing concern for the exposure of persons to various chlorinated organics via the environment, for example, chlorinated disinfection byproducts in drinking water. (1) Some of these may be carcinogenic, (2) although the evidence is far from strong. (3) There is an accumulating body of evidence that one of the normal human immunological responses to foreign agents is the generation of hypochlorous acid. This evidence will be summarized. The possibility that this HOCl generated in vivo could result in the formation of organo‐chlorine compounds does not appear to have been seriously considered. Based on best available information, the amount of such byproduct formation will be estimated.