Exposures to solvent early in life could lead to drug abuse: Study

Study reports high-risk behaviors in people who
were exposed to dry cleaning chemical early in life.

A new study has found that adults who were exposed to contaminated drinking water before birth and during early childhood were more likely to show risky behaviors later on in life.

The study focused on water that was contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (PCE), an industrial solvent.

Those who were exposed early in life were far more likely to use cigarettes, drugs and alcohol, the researchers found.

Previous animal and human studies reported similar changes in human behavior.

Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) is a solvent that is used in many industries, as a metal degreaser and as dry cleaning fluid.

The chemical was used in the vinyl lining in water supply lines in the Cape Cod area of Massachusetts, exposing residents in 100 towns and cities to the solvent.

For the study, researchers contacted Cape Cod residents in their late 20s and early 30s and asked about their drug and cigarette use.

Those participants with the highest PCE exposure were 60 times more likely to use two or more illicit drugs as a teenager or young adult than those with no measurable PCE exposure. The risk for cocaine use was twice as high.

Since it wasn’t possible to confirm exactly how much PCE each individual was exposed to, more studies may be needed, the researchers say.

Source: Environmental Health News

Reduce exposure to airborne chemicals

Contaminated drinking water is a problem in some areas, but did you know that most households expose residents to chemicals, gases and fumes, among other pollutants?

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Early exposure to dry-cleaning chemical can lead to bipolar disorder

Early exposure to a dry-cleaning chemical can have
serious health consequences, a new study shows.

A new study has linked early exposure to the dry-cleaning solvent tetrachloroethylene (also known as perc or PCE) to an increased risk of bipolar disorder and post traumatic stress syndrome.

Researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health followed up with people born between 1969 and 1983 in the Cape Cod area, where the dry-cleaning chemical leached into the water supply.

The solvent and vinyl resin were used to attach liners to the water pipes and dried for 48 hours before being shipped to their destination.

The common belief was that the chemical would evaporate before the installation of the pipe, but instead traces of the chemical ended up in the drinking water.

The researchers contacted 1,500 subjects and found that 830 of them were exposed to the solvent in early childhood.

The study participants answered a questionnaire about a variety of things, including mental health and if they had ever been diagnosed with depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder.

In the participants exposed to perc in early childhood, there was an 80 percent higher risk for bipolar disorder and a 170 percent increase in those who were highly exposed.

For post traumatic stress disorder, the risk rose by 50 percent, up to 70 percent respectively.

The researchers said that people are still exposed to perc through dry cleaning and from consumer products and that the increased risk of illness remains real.

The study was published in Environmental Health.

Source: Toronto Star

Reduce chemical exposure at home

One way to avoid or reduce exposure to PCE is to forgo dry cleaning completely, or to let the dry-cleaned clothes air out before bringing them indoors.

An air purifier with many pounds of activated carbon can also help remove airborne chemicals and fumes such as perc and formaldehyde.

AllerAir’s air purifiers for the home and office feature the most carbon and the deepest filter beds in their price class, and they also remove other indoor air pollutants with HEPA and UV as well as pre-filters.

Find out more about our general purpose air purifiers, and contact AllerAir for more information and options.