Hiroaki Shiraishi*, Osami Nakasugi*, Shunji Hashimoto*, Takasi Yamamoto*, Akio Yasuhara* and Kenji Yasuda**

* National Institute for Environmental Studies
** Kanagawa Prefecture Environmental Research Center

+ Correspondence should be addressed to Hiroaki Shiraishi:
(16-2, Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0053 Japan)

Abstract

Over 400 organic compounds in landfill exudates were detected mainly by using GC/MS. The results of these leachate analyses showed very low concentrations of highly hydrophobic compounds such as PCBs, dioxins and some chlorine-containing pesticides such as DDT. The levels of these compounds in the leachate and those in the surrounding environmental waters were almost comparable. On the other hand, high concentrations of compounds related to plastics, such as phthalate esters, phosphate esters, and bisphenol A, phenols which might act as endocrine disrupters, were found in the landfill exudates.

Key words: endocrine disrupters, dioxins, bisphenol A, phthalate esters, landfills