Octachlorostyrene(OCS) is a persistent, highly bioaccumulative,
and toxic halogenated aromatic compound. It is not commercially
manufactured, but is reportedly an inadvertent by-product
of processes that combine carbon and chlorine under elevated
temperatures. Magnesium production, chloride solvent
production, aluminum plasma etching, aluminum degassing
with hexachloroethane, chlorination of titanium, waste incineration,
and chloro-alkali production with graphite anodes
process are considered to be candidate occupations that produce
OCS. However, recent advances have been made in
process technology and pollution prevention practices in some
of these industries, such as largely eliminating the electrolytic
manufacture of chlorine and aluminum degassing with hexachloroethane,
both of which have likely resulted in reductions
in known sources of OCS.
