The Silent Killer

Carbon Monoxide

("Carbon monoxide", 2020)

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a single carbon and oxygen molecule, triple bonded to one another, with a molecular weight of 28.01 g/mol and a boiling and melting point of -191.5 °C and -205 °C respectively; making it a gas at room temperature.

Other names this molecule goes by are:

Carbon Monooxide and Carbonic Oxide

Why is it deemed the Silent Killer?

It is colourless, odourless and tasteless making it very difficult to detect and extremely dangerous to be around. 

("7 Changes to Canadian WHMIS Symbols - ACUTE", 2020)

According to the WHMIS Hazard Signs, Carbon Monoxide is flammable, acutely toxic and a health hazard, capable of causing symptoms ranging from dizziness and nausea to loss of consciousness and eventually leading to death.

("Carbon monoxide symptoms", 2020)

How does CO Interact with our Body?

Carbon Monoxide is more attracted to the hemoglobin in our blood than oxygen is, and it will (not only) bind easier, but also hang on for a longer period of time. Eventually, it results in lack of oxygen in the body- your organs suffocate!

How Is Carbon Monoxide Even Produced?

Carbon Monoxide is the result of burning carbon compounds with little oxygen and lots of heat. Which is why, you will find CO in the fumes of vehicles, the burning of Wood, Coal and Gas Stoves/ BBQ Grills, Furnaces and Hookahs!

How Can You Protect Yourself?

Make sure your Carbon Monoxide monitors are working and check their batteries frequently!

Don't leave your car running in a closed garage.

BBQ and grill in open areas or with the exhaust in the kitchen on!

and be careful around open fires or bon fires.

References:

Carbon monoxide. (2020). Retrieved from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/281#section=TopCarbon Monoxide - MeSH - NCBI.

Carboxyhemoglobin. (2020). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carboxyhemoglobin

Carbon Monoxide - MeSH - NCBI. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/68002248 

Carbon monoxide. (2020). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide 

Carbon Monoxide. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/tp201-c4.pdf 

Carbon monoxide - DrugBank. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB11588 

Facts about Carbon Monoxide - PuroClean. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.puroclean.com/blog/facts-about-carbon-monoxide/ 

Lide, D.R. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 88TH Edition 2007-2008. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, FL 2007, p. 3-88

O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck and Co., Inc., 2006., p. 294

WHMIS Classifications: Carbon monoxide. (2019). Retrieved from http://ccinfoweb2.ccohs.ca/whmis/records/57E.html 

100+ Pollution Pictures | Download Free Images on Unsplash. (2020). Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/search/photos/

-----ANTIOXIDANTS: WHAT ON EARTH ARE THEY?-----

ANTIOXIDANTS: WHAT ON EARTH ARE THEY?

It's likely been some time that you've had to write a silly Haiku for your grade 5 English teacher, but nonetheless there's actually some truth behind this one. Every heard of antioxidants? Probably, but what are they exactly? And where do they come from?

Antioxidants have been raved about for quite some time now due to their ability to combat free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that have an unpaired electron in its outermost shell.1 This situation can wreak havoc to surrounding molecules and compounds, because the greedy free radical is hungry to have satisfied electron pairs. So what does it do? It disrupts his nearby “friends” by stealing one of their electrons, causing disruption to the mechanisms of how these compounds operate. Moreover, your greedy friend is so unstable that he can continue to do it again, and again, and again.  Luckily, our antioxidant friends can save the day by standing up to these greedy reactive bullies. These bullies are also known as “reactive oxygen species” due to their intense emotional instability and include cliques such as peroxides, superoxides, and the ever most popular hydroxyl radical.² Steer clear, but never fear – antioxidants are here, and they are willing to donate one of their electrons to keep the peace. Our bully friends may be satisfied in getting what they want, but really, our humble antioxidant friends really just wanted to shut them up. Everybody wins. 

So where can we find our heroic antioxidants? All around us actually! They are naturally occurring in many fruits, vegetables, and herbs.1 There are also different kinds of antioxidants, and this depends on the type of phytochemical, or “plant” chemical that we are talking about. There are four main categories of phytochemicals, in which two of the groups (carotenoids and flavonoids) contain the majority of our superheroes.3 Quercetin, in particular, is a flavonoid that exhibits some pretty impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which can put our bullies’ tricks to shame. It is found mostly in onions, grapes, berries, cherries, broccoli, and citrus fruits.4 Consume a regular and wide variety of these superhero fruits and vegetables and you will be sure to never have your lunch money (or electron) stolen again! 

REFERENCES:

1. Haas, E. M., & Levin, B. (2006). Staying healthy with nutrition: the complete guide to diet and nutritional medicine. Berkeley: Celestial Arts.

