50572-101 



REPORT DOCUMENTATION 

 PAGE 



1. REPORT NO. 



Biological Report 85(1.8) 



3. Raciptenf s Accession No. 



4. ntl* and Subtitle 



Dioxi'n hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: 

 a synoptic review. 



S. Report Date 



May 1986 



7. Authors) 



Ronald Eisler 



8. Performing Organization Rept. No. 



9. Performing Organization Name and Address 



Patuxent Wildlife Research Center 

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 Laurel, MD 20708 



10. Project/Task/Work Unit No. 



11. Contract(C) or Grant(G) No. 



(C) 



(G) 



12. Sponsoring Organization Name and Address 



13. Type of Report & Period Covered 



14. 



IS. Supplementary Notes 



16. Abstract (Limit: 200 words) 



Polychlorinated dibenzo- para- dioxins (PCDDs) are present as 

 various manufactured chemicals and in combustion products. The 

 stability of PCDDs and their tendency to accumulate in fatty tis 

 widesoread detection throughout the global ecosystem. The most 

 studied PCDD isomer is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- para- dioxin (2 

 contamination of the environment by 2,3,7,8-TCDD has resulted in 

 birds, wildlife, and domestic animals, and in the closing of rive 

 residues in fish, i.e., >50 parts per trillion (ppt) wet weight, 

 birds, mammals, aquatic organisms, and other species have conclu 

 exposure to 2,3,7,8-TCDD can be associated with acute and delaye 

 teratogenic, reproductive, mutagenic, histopathologic, and immun 



trace impurities in 

 chemical and environmental 

 sues have resulted in their 

 toxic and extensively 

 ,3,7,8-TCDD). Accidental 



deaths in many species of 

 rs to fishing due to high 

 Laboratory studies with 

 sively demonstrated that 

 d mortality, carcinogenic, 

 otoxic effects. 



There are no regulations at present to protect sensitive species of wildlife and 

 aquatic organisms against any of the 75 PCDD isomers. However, the limited data available 

 strongly suggest that 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentrations in water should not exceed 0.01 ppt for 

 the protection of aquatic life, or 10 to 12 ppt in the foods of birds and other wildlife. 



17. Document Analysis a. Descriptors 



Toxicity 



Contaminants 



Chi orohydrocarbons 



b. Identlfiers/Open-Ended Terms 



Dioxins 

 PCDD's 

 Hetabol ism 

 Sublethal effects 



c COSATI Field/Group 



Fishes 



Wildlife 



Natural resources 



18. Availability Statement 



Release unlimited 



19. Security Class (This Report) 



Unclassified 



20. Security Class (This Page) 



Unclassified 



21. 



No. of Pages 



37 



22. Price 



(See ANSI-Z39.18) 



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US GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1987— 774-207 65.067 REGION NO 8 



OPTIONAL FORM 272 (4-77) 

 (Formerly NTIS-35) 

 Department of Commerce 



