DOI 10.1515/reveh-2014-0013      Rev Environ Health 2014; aop

Kirpal Singh a,*

Chemicals: friends and foes Abstract: There are many chemicals used in and around

homes and workplaces that can result in accidents. Can

it be said that the insecticides, drugs, polychlorinated

biphenyls, DDT, asbestos, cleansers, cosmetics, and other

chemicals are worth the price paid in terms of accidental

poisonings ? That is for the consumer to decide. Generally,

it is the misuse of these chemicals that often leads to trag-

edy. Chemicals can be dangerous, but they can be advan-

tageous when used with care.

Keywords: asbestos; cosmetics; drugs; insecticides; pol-

lutants; silicone; teflon.

a Member Board of Directors, Pacific Basin Consortium for

Environment and Health, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

*Corresponding author: Kirpal Singh, Formerly Professor of

Chemistry, University of Papua New Guinea; and Senior Teaching

Fellow, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University,

Wellington, New Zealand, E-mail: kirpal2singh@yahoo.com

Common salt, sugar, or lactose can be poisonous when

eaten in abnormally large amounts. Toxicity depends on

the chemical nature and quantity of the substance. Nico-

tine (from tobacco smoking) is more than 50 times as toxic

when applied intravenously as when taken orally. Mean-

while, water is benificial when taken orally, but it can be

deadly when inhaled.

Sodium nitrite (used as a meat freshener), arsenic

(in drinking groundwater), and other heavy metals like

mercury (from a broken thermometer), cadmium (from

tobacco smoking and batteries), and lead (from batteries

and paints) can be particularly harmful to children and

adults. Chemical fertilizers, food preservatives, additives

(artificial flavors), and synthetic food colors (in sweets,

soft and alcoholic drinks, cakes, etc.) are not free from

side effects in the long run.

Furthermore, many household chemicals are poison-

ous. Drain, oven, and toilet cleaners are highly corrosive,

whereas some insecticides, herbicides, rat poison, laundry

bleach, and ammonia are toxic, and when mixed together,

these chemicals can prove deadly. Meanwhile, dioxins are

highly poisonous to human cells and cause breast cancer.

Thus, food should not be heated in microwaves using

plastic containers or plastic wraps nor should water be

frozen in plastic bottles, as these activities release dioxins

from the plastic.

Hazardous wastes can cause environmental and air pol-

lution. Gaseous pollutants like carbon dioxide, carbon mon-

oxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen oxides,

and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (from vehicle emis-

sion gases and energy generators), among others, damage

respiratory systems with prolonged exposure and can cause

or contribute to illness or death. The immediate dangers

from exposure to high levels of toxic chemicals are gener-

ally well known. Those using such chemicals are most at

risk, and as such, adequate precaution must be taken when

using these. By contrast, less is known about the long-term

effects of exposure to very low levels of chemicals.

Owing to the potential dangers outlined above, there

is a need for responsible storage, use, and disposal of

chemicals. Education is central to achieving a good under-

standing of the importance of chemicals in the modern

world. Specifically, the media and relevant publications

can make an important contribution to assisting a bal-

anced debate on chemistry-related issues.

Food, clothes, medication, even the air – all of these

contain chemicals. Society is transformed by chemical

discoveries, including polymers (e.g., teflon and nylon),

pharmaceuticals (e.g., penicillin and valium), insecti-

cides, ceramics, computer chips, sunscreens, adhesives,

transport fuels, and fertility agents. However, such benefi-

cial associations with chemicals are not always perceived

by the general public. Chemicals are often associated

with negative images like pollution of rivers, toxic waste

dumps, food additives, car exhaust emission, nerve gases,

and even chemical warfare.

Furthermore, the chemical industry is constantly

being criticized because of its contributions to pollu-

tion. As the public becomes more aware of the dangers of

pouring ever-increasing amounts of waste materials into

the atmosphere, the soil, the waterways and the oceans,

it will impose more control on chemical and other indus-

tries. In relation to this, the skills and knowledge of chem-

ists will be in even greater demand, particularly when it

comes to finding new chemical processes to allow the con-

tinued high standard of living while avoiding pollution.

Negative attitudes towards chemistry prevail when

considering the horrors of nerve gases, carcinogens

(causing cancer), explosives (used by terrorists), and

atomic/nuclear energy (atomic bombs). However, it should

be kept in mind that many toxic chemicals are of enormous

benefit and can be used safely despite their hazardous

nature. For examples, vinyl plastics are widely used, even

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2      Singh: Chemicals: friends and foes

though it is well known that the vinyl chloride from which

they are made causes cancer. Some chemicals are very

toxic and can cause deaths when misused. It is difficult to

associate any leading causes of death with chemicals as

most causes of premature deaths are more identified with

human lifestyle (murders, suicides, diseases, accidents).

Increasingly, it has to be decided whether the benefits

gained from chemicals are worth the risks of using them. At

present, possible solutions are being proposed to help us

gain a better understanding of chemistry. People are now

concerned about long-term exposure to toxic substances in

the air, foods, drinking water, drugs, and cosmetic prod-

ucts, to name a few. Poison-control centers have also been

established in cities to help experts deal with emergency

poisonings. Industrial establishments have mandatory

occupational health and safety guidelines to meet any

accidents on their premises. Society needs to continue to

learn more about the growing role of chemistry in our daily

lives as it affects nearly everything around us.

This paper is designed to increase public awareness

in taking adequate measures against the excessive use of

chemicals – whether in foods, households, cosmetics, or

the environment, among others.

Further readingThe following texts, books and websites will be useful to

readers for further additional information into the areas

covered in the abstract

Books1. Breslow, R., Chemistry Today and Tomorrow—The Central,

Useful, and Creative Science; American Chemical Society,

Washington, DC, 1997.

2. Eubanks, I.D. and O.C. Dermer, Chemistry in Civilization;The

Ronald Press Co., New York, 1975.

3. Snyder, C.H., The Extraordinary Chemistry of Ordinary Things;

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1992.

4. Kauffman, G.B. and H.H. Szmant, The Central Science; Texas

Christian University Press, Forth Worth, 1984.

5. Sellinger, B., Chemistry in the Marketplace; Harcourt Brace,

Sydney, 1998.

6. Sherman, A. and S.J. Sherman, Chemistry and Our Changing World; Prentice-Hall Inc., New Jersey, 1983.

7. Jones, M.M., D.O. Johnston, J.T. Netterville, J.L. Wood and

M.D. Joesten, Chemistry and Society; Saunders College

Publishing, New York, 1987.

8. Hill, J.W. and D.K. Kolb, Chemistry for Changing Times; Prentice

Hall, New Jersey, 1998.

9. K. Singh, Chemistry in Daily Life; 3rd Edition, PHI Learning

(Private Ltd.), New Delhi, India, 2013.

Journals1. Chemistry in Australia, Royal Australian Chemical Institute,

Melbourne (1990–2011).

2. Chemistry in Britain, Royal Society of Chemistry, London

(1992–2010).

3. Chemical & Engineering News, American Chemical Society,

Washington, DC (1995–April 2012).

Websites1. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.

http://www.acs.org

2. Royal Society of Chemistry, London.

http://www.rsc.org

3. Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Melbourne.

http://www.raci.org.au

4. Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

http://www.opcw.org

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