Scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) identified for the first time in the United States and the Western Hemisphere the airborne presence of a new toxin. It is Medium-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCP), common industrial compounds that could represent an emerging risk for human health and the environment.
The finding, published in the journal ACS Environmental Au, was made during a field study in agricultural areas of Oklahoma. There, a chemical ionization mass spectrometer was used to monitor aerosols for a month.
“We started to learn more about this toxic contaminant that we weren’t looking for and that we still need to better understand,” explained Daniel Katz, lead author of the study and a chemistry Ph.D. candidate at CU Boulder.
### What are MCCPs and why are they concerning
MCCPs are commonly used in the industry as flame retardants and plasticizers, but recent studies suggest that, like Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs), these substances can:
– Be toxic to aquatic and marine ecosystems.
– Persist in the environment and in the human body, like forever chemicals (PFAS).
– Bioaccumulate and present risks to public health.
Although SCCPs are regulated in the U.S. and other countries, their prohibition has encouraged the use of MCCPs as an alternative, which could be generating a new source of uncontrolled contamination.
### Possible origin of the airborne toxin: biosolids-based fertilizers
The team suspects that the source of MCCP in the air comes from the use of biosolids-based fertilizers in nearby agricultural fields.
“When fields are sprayed with drainage sludge, these toxic compounds could be released into the air,” noted Katz, although he clarified that a direct causal link cannot yet be established.
### Pending international regulation and debate
MCCPs are still not regulated by most jurisdictions, but the issue will be discussed this year by members of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, an international treaty led by the UN that addresses global chemical risks.
The researchers emphasized that the effect of these substances in the atmosphere is still unknown and stressed the need to maintain strong government agencies that can scientifically evaluate and regulate these compounds in the interest of the public.
### An emerging chemical threat and the need for increased scientific vigilance
The discovery of MCCPs in the air in the U.S. highlights the need to monitor new industrial contaminants that, despite not being regulated, could have significant environmental and health effects.
With the advancement of detection technologies and increasing pressure on the environment from industrial waste, scientific research and proactive regulation will be key to protecting public health and ecosystems.
