Working near fields sprayed with pesticides linked to Parkinson's disease

"A home and office air cleaner with deep-bed activated carbon will remove airborne chemicals, gases and odors."

California researchers have now linked a third type of pesticide, ziram with Parkinson's disease.

In a follow-up study to their 2009 findings, the UCLA scientists studied not only people who lived and worked in or near fields that were sprayed, but non-farmworkers like teachers, firefighters and clerks who worked near the fields.

They found that the combined exposure to ziram, maneb and paraquat near any workplace increased the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) threefold, while combined exposure to ziram and paraquat alone was associated with an 80 percent increase in risk. The results appear in the current online edition of the European Journal of Epidemiology.

"Our estimates of risk for ambient exposure in the workplaces were actually greater than for exposure at residences," said Dr. Beate Ritz, senior author and a professor of epidemiology at the UCLA School of Public Health. "And, of course, people who both live and work near these fields experience the greatest risk. These workplace results give us independent confirmation of our earlier work that focused only on residences, and of the damage these chemicals are doing."

In addition, Ritz noted, this is the first study that provides strong evidence in humans that the combination of the three chemicals confers a greater risk of Parkinson's than exposure to the individual chemicals alone. Because these pesticides affect different mechanisms leading to cell death, they may act together to increase the risk of developing the disorder: Those exposed to all three experienced the greatest increase in risk. 

"Our results suggest that pesticides affecting different cellular mechanisms that contribute to dopaminergic neuron death may act together to increase the risk of PD considerably," said Ritz, who holds a joint appointment in the UCLA Department of Neurology.  

Scientists knew that in animal models and cell cultures, such pesticides trigger a neurodegenerative process that leads to Parkinson's, a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that often impairs motor skills, speech and other functions and for which there is no cure. The disease has been reported to occur at high rates among farmers and in rural populations, contributing to the hypothesis that agricultural pesticides may be partially responsible.

In the past, data on human exposure had been unavailable, largely because it had been too hard to measure an individual's environmental exposure to any specific pesticide.

"This stuff drifts," Ritz said. "It's borne by the wind and can wind up on plants and animals, float into open doorways or kitchen windows — up to several hundred meters from the fields."

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VIDEO: Toxic Chemicals at Home, Why Don't We Care Enough to Act?

"Why are we so apathetic on the subject of dangerous chemicals lurking in our air?"

How quickly would you address a poisonous threat in your home like a snake? A Spider? A Scorpion? What about poisons you can't see? The National Resources Defense Council uses some creepy-crawlers in their video PSA to illustrate this point.

The NRDC is urging the public to ask their senators to co-sponsor the Safe Chemicals Act:



From the NRDC:

"Under the current law, it is almost impossible for the EPA to take regulatory action against dangerous chemicals, even those that are known to cause cancer or other serious health effects.

When the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was enacted in 1976, it was intended to ensure that chemicals are safe throughout their lifecycle, from manufacture to use and disposal. But weaknesses in the law have left the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) largely unable to act on known health dangers or require testing on specific chemicals that may be unsafe. Other laws, such as those setting air, water, and workplace safety standards, do not adequately regulate exposure to most chemicals, nor do they address the hazards a chemical may pose over its entire lifecycle.

When the law was first passed, 62,000 chemicals were allowed to remain on the market without testing for their effects on health or the environment. In more than 30 years, the EPA has only required testing of about 200 of those chemicals, and has partially regulated only five. The rest have never been fully assessed for toxic impacts on human health and the environment.

For the 22,000 chemicals introduced into commerce since 1976, chemical manufacturers have provided little or no information to the EPA regarding their potential health or environmental impacts.

Cancer, learning disabilities, infertility, birth defects and other reproductive problems have all been associated to some degree to exposure to toxic chemicals – chemicals found in children's products, cleaning and personal care products, toys, furniture, electronics, food and beverage containers, building materials, fabrics, and auto interiors.

