Polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are a family of organic compounds with one or several of the hydrogens in the dibenzofuran structure replaced by chlorines. For example, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF) has chlorine atoms substituted for each of the hydrogens on the number 2, 3, 7, and 8 carbons (see structure in the upper left corner of the second image). Polychlorinated dibenzofurans with chlorines at least in positions 2,3,7 and 8 are much more toxic than the parent compound dibenzofuran, with properties and chemical structures similar to polychlorinated dibenzodioxins. These groups together are often inaccurately called dioxins. They are known developmental toxicants, and suspected human carcinogens. PCDFs tend to co-occur with polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs). PCDFs can be formed by pyrolysis or incineration at temperatures below 1200 °C of chlorine containing products, such as PVC, PCBs, and other organochlorides, or of non-chlorine containing products in the presence of chlorine donors. Dibenzofurans are known persistent organic pollutants (POP), classified among the dirty dozen in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
Congeners
+Table of PCDF congenersNumberFormulaNameCAS NumberInChIKeyPCDF-11-chlorodibenzofuran84761-86-4WRSMJZYBNIAAEE-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-22-chlorodibenzofuran51230-49-0PRKTYWJFCODJOA-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-33-chlorodibenzofuran25074-67-3BBOZMMAURMEVAR-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-44-chlorodibenzofuran74992-96-4RHRYBWFAHXCUCR-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-121,2-dichlorodibenzofuran64126-85-8QVAPRJWSOUITIF-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-131,3-dichlorodibenzofuran94538-00-8VKIBKEFGJSPRJC-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-141,4-dichlorodibenzofuran94538-01-9VHQCMZLPHWGUDB-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-161,6-dichlorodibenzofuran74992-97-5JRSRWACZUFLWKF-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-171,7-dichlorodibenzofuran94538-02-0XRQNHPGZRFKBJW-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-181,8-dichlorodibenzofuran81638-37-1UAFNQQBPUWFPGC-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-191,9-dichlorodibenzofuran70648-14-5AEKSGHBVWJHELW-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-232,3-dichlorodibenzofuran64126-86-9GETJJZZRPQFSFM-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-242,4-dichlorodibenzofuran24478-74-8LHTCKMYRNOGUOA-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-262,6-dichlorodibenzofuran60390-27-4XVLCNKFGFHUQNL-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-272,7-dichlorodibenzofuran74992-98-6DOZUTNBCPVUMPY-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-282,8-dichlorodibenzofuran5409-83-6IVVRJIDVYSPKFZ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-343,4-dichlorodibenzofuran94570-83-9HYQGGNWDPQZLGX-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-363,6-dichlorodibenzofuran74918-40-4DMOBGFAKTSXOHG-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-373,7-dichlorodibenzofuran58802-21-4OLTYAGNRSNFHLK-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-464,6-dichlorodibenzofuran64560-13-0BZFIZJNKNCJEAD-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1231,2,3-trichlorodibenzofuran83636-47-9LADSWAAWPMGHBE-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1241,2,4-trichlorodibenzofuran24478-73-7RQIWKWHVZLDXEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1261,2,6-trichlorodibenzofuran64560-15-2CYRZCBUWRUACKJ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1271,2,7-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-37-4AFOVQGPNOZDUEP-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1281,2,8-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-34-1UYIGPSPCOXGBCS-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1291,2,9-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-38-5ICTXINQOXPMQPM-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1341,3,4-trichlorodibenzofuran82911-61-3FIPOITUDJFQRRN-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1361,3,6-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-39-6AGPTXRLVBIRYLV-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1371,3,7-trichlorodibenzofuran64560-16-3INRBXOGZPDFCLQ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1381,3,8-trichlorodibenzofuran76621-12-0PHFSTDOPTZHECA-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1391,3,9-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-40-9SPPGDLROKBFNNO-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1461,4,6-trichlorodibenzofuran82911-60-2XDQRWSUJOURTHK-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1471,4,7-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-41-0XTLMVJUSIANHND-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1481,4,8-trichlorodibenzofuran64560-14-1PCQCYDNFBUADOK-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1491,4,9-trichlorodibenzofuran70648-13-4NVYUPBVXKLTYHV-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-167 (PCDF-349)1,6,7-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-46-5HEWLCNCSWBMZHG-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-168 (PCDF-249)1,6,8-trichlorodibenzofuran82911-59-9ZOBVYDQWZXUJNO-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-178 (PCDF-239)1,7,8-trichlorodibenzofuran58802-18-9YNMCXGLWHTVMQO-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-2342,3,4-trichlorodibenzofuran57117-34-7YDLADWPBKZODCJ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-2362,3,6-trichlorodibenzofuran57117-33-6CPMGJTLNRBIKQM-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-2372,3,7-trichlorodibenzofuran58802-17-8CKXMNTLGGAOERF-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-2382,3,8-trichlorodibenzofuran57117-32-5NUNSNNOYACKRIK-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-2462,4,6-trichlorodibenzofuran58802-14-5GTKURBTWZFQHHY-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-2472,4,7-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-42-1SZBZRVJHPZIGAY-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-2482,4,8-trichlorodibenzofuran54589-71-8WJURXKWTCOMRCE-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-3463,4,6-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-43-2XEUHBCMRIXEBTD-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-3473,4,7-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-44-3RPJJBTSXPNFUTA-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-3483,4,8-trichlorodibenzofuran83704-45-4YTZWNIQGGIJHJX-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12341,2,3,4-tetrachlorodibenzofuran24478-72-6AETAPIFVELRIDN-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12361,2,3,6-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-21-6BBAXFLIBRPXRBP-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12371,2,3,7-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-22-7MDNZFYGATDCKRB-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12381,2,3,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran62615-08-1KFQRHGKKSHJMCO-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12391,2,3,9-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-23-8GNQHLJHTOATTOJ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12461,2,4,6-tetrachlorodibenzofuran71998-73-7NLVWEKPJFUPVMZ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12471,2,4,7-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83719-40-8MFURKMJLDQBHRA-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12481,2,4,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran64126-87-0BFTASCFRRBHFFK-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12491,2,4,9-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-24-9ZUYYTCCHKQGGOV-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12671,2,6,7-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-25-0AUEWYHHKDYUYMI-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12681,2,6,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83710-07-0KCVGVSIBBGIJNZ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12691,2,6,9-tetrachlorodibenzofuran70648-18-9IEPGLLVEBKXASE-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12781,2,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran58802-20-3JODWPAQNABOHDG-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12791,2,7,9-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-26-1PDMFRPIFZAKMLH-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12891,2,8,9-tetrachlorodibenzofuran70648-22-5OHYCQUKMNPHFPT-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-13461,3,4,6-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-27-2CBBDONKZEJKFJP-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-13471,3,4,7-tetrachlorodibenzofuran70648-16-7UMKCVDZTSZNWRH-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-13481,3,4,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran92341-04-3XWKRJSMNDOXIHS-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-13491,3,4,9-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-28-3PNCYJHOTZSKZPA-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-13671,3,6,7-tetrachlorodibenzofuran57117-36-9PITDPGCTIMCYEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-13681,3,6,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran71998-72-6BDXKVABZWRZKOS-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-13691,3,6,9-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83690-98-6NJQQZRLWVLWNGD-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-13781,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran57117-35-8CSXDVUGDFSYXTD-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-13791,3,7,9-tetrachlorodibenzofuran64560-17-4IEMJMCVYAORWJV-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-14671,4,6,7-tetrachlorodibenzofuran66794-59-0RBFNYMHNIOKXLA-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-14681,4,6,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran82911-58-8VHOBVPNETFRJED-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-14691,4,6,9-tetrachlorodibenzofuran70648-19-0JAYSBJFHDJOMGZ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-14781,4,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-29-4IVRDRRWQABCXLY-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-16781,6,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-33-0KOJMOXYETDLOPN-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-23462,3,4,6-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-30-7JNVHSHPAAMRSKK-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-23472,3,4,7-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-31-8BROFYOSLFHTGCQ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-23482,3,4,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran83704-32-9IIKXRERKNIJJQY-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-23672,3,6,7-tetrachlorodibenzofuran57117-39-2MJCNKMDTLRSHNK-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-23682,3,6,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran57117-37-0SPMZHWVRMWWTSY-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-23782,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran51207-31-9KSMVNVHUTQZITP-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-24672,4,6,7-tetrachlorodibenzofuran57117-38-1NSDXKMRVQOSASS-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-24682,4,6,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran58802-19-0ZSPJEACWUWSAGS-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-34673,4,6,7-tetrachlorodibenzofuran57117-40-5LMJLCLBSUNZLNW-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-123461,2,3,4,6-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-47-6LIQJBAPSLUZUTB-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-123471,2,3,4,7-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-48-7DOJZTBGOWIYFAC-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-123481,2,3,4,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran67517-48-0ZCTNDJSCLPJCRA-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-123491,2,3,4,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-49-8IQSZNZVZXOFRJS-