Acute toxicity in the guinea pig and in vitro "dioxin-like" activity of the environmental contaminant 1,2,4,5,7,8-hexachloro (9H)xanthene.

A number of sites in the state of Missouri have been contaminated with polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans as a result of improper waste-oil application for dust control. In addition to these compounds, relatively high levels of 1,2,4,5,7,8-hexachloro(9H)xanthene (1,2,4,5,7,8-HCX), a by-product of hexachlorophene manufacture, were also detected. Unlike the dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans, no animal toxicity data are available on the chlorinated xanthenes.

Gas chromatographic--mass spectrometric determination of volatile organic compounds in fish.

A technique has been developed for the determination of volatile organic compounds in fish. The methodology is based on procedures used to determine purgeable organic compounds in water and wastewater. Fish tissue is added to reagent water, cooled in an ice bath, and homogenized with cell disruption using ultrasonic energy.

Formation of trihalomethanes by chlorination of surface water.

Chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, bromoform, and dichloroiodomethane have been found in chlorinated drinking water. In addition to these five compounds, the other possible trihalomethanes (chlorodiiodomethane, bromochloroiodomethane, dibromoiodomethane, bromodiiodomethane, and iodoform) can also be formed by chlorination of surface water containing bromides and iodides. Mass spectra for each of these ten compounds were obtained.