Under the current law, the EPA must prove a chemical poses an "unreasonable risk" to health or the environment before it can be regulated. The law is widely considered to be a failure and, most recently, the EPA's own Inspector General found it inadequate to ensure that new chemicals are safe.

Since 1976, scientists have linked exposure to toxic chemicals to a wide array of health risks. It is now widely accepted that exposure to low doses of certain chemicals, particularly in the womb or during early childhood, can result in irreversible and life-long impacts on health. It is now commonly understood that some toxic chemicals persist in the environment, sometimes for decades, and build up in the food chain and in our bodies. It is now well-recognized that some chemicals are able to disturb our hormonal, reproductive, and immune systems and that multiple chemicals can act in concert to harm health.

To protect the public’s health and allow TSCA to work as originally intended, new legislation must strengthen TSCA by shifting the burden of proof from EPA to the chemical industry; requiring all new or existing chemicals to be tested for safety, and establishing safety standards for chemicals to protect children and other vulnerable groups. It must ensure the public's right to know about the safety and use of chemicals and give EPA the authority to protect the public from unsafe chemicals, including expedited action for the most dangerous, toxic chemicals.

Legislation has been introduced to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act. The Safe Chemicals Act would shift the burden back to the chemical industry to prove its products are safe, establish health standards for chemicals to protect children and other vulnerable groups, and strengthen the public's right to know about the safety and use of chemicals."

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Do you trust legislators to protect the air you're breathing?   

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Unlike most air cleaners, AllerAir room air purifiers are specially designed to remove airborne chemicals, odors and particles. Our activated carbon and HEPA units are used by industry, manufacturing, aerospace, health care professionals and thousands of families to improve indoor air quality.

VIDEO: We are exposed to thousands of untested chemicals everyday, Learn more about the "Safe Chemicals Act of 2011"

The Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 aims to change the current law to place the burden of proof on chemical manufacturers to PROVE that their products are safe. 

It's supported by The Autism Society, the American Association of Nurses, the Environmental Working Group, the Breast Cancer Fund and the NRDC.


Under the current law, it's the Environmental Protection Agency that must prove a chemical poses an "unreasonable risk" to health or the environment before it can be regulated, AllerAir's IAQ experts have learned.

But EPA doesn't have the time or resources to verify the thousands of chemicals currently in use in the products we use everyday, so consumers have no reasonable assurances that the chemicals they are breathing in are safe.

In an effort to address these airborne chemical pollutants, AllerAir developed a line of home air cleaners that use industrial filtration methods to remove airborne chemicals, gases, odors and particles. To learn more about our activated carbon and HEPA filtration systems connect with us:

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VIDEO: Would limiting cars in city centers improve air quality?

We all know cars contribute significantly to air pollution, but can eliminating cars from city centers improve urban air pollution? The city of New York thinks so.

This video clip discusses New York's decision to close several streets around Times Square and the surprising impact this decision had on air quality levels. Could it work for other American cities?

MSN video: Improving air quality

New York as well as other large cities such as Los Angeles have very serious air quality issues, warns the team of air quality experts at AllerAir. Reducing daily exposure to pollutants has been shown to impact our long term health and improve conditions like asthma and allergies, they say.


AllerAir recommends using a home air cleaner that not only features a HEPA filter for particles, but a deep-bed carbon filter for chemicals and odors.

Our indoor air has actually been shown to be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Choosing a high quality air cleaner like an AllerAir Air Medic can make a significant impact in improving overall indoor air quality.

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STUDY: Workers at nail salons may be at higher risk of harmful exposure to toxins

Protecting nail salon employees from airborne chemical exposure should be among the top priorities of salon owners. AllerAir's salon air cleaners are designed specifically for removing the complex mix of chemicals found in salons and offers an effective and affordable air quality solution.

A new study from the American Journal of Public Health reports that workers at nail salons may be at higher risk of exposure to chemical toxins that may be harmful to their health.