2. An Introduction to Reactive Oxygen Species - Measurement of ROS in Cells: January 26, 2014. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.biotek.com/resources/white-papers/an-introduction-to-reactive-oxygen-species-measurement-of-ros-in-cells/

3. Kumar, Shashank, Pandey, & K., A. (2013, December 29). Chemistry and Biological Activities of Flavonoids: An Overview. Retrieved from https://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2013/162750/

4. Anand David, A. V., Arulmoli, R., & Parasuraman, S. (2016). Overviews of Biological Importance of Quercetin: A Bioactive Flavonoid. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5214562/

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid, also known as Hyaluronan or in its salt form as Hyaluronate sodium, is a chemical that is very common in care products¹. Odds are that if you use any type of skin care products that at least one of them contain this chemical. This the chemical formula for this compound is C₃₃H₅₄N₂O₂₃¹_.  Two sugars make up the repeating subunit of this chemical and this subunit typically repeats thousands of times². It is found normally in the human body in any areas that need a lot of moisture and/or lubrication such as in the eye, in the fluid in some of the joints, in the skin and more². This chemical is very hydrophilic meaning that it attracts water to it³. This chemical can hold 1000 times its weight in water³. This quality allows for this chemical to be helpful in care products by attracting water to the location and helping make the area of application more moisturized⁴.

Aside from just being in care products like hand lotions and serums this chemical can also be taken as a supplement³. The supplement is believed to help with keeping the body moisturized³. It is recommended that people with cancer to not take this product as a supplement because of the concern that it may increase the rate of tumor growth⁵.

 Another use for this product is in dermal fillers, like lip fillers, in fillers it is injected to make the area look larger, and plumper while reducing the appearance of wrinkles⁶. This chemical is very effective as a dermal filler when injected into the skin⁶. With an ever-growing injection industry there will be continued production of this chemical for filler⁶. It is estimated that the number of people who got dermal fillers in 2010 was 1.8 million, in 2016 that rose to 2.4 million, and since then the industry has continued to grow⁷.  It is also a safe product as there are no major risks associated with this product because it is so available in or bodies normally, but that being said getting fillers still poses a risk because of the injection process⁷.

References

1.       National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Database. Hyaluronic Acid, CID=24847767, https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/

2.       Necas, J., Bartosikova, L., Brauner, P., & Kolar, J. (2008). Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan): a review. Veterinární Medicína, 53(No. 8), 397–411. doi: 10.17221/1930-vetmed

3.       Kawada, C., Yoshida, T., Yoshida, H., Matsuoka, R., Sakamoto, W., Odanaka, W., … Urushibata, O. (2014). Ingested hyaluronan moisturizes dry skin. Nutrition Journal, 13(1). doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-13-70

4.       About Hyaluronic Acid (HA) The Story of the Hyaluronic Acid Molecule  . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.lamarmo.com/hydralistics/hyaluronic.htm

5.       Matsui, Y., Inomata, M., Izumi, K., Sonoda, K., Shiraishi, N., & Kitano, S. (2004). Hyaluronic acid stimulates tumor-cell proliferation at wound sites. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 60(4), 539–543. doi: 10.1016/s0016-5107(04)01890-5

6.       Gold, M. (2007). Use of hyaluronic acid fillers for the treatment of the aging face. Clinical Interventions in Aging, Volume 2, 369–376. doi: 10.2147/cia.s1244

7.       Howard, J. (2017, December 21). Cosmetic skin fillers rise in popularity, and complications. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2017/12/21/health/dermal-lip-filler-injections-risks-study/index.html
Photo- Dusome, D. (2020) Products containing Hyaluronic Acid. [Photograph]

A Daily Dose of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Figure 1. Some of the everyday products we use that contain SLS [6].

Every day, I use mouthwash, toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner. These personal care products all have something in common- the controversial ingredient, sodium lauryl sulfate. Rumors have been circulating the internet and by word of mouth that this is a huge factor for cancer, hair loss, skin and eye irritation, and many other health issues [1]. Considering that we get in contact with this ingredient at least once a day from the products that we use, will it be a cause for concern if this accumulates in our bodies? 

Here's what we need to know about Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (Chemical formula: C12H25NaO4S), otherwise known as sodium dodecyl sulfate, irium, or for shorter terms of the name itself, SLS. This is not to be confused with sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), another ingredient in shampoos, although they have more or less similar properties. If you ever wonder why your shampoo or toothpaste starts off as a simple paste or gel and starts to bubble when you add a little amount of water into it and it gets in contact with your teeth or hair, that's the SLS doing its magic as a surfactant. Surfactants exposed to liquid have reduced surface tension that causes its wetting and spreading properties to be more maximized [3]. SLS by itself can appear creamy, pale yellow, or white, and come in forms of powder, crystals, or flakes [2]. 

