Sources and transformations of chlorophenols in the natural environment

The present review updates our knowledge about chlorophenols, their chemical reactions and transformations in the natural environment, as well as factors affecting kinetics and mechanisms of these processes. Effects of pH of the environment and structure of molecules (also the number of chlorine atoms and their position in the molecule) on the behaviour of these compounds in the natural environment are also discussed. In addition, ways of propagation of chlorophenols in the natural environment are presented and discussed on the background of their physical and chemical properties, which influence the propagation rate in the ecosystems. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.