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Glossary
Technical term Description

  A  Top

Anthropogenic substances Substances made or caused by humans.

  C  Top

Congeners "Members of the same group" - Related chemicals that have the same chemical structure, but a different number and position of the substituent. The dioxin subgroups (from monochlorodibenzodioxins to octachlorodibenzodioxins), for example, can be distinguished by the number and position of their chlorine atoms.

  D  Top

Dioxins A group of tricyclic chlororganic compounds (including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) and polybromated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDD) that share similar chemical and biological properties.

  F  Top

Fetotoxicityt Adverse effects on the developing fetus (after the first trimester of pregnancy).

  I  Top

I-TEF International Toxic Equivalency Factors set by NATO/CCMS (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation/Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society)
I-TEq International Toxic Equivalents set by NATO/CCMS (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation/Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society)

  L  Top

Lipophilicity Affinity to interact with fat. Lipophilic substances, for example, accumulate in fatty tissue.

  P  Top

PCB Polychlorinated biphenyls
PCDD/F Abbreviation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans.

Dibenzo-p-dioxin with 75 congeners and dibenzo-p-furans with 135 congeners
PCP Pentachlorphenol
Persistence Persistence of a chemical in the environment. Persistent chemicals degrade only very slowly in the environment.

  S  Top

Seveso-Dioxin 2,3,7,8-Tetrachloro-dibenzo-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD); Still considered to be the most toxic substance ever synthesised. Does not occur naturally.

  T  Top

TDI (Tolerable Daily Intake) The maximum amount of a contaminant that can be eaten every day over the whole lifetime without causing harm.
TEF Toxic Equivalency Factor
Teratogenicity Property of a chemical which causes abnormalities during the period of embryonic development (during the first trimester of pregnancy).
TEQ Toxic Equivalent
Toxic Equivalents Toxic Equivalents are used to assess the risk posed by PCDD/F mixtures. Using TEQs, the toxicity of dibenzodioxins and furans containing four or more chlorine atoms are related - via certain factors - to the toxicity of 2,3,7,8-TCDD.

  U  Top

ubiquitous omnipresent, being present everywhere

  W  Top

WHO-TEq Toxic Equivalents set by the World Health Organization WHO (1998)
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