Document 6RDrrdyzKOL34gL0NoO11odZd

fcy M i Nobl* i tuny I> Stpiembcf but jrar tfa* froa Northm IitlaaJ, AynMn, Cumberland, UnAin to North Walw. We aay errar fuDy --dent--d hew ftle tauter came abeet far oaly el|ht of the dead birds were properly eramlaed (or task 1 ehrmlcaia etc. However, they all coataioed buyer tbao nseal antoaota of one particular compound, polycbloriaated Mpheayl or PCB. To moat naturaliata the name PCB meant nothiof. For thie roaaoo wo foal that it is worthwhile smnmerislng the carreat state of knowledge o( eoriroeiueatal pollotioa by PCB. PCB is not a singlo x>m ound but a P'riid to 'b ive cwu <].*. .c; l.- tons general name for a vho'o family o': ji. the bod/, auiiioly t. >k.. v.Jv. t .tiu compounds with a coir mot Wic mui- l ovia *ui>n on J.e .ivci 1 .e k ,io*< lure. Mixtures of PCB comiv.nd.i pr.K,UcCC in tl v live:. an ,ku .low have interesting pro.wrtics enabling them to be used in diverse technical areas. Our awareness of the ecological at.opby.. . rtc higher tio chl> nne outturn of the diphenyl (atipocnyl) compound, the more toxic it is liable implications of PCB is comparatively to be... The sUr. issioo is kno vn as recent and so it comas as a surprise cbtormche, and consists of srasll pimples to many people that commercial menu- and dark pigmentation of the exposed lecture of PCB was begun as far back, areas initially. Later oomstones and as 1929 by the Monsanto Chemical pustules develop. In persons who have Company of America. suffered from systemic intoxication the usual signs and symptoms are nuciea. It was noted recently that the effects of exposure to PCB are vomiting sod lorn of weight, jsuidice. edema and abdominal pain. Where the liver daasags is severe the patient may not limited only to the immediate location of its use. pass into a coma and die. PCB ti> also recognised as s (Vaster iiaxarc. for highly toxic fumes are given off when it is heeled to decomposition. Of course Since then PCB production has these are acuta effects mulling from spread to most major industrial coun exposure to very high concentrations. tries. indoding Britain. Monsanto am Such a danger codd only arte Li the still the major manufacturer hen and event of an industrial accident.** market PCB mixtures under the trade A very disturbing fading about ths name Anohlor. biological effects of PCB Is that thay PCB la mads by addk* chlorine to can have an juidious effect or. ths biphenyls, terphanyis and other more hormonal system of birds. Hormones complex poiy-phenyta. Chlorination is ait vital in co-ordinating die complex done in special cylindrical steel towars biochemical reactions of living organ- three feet in tHamatar and afchtmn tints. Any interference with the normal fiat high using spatial catalysts and body-regulating effects of boraoose haaL could have a profound effect on an IV technical earn of PCB depend organism, for they control rates of On tbtir grant chemical stability and growth, ultimate body tie and shape, special physical properties, which may masculinity or femininity, mental end be varied to suit spedfte applications. physical alertness. PCB has n number of uam in the elec trical industry, fe.paiaB and vamhtas Effect ob birds where they have a atinfiar roia to oil TV way in which PCB titi.Terss with except chat they do not oxidiao and the hormonal system* of birds, is com loae tbtir flexibility with age. Retinous plex and not yet fully understood. products of PCS are an integral part Only a small quantity of PCB can of synthetic adhesives. Lubricants lor speed up tV production of certain use under extrema conditions often enzymes produced by small bodies in contain PCS. ` tbs tiver, s process celled enzyme in The national and International pro duction. As a result, the calcium meta duction figures for PCB have never , boiism so vital in egg production, is been published bat we can see from disturbed. the list of its applications that PCB is This Information becomes crucial used on a large scale. when it is realised that PCB has been For such a widely used compound, found throughout much of the global toxicological data ware pretty spans, environment, even in measurable yet it was noticed recently that the amounts (0.06 ports per million) in effects of exposure to PCB are not lim mother's milk samples in Califorrua. ited only to the immadhtc location of Environmental scientists are becosing its use. Affect, ikia tad lirar incruisingly concerned about any chemicals which can persist -n tbs e.ivironment and be accumulated along In the standard text on industrial food chains. How do they get into toe toxicology. Dangtrous properties of in envinmment end what long tom*, tc *ic dustrial chemicals by Sac. I'TB is rr.