Toxic MCCPs Found in Western Hemisphere Air via Sewage Sludge Fertilizer
- Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder have reported the first airborne detection of Medium Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCPs) in the Western Hemisphere.
- The findings, published in ACS Environmental Au, indicate that these toxic organic pollutants are drifting through the air, revealing a previously unseen route for contamination.
- The research team suspects that the MCCPs identified in the Oklahoma skies originated from biosolid fertilizer, also referred to as sewage sludge.
Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder have reported the first airborne detection of Medium Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCPs) in the Western Hemisphere. This discovery occurred during a field study in an agricultural region of Oklahoma, where scientists were utilizing advanced instruments to monitor the formation and evolution of tiny airborne particles.
The findings, published in ACS Environmental Au, indicate that these toxic organic pollutants are drifting through the air, revealing a previously unseen route for contamination. While MCCPs had been previously measured in Asia and Antarctica, this is the first time they have been documented in the atmosphere of the Western Hemisphere.
Sources of Contamination
The research team suspects that the MCCPs identified in the Oklahoma skies originated from biosolid fertilizer, also referred to as sewage sludge. This material is created when liquid is removed from wastewater in treatment plants.
Because MCCPs are frequently found in wastewater, they can accumulate in the resulting biosolid fertilizers. The researchers believe the toxins they detected rose from the farmland in the fields near where their instruments were stationed.
What are MCCPs?
Medium Chain Chlorinated Paraffins are a type of toxic organic pollutant used in several industrial applications. Their primary uses include:
- Fluids used for metal working
- The construction of textiles
- The production of PVC
Due to their persistence and potential impact on human health, MCCPs are currently being evaluated for possible regulation under the Stockholm Convention. The Stockholm Convention is an international treaty designed to protect human health from widespread and long-standing chemicals.
Scientific Impact and Future Research
The discovery was unexpected, as the researchers were not specifically searching for these chemicals when they began their study on aerosol particles. Daniel Katz, a chemistry PhD student at CU Boulder and the lead author of the study, highlighted the importance of the finding.
Daniel Katz
It’s very exciting as a scientist to find something unexpected like this that we weren’t looking for. We’re starting to learn more about this toxic, organic pollutant that we know is out there, and which we need to understand better.
The detection of these chemicals in the U.S. Air suggests that the pathway from wastewater treatment to agricultural land and eventually into the atmosphere is a significant route for the spread of these pollutants. This finding provides a new data point for scientists and regulators working to understand how toxic organic pollutants migrate globally.