BASSETERRE St. Kitts, July 9th, 2013 -- Household cleaning agents, personal care products, pesticides, paints and tobacco products emit hundreds of potentially harmful chemicals. Poor air quality is a part of our everyday lives and contributes to the development of infections, lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases and chronic lung diseases such as asthma. Chemicals can negatively affect our health and cause headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea and fatigue.
The production and use of chemicals continues to grow on worldwide scale and is likely to result in even greater negative effects on health. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Essentially diesel emissions, smog and burning tires are less of a concern than many of the chemicals in our homes.
Biological pollutants can cause infections, provoke allergic reactions and trigger asthma attacks as well. The leading biological pollutants include particles from dust mites, cockroaches and animal dander. Additionally indoor mold from leaky roofs and sinks can contribute significantly to the disease process.
Second and third-hand smoke is one of the major indoor air pollutants. Studies now show that third-hand smoke – the residue left behind – clings to hair, skin, clothes, furniture, drapes, walls, bedding, carpets, dust, vehicles and other surfaces. Third-hand smoke is thought to be particularly dangerous to infants and young children because they are more likely to inhale, ingest and touch surfaces containing this toxic residue.
Even more alarming, third-hand smoke residue builds up on surfaces over time and it becomes virtually impossible to remove the noxious residue. Common cleaning methods such as sweeping, vacuuming and wiping have not proven effective in eradicating the cancer-causing particles. Studies have confirmed that the residue can still be detected in dust and surfaces for more than two months after smokers have left.
First-hand or inhaled smoke contains 200 known poisons, such as formaldehyde and carbon monoxide, and at least 60 chemicals known to cause cancer. In children, especially infants, it is a major contributor in pneumonia, lung infections, asthmas and ear infections.
Cadmium is one such poison that is linked to active and passive inhalation of tobacco smoke. Cadmium exerts toxic effects on the kidney, the skeletal and the respiratory systems, and is classified as a human carcinogen according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Lead is one of the leading toxic agents for children. Even relatively low levels of exposure can cause irreversible neurological damage. Childhood lead exposure is estimated to contribute to about 600 000 new cases of children with intellectual disabilities every year according to the WHO.
Lead is a cumulative toxicant that can also affect the blood, digestive tract, heart and kidneys. Recent reductions in the use of lead in fuel, paint, plumbing and solder have resulted in substantial reductions but it continues to cause substantial health problems.
Asbestos is a well-known toxin that continues to plague countries throughout the world. Currently, about 125 million people are exposed to asbestos at their workplace. Many asbestos products are also found in the home, including roofing and flooring materials, and insulation for ceilings, walls, pipes and heating equipment.
Mesothelioma, lung cancer and scarring of lung tissue results when microscopic fibres are inhaled into the lungs. Asbestos has also been closely linked to cancer of the larynx and ovary.
Carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are also hazardous when inhaled from one’s environment. The colourless and odourless gases come from burning stoves, furnaces, fireplaces, heaters and water heaters, using gas, oil, coal, wood or other fuels.
Carbon monoxide is hazardous because it interferes with the delivery of oxygen to cells throughout the body. Exposure is known to produce fatigue, headache, confusion, nausea and dizziness. Nitrogen dioxide irritates the mucous membranes in the eye, nose and throat and cause shortness of breath and promotes infections according to the WHO.
A 2007 study found that over 137 million people in more than 70 countries are affected by arsenic poisoning from drinking water. Chronic arsenic poisoning can result from drinking contaminated well water over many years. Arsenic is also found in a variety of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides that are used in commercial farming and pest control.
Foodstuffs and crops often get contaminated with arsenic-laced irrigated water. Many water aquifers around mining establishments contain high concentrations of arsenic salts. It’s also found in paints, wood preservatives, coal power plants and coincidently in tobacco products as well. Arsenic exposure can result in skin lesions, nerve damage, diabetes, kidney failure, heart disease, digestive tract disorders and cancer.
Benzene is a hazardous chemical that is a colourless or light yellow liquid at room temperature that smells sweet and is highly flammable. A major source of benzene exposure is yet again tobacco smoke. Outdoor air often contains low levels of benzene from gas stations, motor vehicle exhausts and industrial emissions.
Indoor air often contains higher levels of benzene than outdoor air. The benzene in indoor air comes from products that contain benzene such as glues, paints, furniture wax, detergents and third-hand smoke as previously mentioned.
Human exposure to benzene has been associated with a range of acute and long-term adverse health effects and diseases, including cancer and aplastic anaemia according to the WHO. Benzene causes harmful effects on the bone marrow and can cause a decrease in red blood cell production. It can also cause excessive bleeding and can affect the immune system, increasing the chance for cancers and infections.
Studies have demonstrated that some women who breathed high levels of benzene developed irregular menstrual periods and a decrease in the size of their ovaries. Animal studies have shown low birth weights, delayed bone formation and bone marrow damage when pregnant animals were exposed to benzene.
Mercury is extremely toxic to human health, posing a particular threat to foetal development in utero and early in life. Mercury has a variety of toxic effects, including on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes. Other symptoms include mood swings, memory loss, mental disturbances and muscle weakness.
Mercury releases in the environment result mainly from human activity, particularly from coal-fired power stations, residential heating systems, waste incinerators and as a result of mining for mercury, gold and other metals according to the WHO.
Burning coal for power and heat is the main source of mercury. Coal contains mercury and other hazardous air pollutants that are emitted when the coal is burned. Almost half of mercury emissions to air are from coal-fired power plants, industrial boilers and household stoves.
There are several ways to prevent adverse health effects, including promoting clean energy, stopping the use of mercury in gold mining, eliminating the mining of mercury and phasing out non-essential mercury-containing products. Mercury is contained in many products such as batteries, thermometers, dental amalgams, cosmetics and coincidentally a range of medical pharmaceuticals.
Dr Cory Couillard is an international healthcare speaker and columnist for numerous newspapers, magazines, websites and publications throughout the world. He works in collaboration with the World Health Organization's goals of disease prevention and global healthcare education. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.
Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com
Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard
Twitter: DrCoryCouillard
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