Dioxins in the Food Chain Though not very soluble in water, its hydrophobic (repels water) properties give the compounds an affinity for fats, oils and organic sediments similar to PCBs. When dioxins move into sediments these compounds can enter the aquatic food chain. They enter the food chain because of their high solubility in fats, storing the toxic compound within any organism that consumes the dioxin-tainted sediment. Once in the food web, as one animal consumes another, the dioxin is concentrated in these "higher" predators. Therefore, when that organism is consumed by a top predator (human or otherwise), the dioxins are passed up the food chain. DuPont facilities also release large quantities of toxic heavy metals. These heavy metals aren't just a concern for people who live near DuPont DeLisle. A 2005 study published in The Journal of Shellfish Research found that oysters from Mississippi waters are so heavily contaminated with dioxins, furans, and heavy metals that it is not even safe to eat one oyster per day from the area. And Mississippi oysters from are harvested and exported for sale around the country.
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