Question

We have learned a great deal about the history of exposure to environmental toxins in the twentieth century - from lead in paint and gas, occupational exposures to toxins, to air pollution, to Love Canal. Choose three of these cases and analyze them comparatively in terms of causes, responses, and lessons for ongoing environmental health challenges. answer in few paragraphs

Answer 1

Lead poisoning

causes:

• Paint material (house, toys, cloths etc) before 1978 where the heavy metal lead was the ingredient in paints- when paint chips off that can contaminate food and water then enter into bodies
• lead bullets, curtain weights
• plumbing pipes- lead found in drinking water
• lead- acid batteries etc.

Responses:

lead can cause irreversible health effects. affects nervous, hematopoietic, hepatic and urinary system results serious consequences

acute toxicity : relates occupational exposure is quite uncommon, chronic toxicity: is common ( exposure to small quantities for longer durations )

children age below 6 years and pregnant ladies are very potent victims

affects mainly nervous system

lessons :

• this hazard gives an impression that we should be very careful about the composition of that particular product which causes health risks (example: paint ingredients) therefore should be studied laboratory trials to find any risks before releasing into the markets
• provoked the Ergonomic precautions ( to reduce the occupational hazards) like wearing masks, gloves etc

Air pollution:

causes: smoke from cars, factories, homes, and power plants that burn oil, coal, natural gas, and gasoline ( fossil fuels ). which releases harmful gases (green house gases) example carbon di oxide which traps heat and cuses Global Warming (over years the global temperature got increased 1 degree).

responses: this global warming will be a threat to the ecosystem example: polar bears are in threat because of the melting of the ice in polar regions. Some fishes breeding will be effected at this increased temperatures.

lessons:

• to reduce, reuse, recycle the waste
• efficient utilization of energy
• plantation of trees
• energy efficient refrigerators (less chloro flouro carbon etc.)

Love Canal Tragedy:

causes: chemicals buried under ground and released into the canal that industrial dump having 82 different compound, 11 were identified as carcingens entered into bodies through drinking water

love canal is located near Niagara falls which was dumped with chemicals by Hooker Chemical company

responses:

• blood cancers
• birth defects

Lessons : stringent rules while constructing chemical factories like licencing the land, away from human dwellings, should have healthy waste disposal method like incineration etc.