42
Common Toxic Chemicals and Their Effects
TOXICITY IN HUMANS
including chronic and acute effects (lab animal effects in brackets)
1,3-butadiene
rugs,
rug underpaddings, rubber tires, rubber consumer products, nylon, gasoline, auto
exhaust, groundwater
leukemia,
lymph cancer, blood cell cancer; tumors of breast, bronchial tubes, stomach,
large
ntestine,
liver, heart, thyroid (in mice: testicular tumors, leukemia)
(references 1-5)
Acetaldehyde
body
metabolism of alcohol; woodstoves, incinerators, smog, diesel exhaust, byproduct
of Candida Albicans
fungal
infections
DNA
and chromosome damage; binds to liver and other cells causing autoimmune
responses; upper
respiratory
irritation, metabolic disruption, lung damage
(6-10)
Acetone
adhesives
neurologic
damage, lung damage; enhances carbon tetrachloride liver damage
(11)
Alkylphenol
resin
carbonless
copy paper (“NCR” forms)
immune
responses including itching/burning skin, rash, flushing, wheezing, cough;
nausea; hormone
(prostaglandin)
irregularities (12, 13)
Benzenes
(benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, naphthalene, others)
gasoline
(auto exhaust & interiors, gas stations) diesel exhaust, building materials,
plastics, polypropylene food containers,
cooked
foods, printers, printed & copied paper, copy machines, incinerators,
tobacco smoke, woodsmoke, marihuana smoke
bronchial,
colon, and liver damage; leukemia; DNA damage; tumors including brain, liver,
stomach,
lung;
cardiac abnormalities, eye irritation, drowsiness, unconsciousness,
uncoordination, heart attack
(in
mice: birth defects, tumors) (1, 14-21)
BHT
(butylated hydroxy-toluene)
migration
from polyethylene food packaging, additive in foods (cereals, fats, meats,
potatoes, others)
allergic
reactions, possible cancer possible kidney damage (animals: behavioural changes in
offspring)(22)
solvents,
dry-cleaning, painting, spray painting,
glue work, varnishes
peripheral
nerve damage, emotional instability, insomnia, lessening of libido (23, 24)
Carbon
monoxide
woodsmoke,
tobacco smoke, auto and diesel exhaust
lung damage & irritation;
carboxy-hemoglobin neutralizes blood oxygen transport (9)
Chlorinated
water
drinking
water, shower vapour
immune
depression (anti-tumor macrophages)
Chlorobenzene pesticides ( DDT, lindane,
heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, chlordane, mirex; others)
food
chain: fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, human fat, mother’s milk; body
fat, contaminated soils, groundwater brain
transmitter
changes including
neurological
‘kindling’; breast cancer (in test bacteria: genetic mutations; in mice:
developmental
learning deficits). Many are partially or completely untested (25-30)
Chloroform,
carbon tetrachloride
solvents,
incinerators, groundwater
liver- lung- & enzyme
damage, cancers, kidney damage, cardiac abnormalities, heart attack (9, 11,
31,32)
food
residues; widely used home and agricultural
pesticide, herbicide; active metabolite found in urine of 5.8% of U.S
peripheral
nerve damage, autoimmune disease, antibiotic allergy, memory loss, multiple
chemical
DEHP
(diethylhexyl phthalate)
plasticizer,
food wraps, vinyl blood bags: leaches into blood during storage
likely
toxicity to lungs, liver, reproductive organs; possibly carcinogenic
(in
animals: fetaltoxicity, lung abnormalities) (38)
contaminant
in pesticides, herbicides, technical
products; now worldwide in air, water, meat, fish, human
body (especially
fat,
liver); formed in incineration, electrical fires,woodsmoke, chemical reactions
(possibly sewage sludge)
genetic
damage, vitamin A dysregulation, liver toxicity, altered fat metabolism,
chlorachne (skin cysts,
animals:
fetal damage, immune damage, enzyme changes) (29, 39-45)
Ethanol
glue,
alcoholic beverages
fetal
damage, developmental delay, neurologic damage, cirrhosis of liver, zinc and
selenium deficiencies;
solvents,
printing, fabrics, mattresses, tobacco smoke, woodsmoke, foam insulation,
particle board, car and diesel
exhaust,
lung
damage, impaired memory & dexterity, immediate and delayed hypersensitivity
reactions; asthma, rhinitis; irritation of eyes and respiration (9, 47, 48)
antifreeze,
paint, glue, adhesives, sealants,
caulking compounds, printed circuit boards, dyeing, inks
reproductive
poisons, red blood cell damage, liver damage (in animals: fetal growth
retardation, skeletal
Halothane
recently
the most common general anesthetic; still in use as pediatric anesthetic
neurologic
damage, liver damage (in rodents: developmental brain damage, reduced
learning and exploration in
offspring, neurotransmitter changes) (11, 50, 51)
Hexachlorobenzene
cleaners,
fungicide
immune
suppression, reduced T&B cell responses (in mice: impaired resistance to
infection) (26, 52)
disinfectant,
cleaning agent, soaps; used to wash hospital newborns from 1950’s to 1973
nausea,
vomiting, convulsions, central and peripheral nerve damage, kidney damage;
caused brain lesions and death when used to wash newborn premature babies
(53-57)
food
additives, photographic supplies, herbicides, pesticides, textiles, drugs,
plastics
autoimmune
disease (lupus) (58)
MBT
( 2 -mercaptobenzothiazole)
