Testing It Up

New research has found at least 21 new carcinogens and toxins in smokeless tobacco. According to this research this means that a single pinch of the product equals just as much harmful exposure as five cigarettes, making the effects far worse for the snuff user. Smokeless tobacco use has been rising since the 80s, primarily from the common misperception that smokeless tobacco is less harmful than cigarettes because it is not inhaled. The reality is that there are at least twenty six cancer causing substances in smokeless tobacco and a very high risk of developing oral cancers as well.  One of the new toxins found in smokeless tobacco is PAH, an environmental contaminate that comes from the wood burned in the fire curing process that makes the tobacco into a snuff.  Smokeless tobacco use is rising again due to the production and advertising of products like Snuss which offer smokers an alternative to going outdoors or looking for a smoking area when they need nicotine.

When it comes to causes of Cancer, smoking is the biggest culprit. Around 80 percent of the lung cancer caused across the world is a result of smoking. There is an untrue belief that nicotine causes cancer. However, the truth is that nicotine is the agent that leads to smoking.

Inhalation of cigarette smoke helps the nicotine present in the cigarette to enter the bloodstream. In as little as seven odd seconds it starts affecting the brain. Nicotine induces a feeling of pleasure and over time a person gets addicted to cigarettes. On the other hand, tobacco products that are taken orally also have carcinogens and therefore chewing of tobacco will lead to oral cancer. When it comes to lung cancer it’s the various chemicals present in the smoke which enter the lungs, which are the reason behind the conditions.

It’s also important to put a rider here that not all smokers suffer from cancer, however they will definitely suffer from other serious ailments.

For full version of this article, please visit “Tobacco and Nicotine – Common Agents of Cancer“.

Last month, 1.1 billion gallons of sludge which contained 5.4 cubic yards of coal ash breached an earthen holding facility at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston Fossil Plant. The mishap caused damage to nearby lakeside homes and is now considered as an environmental threat to the community.

Just last Wednesday, Duke University scientists working with the United Mountain Defense reported high levels of arsenic and radioactive radium in the ash spill. These results raise concerns about the need to store ash and emphasize the need to be careful during cleanup to make sure that these toxins do not escape the confines of the site.

The observations were from samples taken last January 9, about 3 weeks after the accident. These were taken from two areas: an ash-filled inlet of the Emory River and about two miles downstream.

Arsenic and radium are both considered as potential carcinogens, and exposure to these substances may have adverse effects on the health of the people in the vicinity of the plant.

To date, the Tennessee Valley Authority is shelling out about a million dollars a day for the recovery effort. This includes the vacuuming of ash particles from the river and scooping sludge out of inlets. They also built temporary dams and distributed more than 80 tons of grass seed through a helicopter to ensure that the rest of the spill is held in place. The effort is supervised by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, with assistance from the Tennessee Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The good news, though, is that contamination seems to be confined in the accident site. Drinking water was safe and the air quality was still clean. Only trace amounts of arsenic was found in areas away from the site, as opposed to the heavier concentration of the toxin found in the site.

We often hear that ‘one man’s cure may be another’s poison’. This may be true not just among people, but between humans and the environment he lives in.

A study funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the National Council for Science and Technology of Mexico, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the St. Lawrence Action Plan and Health Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan on the St. Lawrence River downstream from the sewage treatment facility in Montreal found traces of medication in the water.

Conducted by researchers from the University of Montreal, the study found quantities of high blood pressure and cholesterol drugs in water samples which were taken half a kilometer from where treated wastewater from the sewage facility flowed into the river.

Although the quantities are minimal, there is no knowledge yet about how this build up will affect the environment according to Prof. Sebastien Suave, an environmental chemist who led the study. They are nevertheless not taking these observations lightly as it shows that there may be a buildup of compounds and pathogens in the environment because sewage processing systems fail to neutralize them.

The team tested for the presence of five different drugs, which included two kinds of chemotherapy drugs that are known to be highly toxic and carcinogenic, cholesterol drugs statin and bezafibrate, and the hypertension medication enalapril.

With the exception of statin, the team found traces of drugs in the waste water entering the treatment facility. After treatment, only the chemotherapy drugs were no longer present in water samples taken downstream. Bezafibrate and enalapril were still present. Other studies have reportedly also found traces of antidepressants, estrogen and antibiotics in bodies of fresh water.

The next logical step after this will be to study the effects of these observations to marine life. The team likewise cautions communities further downstream to subject water drawn from the river to further treatment before using.