During the past century, a vast number of organic chemicals have been manufactured and used in industrial, agricultural, public health, consumer products, and other applications. Widespread use of organohalogens, including chlorinated, brominated, and fluorinated compounds, lead to environmental contamination and human exposures occurring through multiple pathways such as direct skin contact, inhalation, drinking water, and food. Exposure to these persistent organic pollutants has been implicated in myriad human health effects including reproductive, neurotoxic, immunotoxic, endocrine, behavioral, and carcinogenic effects in both wildlife and humans. In addition, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, the perfluorinated chemicals, triclosan, triclocarban, tetrabromobisphenol A, and hexabromocyclododecane are considered as chemicals of emerging environmental concern. Based on their use pattern and their persistent chemical properties, it can be predicted that human exposure to these compounds will continue. Human health effects due to such exposures also continue to be an issue of concern.
