Abstract
The dioxins are a large set of polyhalogenated polycyclic compounds formed as impurities during many types of production using chlorine, bromine and their compounds. These xenobiotics have no equals among other contaminants in their danger to man and in global ecological effects. The current status of some aspects of the problem of dioxin and related compounds is considered using material from the foreign scientific press. Data are presented on the physicochemical and other properties of dioxins. Information is correlated on the main sources of dioxins and on the methods of determining them in the environment and the biosphere (air, soil, water, biological samples, etc.). Problems considered are the contamination of the environment, monitoring, ways of reducing the danger and the prevention of dioxin contamination.
The bibliography contains 563 references.