SLS is usually taken from plants and then synthesized in labs. [2] This is infused in most of our personal care products, and if you ever think about avoiding this ingredient, you can find alternatives such as alkanolamides, and betaine which can be beneficial if you are particular with oral health care as it has a lesser chance of causing mucosal irritation, but its effect as a surfactant won't be as great as SLS itself [4]. It also came as a surprise to me that this is also found in some kinds of food such as dried egg products and marshmallows. Now, does it concern you that this has been something we have been shoving down our throats and into our bodies?

Cancer is on top of the list as a controversy for SLS because it is suspected to have a chemical reaction with formaldehyde to produce nitrosamines, a carcinogenic by-product. This was disproven because it is impossible since neither contain nitrogen atoms while nitrosamines are known to have two of those. SLS is not in the list of cancerous chemicals either. Phew! Moving on, skin irritation and mild allergies are two known side effect of using SLS constantly [5]. This is partially true for dermal irritation since it will entirely depend on how long you have been exposed to an SLS-containing product, but this is not a cause for concern since it will take a huge amount of SLS for your skin to be affected. Besides, there are many other ingredients in products that we have to consider that may be causing skin irritation. SLS as an allergen on the other hand has no scientific evidence to prove it [1]. 

Now that we have cleared out SLS of some of the accusations thrown against it, it may be safe to say that we can use products with SLS without fear of having this chemical accumulating in our bodies over time and eventually kill us. Some chemicals sound harmful and could be a cause of concern if it is something we are exposed to everyday, but with a little more research and reading, we could be surprised at what more these chemicals can do.



REFERENCES
[1] Bondi, C., Marks, J., Wroblewski, L., Raatikainen, H., Lenox, S., and Gebhradt, K. (2015). Human and environmental toxicity of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS): evidence of safe use in household cleaning products. Retrieved from  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651417/#b15-ehi-9-2015-027.

[2] Sodium lauryl sulfate (n.d.). Retrieved from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/3423265.

[3] Surfactant (2020). In Britannica Encyclopaedia. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/surfactant.

[4] Rantanen, I.,  Nicander, I.,  Jutila, K., Ollmar, S., Tenovuo, J., Söderling, E. (2006). Betaine reduces the irritating effect of sodium lauryl sulfate on human oral mucosa in vivo. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12418722.

[5] Ash, M. (2004). Handbook of Preservatives. Retrieved from https://books.google.ca/books?id=XZ2QB7bu5LwC&pg=PA535&dq=sodium+lauryl+sulfate&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyxqrAkcnnAhVHrp4KHcr3DxcQ6AEIPzAD#v=onepage&q=sodium%20lauryl%20sulfate&f=false

[6] Mabugat, N. (2020). Daily Personal Care Products (photograph). Alberta, Canada. 

CAROTENE

Take the smooth approach, because who wants to live rough. Today, yesterday and everyday of my life hydrating my skin is an essential part of my daily routine, and nothing does that better for me that Palmers Cocoa Butter. Looking at the ingredients one that stood out to me was Carotene, also known as beta-carotene also known as provitamin A. 

First discovered by Wackenroder in 1831 but not commercial produced as supplements till 1954. Once in the body, beta-carotene converts into vitamin A . We need vitamin A for good vision, strong immune system, and healthy skin. It is found in many different foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes broccoli, spinach. Structurally known as C40H56 with a molecular mass of 536.9 g/mol, a boiling point between 633-577ºC and melting point of anywhere from 176 and 184ºC. An incredible amount of beta carotene has to be ingested for humans to have any toxic side effects, the effects are simple; your skin turns yellow for 2-3 days and then it returns to normal. However in mice anything >5000 mg/kg is incredibly lethal. If you by any chance happen to be a  cigarette smoker or an alcoholic on the other hand, supplementing beta-carotene could lead to lung cancer and increase your chances of having a heart disease some say(Conspiracy). So before taking an pro-vitamin supplements please consult your local physician or family doctor. 

As I said earlier I love Palmers Cocoa Butter, it has worked wonders for me. It took me from living life with rough dry skin, to living life on the smooth side of things. And trust me life is much more enjoyable when your skin feels smooth and smells like chocolate. Therefore I will continue using this product for most likely the rest of my life because I love living life on the smooth side. You should consider joining me.  