blood
vial stoppers, syringes; rubber nipples & pacifiers and other rubber
products
damage
to cell walls (cell death), allergy, rubber allergy (in animals: cancer) (59,
60)
Methanol
glue,
antifreeze, paint, cement, ink, windshield-wiper solvent; industrial uses
neurologic
damage, blindness, lung and gastro-intestinal problems; dizziness, headache (61,
62)
Methyl
ethyl ketone
solvents,
photochemical smog
lung
irritation and damage (9)
solvents,
glue, varnish
peripheral
nerve damage, loss of motor control and reflexes, tremor, weight loss, muscle
weakness
(in
rodents: nerve cell degeneration) (24, 63-65)
pesticide
sprays, gaseous lubricants, aerosols,
degreasers, waxes, paints, paint-removers,
varnishes
heart
muscle damage, heartbeat changes; creates carbon monoxide (in animals: cancers)
(61, 66)
N-hexane
building
materials, vegetable oil extraction, gasoline, solvents, glue, roofing glue,
varnish, vinyl production, printing
inks,
paints,
dry-cleaning, spray painting
nerve
cell damage, peripheral limb nerve damage; headache, cramps (23, 24, 67)
incinerators,
woodsmoke, smog, auto and diesel emissions; coal, oil & gas stoves
lung
& respiratory damage, pulmonary fluid, fatty acid oxidation, bronchitis,
childhood bronchitis; forms
Nitrosamines
consumer
rubbers (tires, baby nipples and pacifiers), soaps, cosmetics, tobacco smoke,
food & food containers and
packaging,
marihuana smoke, pesticides, herbicides, industrial uses
DNA
damage, cancers, cell death (in 30 animal species tested: cancers) (72-74)
incinerators,
photochemical smog, diesel and auto exhaust, laser printers
lung
immune system damag (B-cells), bronchial constriction, fatty acid oxidation,
enzyme de-activation
(in
mice and rabbits: lung lesions; in rats: fat metabolism damage, increased
deaths) (9, 68, 69, 75-78)
PBBs
(polybrominated biphenyls)
flame
retardants (rugs, plastics, clothing, furnishings)
immune
depression (T&B cells) (79-82)
PCBs
(polychlorinated biphenyls)
leakage
from transformers; disposal of copy papers, paints/plasticizers
pesticide extenders, flame retardants, adhesives,
coolants,
inks, hydraulic fluids; human,
fish, and animal fat; groundwater
genetic
damage causing developmental & cognitive retardation, vitamin A
dysregulation, chlorachne,
(in
wood
preservative, packaging preservative,
insecticide, metabolite of lindane
& hexachlorobenzene; found in urine of
possible
genetic damage, suspected cancers; commonly contaminated with dioxins
(in
animals: fetal death and mutations) (37, 61)
disinfectants,
insecticides, fungicides (especially citrus fruit), food additives, tobacco, marihuana, natural
food
occurrences, incinerators
nausea,
vomiting, paralysis, coma (in cats, dogs: immune depression; in mice: trace
amounts cause immune dysfunction of
yeast-killing macrophages) (61, 91, 92)
Solvents
(mixed) (usually some combination of: benzene, toluene, xylene, styrene,
acetone, methanol,
phenol,
alkylphenol, dichloromethane)
paints, glues,
degreasers, thinners, extractors,
dyes, industrial manufacturing,
laboratories
brain,
skeletal, and other birth defects; brain cell degeneration; panic attacks,
impaired memory,
rubber,
carpet backing, rug underpaddings,
photocopiers, copy paper, laser
printers, polystyrene food containers
genetic
mutations, chromosome aberrations; interference with liver enzymes, dermatitis;
skin, nasal &
(in
mice: tumors and increased death rate) (24, 96, 97)
car
and diesel exhaust, incinerators, woodsmoke, smog
lung
& respiratory damage, bronchiospasm, airway irritation
(in mice: increased infection) (9, 98)
antibiotic
fetal
malformations; chelates bone calcium (99)
Toluene
(methyl benzene)
paint,
solvents, carpets, plastic & rubber cements, white-out fluid, glue,roofing
glue, photocopiers, print shops, dry-cleaning,
spray
painting varnishes, building materials, incinerators, smog, gasoline,
groundwater (drinking, skin absorption), printed
damages:
menstruation, respiratory system, brain, reproductive system, verbal memory,
short-term
typing
correction fluid, polyurethane foams and elastomers (insulation, cushions),
industrial uses
immediate
(type 1) immune reactions, other immune-system changes; damage to mucous
membranes;
dry-cleaning,
painting, spray painting, glue work, dewaxing and degreasing agents,
insecticides, drain cleaners,
printing
damage
to cranial and trigeminal (nasal) nerves, liver; brain fatty acid changes;
narcotic symptoms:
plastic wraps (‘Saran
Wrap’), PVC plastics, pipes and
connectors; packing materials, wire
and cable coatings, footwear,
spray-propellant
gas, hard flooring, vinyl records, groundwater
liver,
brain & lung cancers; trigeminal nerve damage, ‘vinyl chloride disease’
(loss of bone calcium, auto-immune complexes, peripheral nerve damage, Raynaud’s
symptoms, immune complex disorder);
paints,
thinners, solvents, gasoline, polystyrene cups, adhesives, roofing glue,
building materials, varnish, cleaners, paper,
lung
enzyme damage, upper respiratory irritation, fatigue, headache, nausea; impaired
balance and
REFERENCES
For Common Toxic Chemicals Table located at:
http://www.rowatworks.com/Science/To_Do_No_Harm/Invisible_Cripples.html