- hszi d do they ire sv:i u \: j HQNS 0 6 5 0 5 6 ry * rv 5 i ?' ' ! ;; ' 1 V u 4I PCB possesses great chemical stability and is therefore highly persistent once it escapes into the environment. It is likely that a steady build-up is occurring. le|Ms have repotted that the tightel leveH of PCB ere found in wild life from industrialised areas. In the few land birds and fresh water species ex amined by American scientists PCB was found, end it is quite likely that the compound is now distributed in the continental ecosystems of the United States. Exactly how PCB gets into wild Ufa is not yet known, for unlike orgxoochlorine meecticides. PCB is not de liberately sprayed Into ecosystems. There are however several possibilities The fact that PCB residues are gener ally highest in creatures living near to industrial areas, lends us to suspect that PCB might escape from the teclories manufacturing or using it It oouM be releeaed in eflhMnt or PCBcontaking hydraulic oils into the riven, eventually reaching the see. Another poteotiaJ PCB source is air poKutten. It has barn wiggssted that traoapoct by air currents explains the prwnoe of PCB k remote regions like Alaska. As far as we know no one has recorded and measured the presence of PCS k the air. It might escape into the atmos phere during its manufacture at a point when high temperatures are reached. Alternatively, the burning at waste containing PCS may lead to atmos pheric pollution. Tje Minisu y of} .out ing and Local Go^cmiuent ou st-ir ccl a research proje.* to examine he sources of PCB pollution which will no doubt throw more light on this prob lem. Loog term effects ? PCB possesses greit chemical stability and is therefore highly persistent once k escapes into tee environment. It is likely that a steady build-up is occur ring. Small amounts of FOB have been shown experimentally to have sublethal physiological effects on birds, and small amounts are now found in people. Will they have any long term toxic effect? Nobody ,knows, but do we hnvp to wait? Urn best move might be to suspend further use of PCB in industrial proceim until one has estab lished Ms effects on ecosystems and human health. Such firm action would also eel as a spar to industry to work mosp seriously k the future on the ecological implications of their action. The iIm.om itkntai n wl ij i'CB <hhIi.;i.'h: w;. Jim ;v. -c. li. us gr-at uorn.`.eiR: i t * pru m environ.neiui imn.tot rg dlu Void life popuhttHns ure a tumetne or,*, said "our miner's cai ary". nut onl; very rarely is there the nec&sary in formation about population dynamics to say with any accuracy wltether a particular population is behaving in a peculiar fashion. It k necesssry to fin ance. on a world scale, sfuiim of a carefully selected rang* of speeiaa so that we can biologically scoilor en vironmental changes. Any change in the numbers, bebaviot-r or chemical composition of an indicator population would be noted and its cause searched for. It is a priority task, and the scale of activity in such monitoring ought at least to be tied to the increasing rue of-industrial activity. Toe oast of such e "doomwateh" activity may be high, but If it helps mankind to avoid large scale ecological disasters, k is e price teat has to be paid. SYSTEMATICS Journal of the Institute for the Comparative Study of History, Philosophy and the Sciences . Editor/ ]. G. Bennsit .ad Kaxl S. Schapto VolVIUNo. 3 ' December, 1970. MIND AND MATTER ' J. G. Bennett Harry Rothman, aged 32, ji. graduate In Zoology, and baa a deep Internet in ecology end its political mtpMcetlflns. He lecture, in the Department ot THE AMBIGUITY OF `ONE' AND TWO' IN THE DESCRIPTION OF YOUNG'S EXPERIMENT . H. Hortoft Liberal Studies in Science, Manchester University on the social relatione of WILL TYPE INVESTIGATION G. H Ecwnrds ciencc end technology. In 1971 hie. book on Industrie! Society end Pollu IDEA DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT IN tion will be published by Hert-Dsvis in UK and Bobbs-Meritl in USA. ENGINEERING MONS 08505? E. Muchet: tohn Noble, eged 22, graduated from the Libera] Studio in Science Departmail last year (1970). There he reed `Science Greet." an honoura oourae desiened to develop "Kientillc genenl- The Journal is publiahed quarterly in Marcb, June, September aid Datcrnte; Subscription mice utf 13*. 6d. (12.00) per copy or 2.10.. OcL (J7.S) p r an cm Subscriptions, contribution. or correspondence to; 'the Editors 3. tti ..nr. 23 Brunswick Rond, Kinston-upon-''hamei, Surrey, England. I > 1