Airbourne Dioxins

The dioxins are a ubiquitous group of environmental pollutants which have many undesirable health impacts, brought about by their long persistence in the body and in the environment. The main exposure is through food although exposure to airborne dioxins is also possible, particularly for those living near waste management facilities that are not well controlled or monitored.
The full name for the parent compound, dioxin itself, is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). The term 'dioxins' refers to TCDD and a number of structurally and chemically related organic compounds. The polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are often included under the dioxin umbrella because they have similar properties.