REFERENCES

McEvoy, G.K. (ed.). American Hospital Formulary Service. AHFS Drug Information. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Bethesda, MD. 2006., p. 3555 Retrieved February 12, 2020, from    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/252758.php#what_is_carotene  

Kirsh VA et al; J Natl Cancer Inst 98 (4): 245-54 (2006) Retrieved February 12, 2020, from  https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/beta-Carotene#section=Mechanism-of-Action  

Computed by LexiChem 2.6.6 (PubChem release 2019.06.18) Retrieved February 12, 2020, from 

https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB06755 

Glycerin

Every day I either eat or use glycerin. Glycerin can be found in many items such as sweeteners, lozenges, and even moisturizers. For many purposes, you may be asking yourself what even in glycerin? Glycerin is a colourless, odourless, sticky liquid that tastes sweet and mostly non-toxic. 

Being non-toxic this means when you use this product your symptoms could be headaches, dizziness, vomiting, thirst and diarrhea. (1)  With symptoms being so minor they only happen to a small group of people, that’s why it is put into many items. Glycerin is put into many items because it has three hydroxyl groups attached (2), which means it absorbs moisture from the air and it also keeps this moisture. With the hydroxyl groups that it has, it is also put into many processed types of meat that you can buy from a grocery store. Since the water that the hydroxyl groups take it helps to keep the food fresh for longer. In pharmacy drugs such as lozenges, it’s used in a similar way. The hydroxyl groups are still the main focus, when you take a lozenge it dissolves slightly all the way down your throat. When this happens every time you breathe the hydroxyl groups hold the moisture from the lozenge to keep your throat completely soothed. 

    I use glycerin as a skincare product in my proactive toner. Personally, I don’t get the side effects that can occur when using this product. But instead, I get the benefits of moisturized skin throughout the day. I think that glycerin is very beneficial with a low side effect which makes me say that it is a good trade-off for the benefits that you can receive.

(1) “Safety Assessment of Glycerin as Used in Cosmetics” (2014, Aug 18). Retrieved February 12, 2020, from https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/glycerin.pdf

(2) Glycerol (n.d). Retrieved February 12, 2020, from https://biologydictionary.net/glycerol/

PHOTO- Michaels, H. (2020) “Me n My toner” 

Sodium Fluoride: Let’s Put A Smile On That Face

You Know What They Say⁵ © Kevin L O’Mara

Sodium Fluoride is a white, water soluble, and crystalline inorganic compound¹. It is the main ingredient in tooth paste and its primary role is protecting teeth². It was first used in the 1940s when scientist linked sodium fluoride with dental health. Its main role is to kill Bacteria that are present in the mouth as well as preventing tooth enamel from decaying².  Pure sodium fluoride is quite poisonous³ and it shouldn’t be ingested but as far as ingesting toothpaste is concerned, it isn’t a big problem. There really isn’t that much sodium fluoride in toothpaste, so to get poisoned from toothpaste, you might have to eat a lot of tubes of toothpaste.

Sodium fluoride has many other uses beside being used in toothpaste. It is used in metal making and is also added into wood preservatives, glues and laundry detergent³. Its manufacturing process is quite simple and easy to understand. You can make it in your high school lab if you wanted to. A simple neutralization reaction between hydrofluoric acid and sodium hydroxide will give you sodium fluoride³.

Sodium fluoride is also added into drinking water that comes in your house³. It is present in small amounts and its mostly tasteless. The reason fluoride is added into your water is the same reason you use toothpaste; the purpose is to improve dental hygiene. This adding of fluoride into public drinking water is a very controversial issue throughout the world even though there is evidence that it reduces dental problems⁴. Many people don’t think the government should add things into water and it is a big issue that can be compared to the Anti-Vaccine movement. At the end of the day, use toothpaste and protect your teeth because dentists are painfully expensive, as well as plain painful.

References:

1 Sodium Halides. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology [Online]; Wiley Online Library, Posted January 27,  2006.

. https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.mtroyal.ca/doi/10.1002/0471238961.1915040911211920.a01.pub2 (accessed Jan 26, 2020).

2 9 Sodium fluoride. https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB09325 (accessed Jan 26, 2020).

3 Sodium Halides. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology [Online]; Wiley Online Library, Posted January 27,  2006.

. https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.mtroyal.ca/doi/10.1002/0471238961.1915040911211920.a01.pub2 (accessed Jan 26, 2020).

4 Risk perception and water fluoridation support and opposition in Australia. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology [Online]; Wiley Online Library, Posted March 02, 2010. 

https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.mtroyal.ca/doi/10.1111/j.1752-7325.2009.00144.x (accessed Jan 26, 2020)

5 8 O’ Mara, K. You Know What They Say. Creative Commons. 

https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/85af311f-b657-4076-aa1d-9947d17ebc4d