Pentachlorophenol Facts

Pentachlorophenol Facts

In the U.S., most exposure to pentachlorophenol (PCP) comes from PCP used in the past on treated wood and soil. From 1987 to 1993, EPA recorded releases of PCP to land and water, mostly from treated wood and military munitions factories, totaling nearly 100,000 pounds (1).

Used To Control: Wood rot, microbes, algae, fungi, molluscs, weeds
Top uses: Utility poles, railroad ties, pilings
Known health effects: Neurological toxicity, probable carcinogenicity, organ damage, suspected endocrine disruption

Use and Exposure

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a pesticide and wood preservative which was historically widely used. It has been limited since 1984 to use by certified applicators for certain purposes. It is still used as a preservative on wooden utility poles, railroad ties and wharf pilings (2). Pentachlorophenol has been found in at least 313 of the 1,585 National Priorities List “Superfund” sites identified by EPA (2). PCP has been banned, restricted or cancelled in 26 countries, including the United States, which has restricted its use. In 2000, 466 pounds of PCP were used in California, mostly on almonds and structural pest control (3).

Most human PCP exposure comes from PCP placed in the environment in the past and released from treated wood and soil. Forty-five million pounds of pentachlorophenol were produced in 1983. From 1987 to 1993, EPA recorded releases to land and water, mostly from wood preserving activities and military munitions factories, totaling nearly 100,000 pounds (1).

Health Effects

Technical grade PCP is frequently contaminated with dioxins and hexachlorobenzene (4). It is often difficult to differentiate which health effects are due to pentachlorophenol, and which are caused by common contaminants of industrial grade PCP.

Pentachlorophenol is moderately toxic when eaten, breathed, or absorbed through the skin. High acute exposure to PCP can cause fever, profuse sweating, dehydration, loss of appetite, nausea, and neurological effects such as tremors, uncoordinated movement, leg pain, and coma. (4)

It is unclear whether exposure of the developing fetus to pentachlorophenol will result in birth defects or other developmental effects in people, but laboratory animals exposed to high levels during development experience health effects including low body weight, decreased growth and skeletal problems (2). PCP is a suspected endocrine disruptor, interfering with the natural function of estrogen, androgen and thyroid hormones.

The chronic toxicity of PCP probably depends on how dioxin-contaminated a given mixture is, but various mixtures may cause blood chemistry problems, organ damage, immune system damage or heart failure (4). EPA has determined that pentachlorophenol is a probable human carcinogen and the International Agency for Cancer Research classifies it as possibly carcinogenic to humans (2).

Companies Manufacturing Products Containing Pentachlorophenol

Shenzhen Jiangshan Commerce & Industry Corp (5)

References

(1) United States Environmental Protection Agency, Ground Water and Drinking Water. “Consumer Factsheet on: Pentachlorophenol.” Available at http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/dwh/c-soc/pentachl.html accessed 1/22/03.
(2) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. “ToxFAQs(tm) for Pentachlorophenol CAS# 87-86-5.” September 2001. Available at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts51.html accessed 1/16/03.
(3) Pesticide Action Network Pesticide Data Base. Chemical Information About Pentachlorophenol.” Available at http://www.pesticideinfo.org/PCW/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC34087 accessed 1/23/03.
(4) Extension Toxicology Network. “Pesticide Information Profiles: Pentachlorophenol (PCP).”
Revised June 1996. Available at http://ace.orst.edu/cgi-bin/mfs/01/pips/pentachl.htm accessed 1/17/03.
(5) Farm Chemicals Handbook 86. 2000. Meister Publishing Company.