PCB's

Courtesy of T Abele:

I read an article in Science Daily News. This article was published on December 8,2009. The title of this article is called “Scientists Detect PCB’s on South America’s Highest Peak.” The article has to d with pollution that was spread to an unusual environment.

The snow on the famous mountain, Mount Andes is actually polluted with PCB’s. Scientists discovered this by taking small samples from the mountaintop. The toxins were “carcinogenic chlorine compounds.” The situation is bizarre because the toxins found here were at the highest amount found anywhere in the entire world. These toxins have been banned since eight years ago. Two of the types of toxins found on Mout Andes were called hexachlorobiphenyl also known as PCB 138 and heptachlorobiphenyl, which was also known as PCB 180.

This has scared many scientists and prompted them to investigate several other mountain and similar areas. They unfortunately also found a large amount of pollutants in the Alps. This case happened to put a threat on our water supply.
Some scary effects of these dangerous pollutants are hair loss, kidney damage, fatigue, and skin acne. Scientists also believe it is a possible cause of infertility. Humans are not the only living organisms that are affected. These pollutants have also had dangerous affects on several animals living in these environments.

Scientists have compared the studies of pollution in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. The southern hemisphere is far less polluted that the northern hemisphere. Mountain ranges in the southern hemisphere are in much better shape than in the northern mountain ranges. It is better for mountain ranges to have a higher concentration. Scientists have noticed the polluted mountains have much smaller concentrations than normal. Sometimes four to ten times smaller than normal. An example of this scenario is the Andes; they have a far less concentration than normal. Thus proves that the Southern Hemisphere is at a higher risk for danger.

Scientists are still studying mountains and taking samples but it is clear that these land figures are in danger. They have made it clear how important it is for these illegal pollutants to be found and for the use of them to end.