Researchers set out to measure personal and area concentrations of solvents among Vietnamese women working in various California nail salons through a community-based participatory research study.

Researchers collected data from 80 Vietnamese female nail salon workers from 20 different nail salons. They measured work-shift concentrations of toluene, ethyl acetate and isopropyl acetate and found that measured levels of these solvents were higher than recommended guidelines to prevent frequently reported health symptoms frequently reported.

One-third of workers reported that they experienced certain health symptoms such as irritations, headaches, nausea and breathing problems after entering the workforce. Irritations of the nose, throat, lungs, skin and eyes were the most common symptoms, reported by 26.5 percent of workers.

“Our findings underscored the need for more attention to preventive public health strategies for his workforce. Recommendations to promote worker health and safety include policy changes to update occupational exposure limits that take into account various chronic health conditions, better regulatory oversight of chemicals in cosmetic products, and more research focused on the health of understudied and vulnerable worker populations,” said the study’s authors.

AllerAir's salon air cleaners are designed specifically for removing the complex mix of chemicals found in salons and offers owners an effective and affordable air quality solution.

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Source: Press Release/American Journal of Public Health

STUDY: Workers at nail salons may be at higher risk of harmful exposure to toxins

"Protecting nail salon employees from airborne chemical exposure should be among the top priorities of salon owners. Our salon air cleaners are designed specifically for removing the complex mix of chemicals found in salons and offers an effective and affordable air quality solution."



A new study from the American Journal of Public Health reports that workers at nail salons may be at higher risk of exposure to chemical toxins that may be harmful to their health.



Researchers set out to measure personal and area concentrations of solvents among Vietnamese women working in various California nail salons through a community-based participatory research study.



Researchers collected data from 80 Vietnamese female nail salon workers from 20 different nail salons. They measured work-shift concentrations of toluene, ethyl acetate and isopropyl acetate and found that measured levels of these solvents were higher than recommended guidelines to prevent frequently reported health symptoms frequently reported. One-third of workers reported that they experienced certain health symptoms such as irritations, headaches, nausea and breathing problems after entering the workforce. Irritations of the nose, throat, lungs, skin and eyes were the most common symptoms, reported by 26.5 percent of workers.



“Our findings underscored the need for more attention to preventive public health strategies for his workforce. Recommendations to promote worker health and safety include policy changes to update occupational exposure limits that take into account various chronic health conditions, better regulatory oversight of chemicals in cosmetic products, and more research focused on the health of understudied and vulnerable worker populations,” said the study’s authors.



"Protecting nail salon employees from airborne chemical exposure should be among the top priorities of salon owners," adds Gershon Katz, an air quality expert with AllerAir. "Our salon air cleaners are designed specifically for removing the complex mix of chemicals found in salons and offers owners an effective and affordable air quality solution."



For more information on AllerAir salon air purifiers connect with an air quality expert:

Open a live chat

E-mail

ViaTwitter

By Phone 1-888-852-8247





Source: Press Release/American Journal of Public Health

Study shows fetal exposure to chemical found in cleaning agents, spot removers may damage heart

A study by the Medical College of Wisconsin and Children's Research Institute has shown that babies who had been exposed in utero to a chemical found in cleaning agents and spot removers were at increased risk of congenital heart disease (CHD) as were infants exposed to a chemical found in crude oil.

Environmental causes of CHD have been suspected, and animal studies have suggested certain chemicals may cause CHD, a problem with the heart's structure and function due to abnormal heart development before birth.

"Congenital heart disease is a major cause of childhood death and life-long health problems," said D. Gail McCarver, MD, FAAP, lead author of the study and professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Children's Research Institute, Milwaukee. "Thus, identifying risk factors contributing to CHD is important to public health."

