Pentachlorophenol and Dinitrophenol
Pentachlorophenol (penchloro, penta, PCP, others) is a chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbon that has been used as a fungicide to preserve wood (eg, telephone poles). Since 1984, its use in the United States has been restricted to industrial purposes by certified applicators. It is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant detectable in the general population. It appears to be a thyroid hormone and immune disrupter. It is a probable carcinogen (EPA). It is formed as a by-product during water disinfection with chlorinated oxidants. Moreover, it was noted that children living in the areas of pentachlorobenzene and hexachlorobenzene emissions had elevated pentachlorophenol blood concentrations.
Dinitrophenols (dinosam, DNOC, DNP, and analogs) have been used as insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and chemical intermediaries and are used in some explosives, dyes, and photographic chemicals. Dinitrophenol has also been taken orally for weight reduction. The use of dinitrophenol as a pesticide or as a weight-reducing agent is banned in the United States, although the chemical appears to be available over the Internet.
Mechanism of toxicity
Pentachlorophenol and dinitrophenols uncouple oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria. Substrates are metabolized, but the energy produced is dissipated as heat instead of producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The basal metabolic rate increases, placing increased demands on the cardiorespiratory system. Excess lactic acid results from anaerobic glycolysis.
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