Air purifiers a benefit for heart patients: Study

Air purifiers remove air pollutants in rooms and help reduce
some types of inflammation and blood clotting: study.

People with heart conditions may benefit from using indoor air purifiers, suggests a small study from China.

While the study can't say air purifiers prevent heart attacks or other major medical problems, several risk factors for heart disease improved among young and healthy adults who were exposed to purified air.

"In countries of the world where air pollution is a problem, I think this would be especially important," said Dr.

Sanjay Rajagopalan of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.

The new findings suggest that using an air purifier may lead to a reduction in cardiovascular events, said Rajagopalan, who coauthored an editorial accompanying the new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Previous studies found that fine particles in the air are tied to an increased risk of heart-related problems, including heart attack and stroke, the study authors say.

For the new study, Renjie Chen and Ang Zhao of Fudan University in Shanghai and colleagues had 35 healthy college students in Shanghai randomly use real or fake air purifiers in their dorm rooms for 48 hours. Two weeks later, the students spent another two days using whichever type they hadn't used the first time.

China has one of the highest levels of air pollution in the world.

The target air pollution level set by the World Health Organization is 35 micrograms of tiny particles per cubic meter - but daily air pollution in major cities in Asia often exceed 100 to 500 micrograms per cubic meter, Rajagopalan writes in his editorial.

Air purification in the students' rooms reduced air pollution by 57 percent, from about 96 micrograms per cubic meter to about 41 micrograms per cubic meter, the researchers say.

When the students had the real air purifiers in their rooms, they had significant improvements in several measures of inflammation and blood clotting.

They also had some significant decreases in blood pressure and a reduction in a measure of airway inflammation known as exhaled nitrous oxide.

The researchers also found some improvements in lung function and blood vessel constriction, but those findings may have been due to chance.

"You’d have to take the results of these studies as good supportive evidence that these strategies would work," Rajagopalan told Reuters Health.

Dr. Rachel Taliercio, a lung specialist in The Cleveland Clinic's Asthma Center in Ohio, cautioned that the benefit of air purification systems in homes might not be equal for everyone.

"Certainly there is no harm in doing it and there are obviously some benefits," said Taliercio, who was not involved with the new study. "How big those benefits will be is unclear."

For people who live near high-pollution areas, such as major roadways and coal power plants, air purifiers may be something to look into, Taliercio said.

Home air purification systems range in price from hundreds to thousands of dollars. The devices often require replacement filters on a regular basis.

"From the standpoint of what you can do to protect yourself in these polluted environments, investing in home and car air filtration systems will lead to better air quality in the long term," Rajagopalan said.

"One message is at least the awareness that air quality does influence health and chronic diseases, such as heart disease," he said.

This article has been edited for length. Source: Reuters Health

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Bad air causes rise in allergies, study shows

Allergies and asthma are on the rise - and researchers
blame pollution, second-hand smoke and other factors.

Pollution among the factors causing more allergies among children - and figures are set to rise

Three-quarters of parents with at least one child under the age of three report that the child has allergies, a study shows - and researchers warn the figure will grow.

Some 58 per cent of the youngsters had eczema or a skin allergy, 32 per cent had rhinitis or hay fever and 25 per cent airway allergies such as asthma.

Some of the children suffered more than one type of allergy.

The findings of the survey by the Allergy Association, commissioned by the University of Hong Kong, were based on interviews with 511 parents.

Only 30 per cent of the children were believed to have inherited the condition from their parents - meaning the rest might be down to factors such as pollution, exposure to second-hand smoke, Cesarean delivery or not being breastfed exclusively in their first six months.

"We have seen many more allergy cases in this generation than the last," said Dr Marco Ho Hok-kung, chairman of the association.

"I believe the number is only going to rise in the future, in keeping with the global trend. It is vital to understand the risk of allergies and take preventive measures."

Allergies could affect the long-term growth of infants, said Ho. Some research suggests that infants who develop an allergy before the age of two have a 24 per cent increased risk of developing emotional problems later in life.

Families with children suffering from allergies often have to devote a lot of effort to preventing exposure to allergens such as peanuts, milk or seafood in meals and dust mites at home.

According to the World Health Organisation, 40 to 50 per cent of children across the globe are bothered by one or more types of allergy.

Ho said if either parent had an allergy, there was a 30 per cent chance of their child inheriting it. This increased to 50 per cent if both parents were sufferers. And in general, every child has 5 to 15 per cent chance of developing an allergy even if neither parent has the condition.

Paediatrician Dr Alfred Tam Yat-cheung said risks could be attributed to environmental factors such as pollution and exposure to second-hand smoke. They could be reduced by giving birth naturally and feeding the babies only breast milk in their first six months, he said.

Source: South China Morning Post

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Common solvents disrupt hormone systems, scientists warn

Benzene, xylene and other solvents contaminate the home

Low-level, everyday exposures to dangerous
chemicals are linked to many health issues,
scientists say.

Four chemicals present both inside and outside homes might disrupt our endocrine systems at levels considered safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to an analysis.

