Polycyclic musks
Class of synthetic fragrances
Polycyclic musks are synthetic fragrances used e.g. in cosmetics, personal care products, household and laundry cleaners, papers and textiles.
Following use, they enter the environment through waste waters and sewage sludge.
Their degradation is slow. They are lipophilic and have a high potential for bioaccumulation.
Some polycylic musks are highly toxic to aquatic organisms. For some compounds photoxicity has been demonstrated, others are neurotoxic in animal experiments and act as endocrine disruptors. Moreover, some musk compounds are suspected to be carcinogenic.
Search data
Substances
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HHCBThe world's most important fragrance among the chemical group of polycyclic musks
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AHTNOne of the world's most important fragrance among the chemical group of polycyclic musks
Specimen
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Bioindicator in rivers and lakes
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Common brown alga of the coastal areas of the North and Baltic Sea
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One of the most important edible mussel species common in the North and Baltic Sea
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As the only viviparous fish in German nearshore waters, it is a bioindicator in nearshore coastal marine ecosystems.
Sampling area
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Important, old-industrialised conurbation in Germany.
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Main water divide between the North- and Baltic Sea
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Longest river in Germany
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National Park in the largest brackish water (Bodden) habitat of the world.
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National park in the world largest connected sand and mud flats.
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Fourth largest river basin in Central Europe
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Region in the chemical triangle of Central Germany
Sampling period
1986 - 2003
Extended information
Links to external information and legislation
Literature
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Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in German Fish Tissue: A National Study
Subedi, Bikram; Du, Bowen; Chambliss, C. Kevin; Koschorreck, Jan; Rüdel, Heinz; Quack, Markus; Brooks, Bryan W.; Usenko, Sascha
Environmental Science & Technology 46 (2012), 16, 9047–9054, 2012
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Retrospective monitoring of synthetic musk compounds in aquatic biota from German rivers and coastal areas
Rüdel, Heinz; Böhmer, Walter; Schröter- Kermani, Christa
J. Environ. Monit. 8 (2006), 812-823, 2006
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Verfolgung von Umweltbelastungen durch Moschusverbindungen in repräsentativen Umweltproben - Teil I
Böhmer, Walter; Müller, Josef; Bernhardt, Thorsten
Schmallenberg, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 2005
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Verfolgung von Umweltbelastungen durch Moschusverbindungen in repräsentativen Umweltproben - Teil II
Wenzel, Andrea; Lepper, Peter
Schmallenberg, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 2005