Degradation of haloaromatic compounds

An ever increasing number of halogenated organic compounds has been produced by industry in the last few decades. These compounds are employed as biocides, for synthetic polymers, as solvents, and as synthetic intermediates. Production figures are often incomplete, and total production has frequently to be extrapolated from estimates for individual countries. Compounds of this type as a rule are highly persistent against biodegradation and belong, as "recalcitrant" chemicals, to the class of so-called xenobiotics. This term is used to characterise chemical substances which have no or limited structural analogy to natural compounds for which degradation pathways have evolved over billions of years. Xenobiotics frequently have some common features. e.g. high octanol/water partitioning coefficients and low water solubility which makes for a high accumulation ratio in the biosphere (bioaccumulation potential). Recalcitrant compounds therefore are found accumulated in mammals, especially in fat tissue, animal milk supplies and also in human milk. Highly sophisticated analytical techniques have been developed for the detection of organochlorines at the trace and ultratrace level

Medication-induced esophagitis

Clinical, radiographic, and endoscopic features of medication-induced esophagitis (MIE) in 4 patients are described. When the clinical history and symptoms raise a high index of suspicion for MIE, a double-contrast esophagram or endoscopic examination should be performed. The proximal esophagus, particularly the aortic segment, and occasionally the distal esophagus are the sites most commonly affected by MIE. Superficial mucosal erosions, shallow ulcers, and subtle mucosal alterations can be demonstrated by double-contrast esophagrams if careful attention is paid during performance and interpretation of these studies in an appropriate clinical setting.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/48123/1/261_2005_Article_BF02035023.pd