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-123671,2,3,6,7-pentachlorodibenzofuran57117-42-7NZUPQBVDIWCPBX-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-123681,2,3,6,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-51-2VHQJZOFUPXEZQZ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-123691,2,3,6,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-52-3IPSFQAKXDJVQOX-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-123781,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran57117-41-6SBMIVUVRFPGOEB-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-123791,2,3,7,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-53-4JVUSEQPOWCBYNG-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-123891,2,3,8,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-54-5NKGLWUJPCTUDEH-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-124671,2,4,6,7-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-50-1BQTCODOVGXJHRB-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-124681,2,4,6,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran69698-57-3JDTUAYPJSSXDNO-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-124691,2,4,6,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran70648-24-7QDQFGVXGPSYEJU-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-124781,2,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran58802-15-6GCFDWHIKRXCUPJ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-124791,2,4,7,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran71998-74-8IYGVHNHWORPMFU-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-124891,2,4,8,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran70648-23-6ZSPAPWGNAGTCCA-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12678 (PCDF-23489)1,2,6,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran69433-00-7ZAAVDGLJEOXCMV-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-126791,2,6,7,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran70872-82-1QQRRQEVOSMEVQB-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-134671,3,4,6,7-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-36-3JVYYDUWJIJMOGW-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-134681,3,4,6,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-55-6COKIAYPRHYHYCH-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-134691,3,4,6,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran70648-15-6MYSAFUYQSBEEDR-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-134781,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran58802-16-7ORSUQGVCWLXKLZ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-134791,3,4,7,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran70648-20-3GFXPLABVZOBCCW-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-136781,3,6,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran70648-21-4FRLMQDUYUJIHCZ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-146781,4,6,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran83704-35-2VANGHZRYKXDPRR-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-234672,3,4,6,7-pentachlorodibenzofuran57117-43-8SJFBZRQKGOGHEV-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-234682,3,4,6,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran67481-22-5MKRFORPSRBMAIP-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-234782,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran57117-31-4OGBQILNBLMPPDP-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1234671,2,3,4,6,7-hexachlorodibenzofuran79060-60-9SNWFMKXFMVHBKD-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1234681,2,3,4,6,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran69698-60-8UCFGNWHERVQWMZ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1234691,2,3,4,6,9-hexachlorodibenzofuran91538-83-9KFFUZIROJGXTQH-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1234781,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran70648-26-9LVYBAQIVPKCOEE-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1234791,2,3,4,7,9-hexachlorodibenzofuran91538-84-0BKIXWRBZCQEZAQ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1234891,2,3,4,8,9-hexachlorodibenzofuran92341-07-6VSDUQUBUJRNREH-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1236781,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran57117-44-9JEYJJJXOFWNEHN-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1236791,2,3,6,7,9-hexachlorodibenzofuran92341-06-5JZVOLXQREJNTTL-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1236891,2,3,6,8,9-hexachlorodibenzofuran75198-38-8WLGQZUOHEXTWFH-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1237891,2,3,7,8,9-hexachlorodibenzofuran72918-21-9PYUSJFJVDVSXIU-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1246781,2,4,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran67562-40-7CKDDYGBBKXIHRY-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1246791,2,4,6,7,9-hexachlorodibenzofuran75627-02-0FAHIPPHRJJJQOG-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1246891,2,4,6,8,9-hexachlorodibenzofuran69698-59-5FGZCXIPKUCJGHW-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1346781,3,4,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran71998-75-9OGTZINCGZYXZCR-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-1346791,3,4,6,7,9-hexachlorodibenzofuran92341-05-4TURXXOIFVABBPW-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-2346782,3,4,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran60851-34-5XTAHLACQOVXINQ-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12346781,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzofuran67562-39-4WDMKCPIVJOGHBF-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12346791,2,3,4,6,7,9-heptachlorodibenzofuran70648-25-8JWXWOEUKHXOUSK-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12346891,2,3,4,6,8,9-heptachlorodibenzofuran69698-58-4BADFHCOLISGRRW-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12347891,2,3,4,7,8,9-heptachlorodibenzofuran55673-89-7VEZCTZWLJYWARH-UHFFFAOYSA-NPCDF-12346789octachlorodibenzofuran39001-02-0RHIROFAGUQOFLU-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Safety, toxicity, regulation