Dr. McCarver and her colleagues sought to determine whether human fetal exposure to solvents is associated with increased risk for CHD. The researchers tested samples of meconium, or fetal stool, from 135 newborns with CHD and 432 newborns without CHD. Meconium has been used to assess fetal exposure to illicit drugs such as cocaine. Seventeen compounds were measured in meconium samples using methods that detect very low levels of chemicals.

Additional data collected included race of the mothers and infants, family history for CHD, and maternal alcohol, tobacco, vitamin and drug use.

Infants with chromosomal abnormalities known to be linked to CHD, and babies of diabetic mothers were excluded from the study.

Results showed that 82 percent of infants had evidence of intrauterine exposure to one or more of the solvents measured.

Among white infants, but not black infants, fetal exposure to ethyl benzene was associated with a four-fold increased risk of CHD. In addition, exposure to trichloroethylene was associated with a two-fold increased risk for CHD among white infants and an eight-fold increased risk among black infants.

"This is the first report that exposure to ethyl benzene, a compound present in crude oil, was associated with CHD," Dr. McCarver said. Humans also can be exposed to ethyl benzene through inhalation of motor vehicle emissions, gasoline pump vapors and cigarette smoke.

"The association with ethyl benzene exposure is concerning, particularly considering recent oil spills," she said. "However, additional confirmatory studies are needed."

The study also adds to existing concerns about trichloroethylene (TCE). "This is of particular importance because TCE is a commonly used degreasing agent, which also is present in many cleaners and spot removers. TCE also has been the most common chemical identified around hazardous waste sites," Dr. McCarver said.

"Limiting known maternal exposure to this compound during early pregnancy appears prudent, particularly among those at increased CHD risk," Dr. McCarver concluded.

Limiting exposure to chemical pollution in general would be prudent, according to air quality experts at AllerAir Industries.

Inhalation is one of the main exposure routes for many types of chemical pollutants. That's why AllerAir recommends a home air cleaner with a deep-bed carbon filter. It's one of the few effective filtration methods for removing airborne chemicals and odors.

For more information on removing airborne chemicals from indoor air chat with an air quality expert , follow us on twitter or visit our website.

Air pollution linked to poorer student health, academic performance

"...more and more schools, parents and government officials have contacted us for recommendations on affordable air purifiers to improve school air quality." says Gershon Katz, air quality expert at AllerAir.

 The researchers found that Michigan public schools located in areas with the state's highest industrial air pollution levels had the lowest attendance rates---an indicator of poor health---as well as the highest proportions of students who failed to meet state educational testing standards.

The researchers examined the distribution of all 3,660 public elementary, middle, junior high and high schools in the state and found that 62.5 percent of them were located in places with high levels of air pollution from industrial sources.

Minority students appear to bear the greatest burden, according to a research team led by Paul Mohai of the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment and Byoung-Suk Kweon of the U-M Institute for Social Research.

The researchers found that while 44.4percent of all white students in the state attend schools located in the top 10 percent of the most polluted locations in the state, 81.5 percent of all African American schoolchildren and 62.1 percent of all Hispanic students attend schools in the most polluted zones.

Children in general are known to be more vulnerable than adults to the effects of pollution. Exposure to environmental pollutants during important times of physiological development can lead to long-lasting health problems, dysfunction and disease, the experts said.

"Our findings underscore the need to expand the concept of environmental justice to include children as a vulnerable population. Moreover, our findings show that children of color are disproportionately at risk," the authors wrote. "There is a need for proactive school policies that will protect children from exposure to unhealthy levels of air pollution and other environmental hazards."

The authors offer four policy recommendations to address the problem:
1) All potential school sites should be thoroughly analyzed, including tests of soil, water and air quality.
2) Policies should be enacted to insist on a minimum distance between sources of pollution and school locations.
3) Environmental mitigation policies should be adopted to reduce children's potential exposure to pollution.
4) Oversight and enforcement at the national, state and local levels needs to ensure better school environments.

