I really, really wish I could post some molecular structures here. The structure of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin (TCDD) is two benzene rings joined by a pair of oxygens in the para configuration. On the outer edges are 4 carbons, one in each corner.
You can see a picture at this website. PCBs are similar to dioxins, except that there is only one oxygen between the two benzene rings. It takes a dose of PCBs 100 to 1000 times the size of a dose of TCDD to cause symptoms of toxicity, but the symptoms are the same and mediated by the same receptor. (In other words, the Japanese you mentioned were not exposed to TCDD.) Unlike TCDD, PCBs were manufactured commercially until the 1970s and several million tons of them are still around. There have been incidents in the US where people and livestock were exposed to PCBs.
I think the Italians you read about were exposed to TCDD; there was an industrial accident in July 1976 where over a kilogram of TCDD contaminated more than 200,000 people, mostly in Seveso, Italy. None of these people died from the TCDD, but EVERY animal in the area died or had to be put down.
"None of these people died from the TCDD, but EVERY animal in the area died or had to be put down."
Interesting.
And thanks for the rest of your post as well. Very informative.
One of the reasons I love Free Republic is because so many of the posters are so smart and it seems like there is nearly always someone who has experience or education about the topic at hand.
On the outer edges are 4 carbons, one in each corner.Oops. The corrected statement is "On the outer edges are 4 chlorines, one in each corner."
Hope this didn't confuse anyone.