Question

There are many different ways toxins are introduced into the environment. Using the textbook or another authoritative source chose a toxin that people can be exposed to and answer the following questions: What is the toxin and what is it primarily used for? How are people exposed and what are the potential problems? How can toxin exposure be prevented or what are known obstacles to prevention?

Answer 1

The air pollution is constantly increased with the addition of various pollutants. Toxins chemicals are important pollutants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified and enlisted 188 air pollutants highly toxic for the human health. Benzene, Arsenic compounds, and Cadmium are to name a few.

Benzene

Benzene is six-carbon ring structure molecule (C6H6) that is found in the emissions from the burning of the fossil fuels, gasoline service stations, and vehicular exhausts.   The benzene is primarily used as a constituent of gasoline, paints, rubber, resin, oil waxes and fats. Tobacco smoke is another source of benzene in the air.

Exposure

People are exposed to benzene by directly inhaling the air or via drinking the contaminated water.

Health hazards

The benzene poses a number of health hazards to the human populations.

1.Allergy-like symptoms: Benzene exposure causes skin irritation in skin, eyes and respiratory tract leading to the rashes and blisters on the skin, redness of eyes and running nose.

2.Neurological problems: Benzene exposure causes dizziness, headache, vertigo, and may even lead to unconsciousness.

3.Blood disorders: The benzene exposure leads to aplastic anemia., heavy blood loss .

4.Immune system: Benzene exposure may weaken the immune system.

5.Genetic Defects: The benzene exposure is correlated with the genetic defects due to chromosomal aberrations.

6.Reproductive defects: The benzene may negatively impact the reproductive abilities. Benzene exposure to pregnant ladies hampers fetal growth.

7.Cancer: The benzene exposure may lead to leukemia.

Protection:

1.The use of fossil fuels must be prevented.

2.Identify potentially benzene contaminated water bodies and clean them. Important advisories must be issued to prevent the use of the waterbody for drinking purpose.

3.Workers at gasoline pumps, or in manufacturing plants of paints, dyes, rubbers etc. must be educated about the hazards of benzene inhalation or ingestion.

4.The group of people with high exposure to benzene must be regularly tested for the presence of breakdown products n their urine to assess the exposure level.