Environmental persistence of chemicals and their carcinogenic risks to humans.

A "chemical population"-based investigation of xenobiotics (i.e. a sample of 10,000 chemicals representative of agents in commerce, industry, and the environment, both synthetic and natural) that have the potential for ecotoxicity because of their persistence in the environment and their potential association with carcinogenic risks to humans was undertaken. The analyses revealed a statistically significant association between resistance to environmental biodegradation and the prevalence of chemical with the potential to induce systemic toxicity and cancer. On the other hand, there was no association between biopersistence and the potential for inducing toxicities unrelated to carcinogenesis, e.g. allergic contact dermatitis in humans and sensory irritation in mice.