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From 2014.igem.org

Targets

1. Phenol
   Phenols and their close relatives are molecules which are widely distributed in nature, being produced naturally by plants and animals including humans.
   The largest use of phenol is as an intermediate in the production of phenolic resins, which are low-cost, versatile, thermo set resins used in the plywood adhesive, construction, automotive, and appliance industries.
   Phenol can be used as a general disinfectant, as a reagent in chemical analysis and it also a major chemical intermediate for the manufacture of artificial resins, fertilizers, explosives, pharmaceuticals and textile.
   
   Excessive exposure to elements in this diverse group of chemicals may cause a variety of health effects depending on the particular chemical. It may health effects on the brain, digestive system, eye, heart, kidney, liver, lung, peripheral nerve, skin and the unborn child. Phenol may also cause genetic damage.
   Phenols are toxic to aquatic animals and in general fish appear to be the most sensitive. Chlorinated phenols are the most toxic to aquatic life.
   Phenol is categorized as a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) that can contribute to photochemical smog.
   
   Phenol is a priority substance for a lot of countries in the world which have edited rules and safety thresholds. *European list of priority substances according to the European Union Commission:EC 1179/94, under Regulation 793/93 (OJ L131, 26.5.94, p.3 - http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FR/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:1994:131:TOC)
   *Substances Priority List according to the Agency for Toxic substances and disease registry : Phenol is ranked at the 180th but we can find phenolic compound at rank 54 and 89.
   
   
   
   
2. PCBs
   

   Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic organic compounds which formed a family of 209 congeners which derived of biphenyl and with the chemical formule C12H(10-n)Cln. Every core can have up to 5 chloro. They are known like being the most widely identified environmental contaminants persisting in the biosphere. Hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) are metabolites of PCBs and have also been identified as environmental contaminants.
   
   

   
   PCBs chemical structure
   
   
   Due to years of intensive use in industrial applications, PCBs are found in large quantities in natural environment (air, water, soils, wildlife, food chain, on the surface of sediments at the bottoms of rivers). Since the 80’s, their production is banned because of their toxicologic properties causing carcinogenicity, reproductive impairment, neurodevelopmental anomalies, and immunologic deficiency.
   
   
   
   
3. Nitrite
   
   
4. Heavy metals