Ninety-five percent of the estimated industrial air pollution around schools comes from 12 chemicals: diisocyanates, manganese, sulfuric acid, nickel, chlorine, chromium, trimethylbenzene, hydrochloric acid, molybdenum trioxide, lead, cobalt and glycol ethers.

These pollutants come from a variety of sources, including the motor vehicle, steel and chemical- manufacturing industries, power plants, rubber and plastic products manufacturers, and lumber and wood products manufacturers. The 12 chemicals are suspected of producing a wide variety of health effects, including increased risk of respiratory, cardiovascular, developmental and neurological disorders, as well as cancer.

"What many people don't realize is that airborne pollution, chemicals in particular, also trigger asthma attacks and allergy-like symptoms leading to illness and absenteeism," says Gershon Katz, air quality expert at AllerAir. "That's why more and more schools, parents and government officials have contacted us for recommendations on affordable air purifiers to improve school air quality."

Are you a school official, parent or government buyer? AllerAir is an experienced vendor and service provider for many federal, state, and local government agencies. We are pleased to provide government buyers with a dedicated government solutions team for fast and efficient service.

Parents, we are available to answer any of your indoor air quality questions via  live chat or by phone at 1-888-852-8247.

Exposure to Certain Pesticides Impacts Child Cognitive Development

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that exposure during pregnancy to a family of pesticides called organophosphates may impair child cognitive development.

From 1998 to 2002, the Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Study enrolled a multiethnic population of more than 400 women in their third trimester of pregnancy.

The research team collected urine samples during pregnancy and analyzed them for the evidence of metabolized pesticides. The women were then invited to participate in follow-up interviews when their children were ages 12 months, 24 months, and six to nine years.

At 12 and 24 months the children were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant development, which is a standardized instrument that measures cognitive and psychomotor development in young children. Between the ages of six and nine years, the researchers administered skill and intelligence tests. The researchers found that exposure to organophosphates negatively impacted perceptual reasoning, a measure of nonverbal problem-solving skills.

"Manufacturers withdrew chlorpyrifos and diazinon, two types of organophosphate pesticides, from the residential market. Despite this, general population exposure to organophosphate pesticides is ongoing," said Stephanie Engel, PhD, who led the study while on faculty at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Dr. Engel’s team also examined the influence of variants in a key enzyme that metabolizes organophosphates, paraoxonase 1 (PON1). They found that the negative effects of organophosphates were limited to children of mothers who carried a genotype associated with a less efficient version of this enzyme.

"Nearly a third of the mothers in this study carried the PON1 genotype that would put their children at highest risk of negative effects from organophosphate pesticide exposure," said Dr. Engel. "Our study will be published along with two independent studies that examined prenatal organophosphate pesticide exposure in relation to childhood IQ using similar research methods. There are definite similarities in our findings that, taken as a whole, warrant careful consideration."

AllerAir recommends air cleaners with both a deep-bed carbon filter for airborne chemicals and odors and a HEPA filter for fine particles for pregnant women and families with young children.

For more information on removing airborne chemicals from indoor air chat with an air quality expert , follow us on twitter or visit our website.

Indoor Air Quality News: Study finds flame retardants at high levels in pet dogs

It seems even the family dog may benefit from cleaner indoor air.

A new study by Indiana University scientists have found chemical flame retardants in the blood of pet dogs at concentrations five to 10 times higher than in humans.

"Even though they've been around for quite awhile, we don't know too much about these compounds' toxicological effects on humans or animals," says study author Marta Venier.

"The bottom line is that we still need to keep measuring them, particularly in homes."


The study focuses on the presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the blood of dogs and in commercial dog food.

PBDEs have been widely used as flame retardants in household furniture and electronics equipment. The compounds can migrate out of the products and enter the environment.
 
Even though some of these chemicals have been phased out, they're still found in homes and in household dust.

Pets spend the majority of their day indoors breathing in these pollutants. Using an air cleaner with a good HEPA and carbon filter can provide cleaner, healthier indoor air for pets as well as the people who love them.