What Types of Common Chemicals in Our Environment Are Most Likely to Cause Harm?
Everywhere you look today, someone is touting a more natural lifestyle, suggesting that we remove harmful chemicals from our households, our foods, and our lives. We all know that some chemicals can’t be good for us and our families, but how do we know which ones are harmful? It’s pretty easy to avoid tobacco smoke or the sun’s harmful rays, but what else should we watch out for? In this article, we’ll discuss how we may be exposed to chemicals in the environment as well as the most harmful chemicals found in our environment.
How Are We Exposed to Chemicals?
Some common ways we may be exposed to chemicals include:
- Water:
- Exposure can happen through contaminated drinking or groundwater and when people accidentally ingest water when showering or swimming.
- Air:
- Exposure can happen when people breathe in harmful chemical vapors or air that is contaminated by hazardous chemicals or dust.
- Soil, sediment, or dust:
- You can be exposed to hazardous chemicals if you accidentally breathe them in, ingest them, or have direct skin contact. Children can be more at risk because they are more likely to put things in their mouths or have frequent hand-to-mouth contact.
- Food:
- You can be exposed to hazardous chemicals through the food you eat if the food has come into contact with hazardous chemicals, or through the food chain like, for example, eating contaminated fish.
Some of the Most Dangerous Chemicals in Our Environment
While we all may make an effort to avoid things we know are bad for us – cigarette smoke, alcohol, or the sun, some of the most dangerous chemicals we encounter in the environment every day are things we don’t generally think about.
- Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning gas, wood, propane, or other fuel. If appliances or engines aren’t vented properly, carbon monoxide can accumulate to dangerous levels. Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen if it builds up in your bloodstream and your body replaces oxygen in your red blood cells with carbon monoxide. This can lead to tissue damage and even death.Some simple precautions can help avoid a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide, like opening your garage door before starting your car, installing carbon monoxide detectors in your home, and only using gas appliances like stoves and ovens properly. Never use a gas or camp stove to heat your home and never use a gas generator in an enclosed space like a basement or a garage.
- Organophosphate Pesticides
In a 2012 paper published by the National Institutes of Health, Dr. David Bellinger, a professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, determined that Americans have collectively lost 41 million IQ points as a result of exposure to lead, mercury, and organophosphate pesticides in the womb. He claimed that 16.9 million of the lost IQ points were caused by exposure to organophosphate pesticides, the most common pesticide in the U.S. Dr. Bellinger highly recommended that pregnant women eat organic produce whenever possible.
- Lead
Lead can be found naturally in the environment, but human activity has made it more widespread. For years lead was used in paint, gasoline, cosmetics, and even children’s toys. While the use of lead in homes, toys, and household furniture was banned in 1978, lead-based paint can still be found on the walls and woodwork in many older homes in the United States. Small children, who may chew on window ledges or crawl through peeled or flaking paint chips, are most likely to be inadvertently exposed to lead in older homes. Moreover, lead exposure and poisoning can still pop up in unexpected places. More than 10,000 people in Detroit, Michigan had elevated lead levels after water treatment failures resulted in lead leaching from water pipes into the drinking water, exposing many residents.Exposure to even low levels of lead can lead to damage over time, particularly in children. Lead can affect developing brains, leading to permanent damage. There are a few safeguards you can take, including washing hands and toys after playing outside and before eating or bedtime; keeping dusty surfaces clean; running cold water through old pipes for a few minutes before using the water; keeping your home well maintained; and removing your shoes when you enter the house. While there’s no need to panic over everyday chemical exposure, it is a good idea to be aware of the real risks.
