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Environ Monit Assess (2014) 186:72037210 DOI 10.1007/s10661-014-3921-4
Environmental impacts of perchlorate with special reference to fireworksa review
M. R. Sijimol & Mahesh Mohan
Received: 8 January 2014 /Accepted: 30 June 2014 /Published online: 10 July 2014 # Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
Abstract Perchlorate is an inorganic anion that is used in solid rocket propellants, fireworks, munitions, signal flares, etc. The use of fireworks is identified as one of the main contributors in the increasing environmental perchlorate contamination. Although fireworks are displayed for entertainment, its environmental costs are dire. Perchlorates are also emerging as potent thyroid disruptors, and they have an impact on the ecology too. Many studies have shown that perchlorate contaminates the groundwater and the surface water, especially in the vicinity of fireworks manufacturing sites and fireworks display sites. The health and ecological impacts of perchlorate released in fireworks are yet to be fully assessed. This paper reviews fireworks as a source of perchlorate contamination and its expected adverse impacts.
Keywords Perchlorate . Fireworks . Disaster. Water.
Soil . Pollution . Thyroid . Toxicity
Introduction
Perchlorate is an oxy-anion of chlorine. It is negatively charged and is composed of one chlorine atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms arranged in tetrahedral geometry. The perchlorate anion combines with
cations like sodium, potassium, ammonium, etc., to form perchlorate salts like sodium perchlorate, potassium perchlorate, and ammonium perchlorate. Perchlorate occurs both in natural and manufactured compounds (Dasgupta et al. 2005). Apart from lightning, the reaction between the sodium chloride present in the evaporated sea water and ozone also results in the natural production of perchlorate (Dasgupta et al. 2005; Jackson et al. 2003). Perchlorate also occurs naturally within the extensive caliche deposits of the Atacama Desert in Chile (Ericksen 1983; Schumacher 1960). Natural formation has also been recorded from Antarctica (Kounaves et al. 2010), where the perchlorate content of soils is about 1,100 g/kg. Orris et al. (2003) has detected perchlorate in seaweed (Kelp).
Perchlorate content in fireworks
Fireworks are one of the sources of perchlorate contamination in the environment (SERDP 2005; White 1996; Dasgupta et al. 2006). Fireworks are used worldwide to celebrate popular events like festivals and official celebrations (Puri et al. 2009) and are one of the most unusual sources of pollution (Vecchi et...