The chemicals – benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene – are ubiquitous: in the air outside and in many products inside homes and businesses. They have been linked to reproductive, respiratory and heart problems, as well as smaller babies.

Now researchers from The Endocrine Disruption Exchange (TEDX) and the University of Colorado, Boulder, say that such health impacts may be due to the chemicals’ ability to interfere with people’s hormones at low exposure levels.

“There’s evidence of connection between the low level, everyday exposures and things like asthma, reduced fetal growth,” said Ashley Bolden, a research associate at TEDX and lead author of the study.

“And for a lot of the health effects found, we think it’s disrupted endocrine-signaling pathways involved in these outcomes.”

Bolden and colleagues – including scientist, activist, author and TEDX founder Theo Colborn who passed away last December – pored over more than 40 studies on the health impacts of low exposure to the chemicals.

They looked at exposures lower than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s reference concentrations for the chemicals, which is the agency’s estimated inhalation exposure level that is not likely to cause health impacts during a person’s lifetime.

Many of the health problems – asthma, low birth weights, cardiovascular, disease, preterm births, abnormal sperm – can be rooted in early disruptions to the developing endocrine system, Bolden said.

The analysis doesn’t prove that exposure to low levels of the chemicals disrupt hormones. However, any potential problems with developing hormone systems are cause for concern.

“Hormones are how the body communicates with itself to get work done. Interrupt that, you can expect all sorts of negative health outcomes,” said Susan Nagel an associate professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health School of Medicine who was not involved in the study.

Cathy Milbourn, a spokesperson for the EPA, said in an emailed response that the agency will "review the study and incorporate the findings into our work as appropriate."

The "EPA is screening thousands of chemicals for potential risk of endocrine disruption," she said. "As potential risk of endocrine disruption is identified, these chemicals are assessed further."

Chemicals found in many consumer products

The four chemicals are retrieved from the wellheads during crude oil and natural gas extraction and, after refining, are used as gasoline additives and in a wide variety of consumer products such as adhesives, detergents, degreasers, dyes, pesticides, polishes and solvents.

Ethylbenzene is one of the top ten chemicals used in children’s products such as toys and playground equipment, according to a 2013 EPA report.

Toluene is in the top ten chemicals used in consumer products such as fuels and paints, the report found.

All four get into indoor and outdoor air via fossil fuel burning, vehicle emissions and by volatizing from products. Bolden said studies that measure the air in and around homes and businesses find the chemicals 90 to 95 percent of the time.

Katie Brown, spokeswoman for Energy in Depth, a program of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, said in an email that the study suggests “products deemed safe by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are more dangerous than oil and gas development.

“Contrary to their intentions, what this report actually shows is that people should be no more afraid of oil and gas development than products in their home,” she said.

The Consumer Specialty Products Association, a trade group that represents companies that manufacturer consumer goods including cleaning products, pesticides, polishes, would not comment on the study but a spokesperson said that member groups typically don’t use the chemicals mentioned.

In several of the monitoring studies Bolden and colleagues examined, levels of the chemicals were higher in indoor air than in outdoor air, suggesting that people might be exposed within their homes.

“A lot of time indoor air is poorly circulated,” Bolden said.

Nagel cited a “huge need” to look at the impact of exposure to ambient levels of these chemicals. The study highlights “a whole lot we don’t know” about how these compounds may impact humans, she said.

Using human tissue cells, Nagel’s lab has previously shown that the chemicals can disrupt the androgen and estrogen hormones.

The authors said regulators should give air contaminants the same attention they’ve given greenhouse gas emissions recently.

“Tremendous efforts have led to the development of successful regulations focused on controlling greenhouse gases in an attempt to reduce global temperatures,” the authors wrote in the study published in Environmental Science and Technology journal.

“Similar efforts need to be directed toward compounds that cause poor air quality both indoors and outdoors.”

Source: Environmental Health News

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Smokeless tobacco also poses health risks, researchers say

Researchers found carcinogens from smokeless
tobacco products in household dust.
Photo by Uffe_Johansson 

Secondhand exposure to tobacco may be possible even when no cigarette smoke is involved, according to a new study.

An analysis of dust samples from six homes with smokeless tobacco users shows that the dust there contains more tobacco-specific carcinogens and alkaloids than dust from non-tobacco-using homes, putting household members, especially children, at risk of indirect exposure

Scientists have long known that cigarette smoke is carcinogenic, whether inhaled by the user, by others as secondhand smoke, or brought into the home on clothing as thirdhand smoke.

But they didn’t know whether indirect exposures could arise with smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco or moist snuff.

Todd P. Whitehead of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health and his colleagues wondered whether smokeless tobacco use at home might taint household dust.

They were already collecting dust samples from homes as part of the California Childhood Leukemia Study, which among other things explores how environmental exposures to contaminants such as cigarette smoke could influence leukemia risks.

Of the households they surveyed and analyzed, six told the researchers that they had users only of smokeless tobacco, six had users only of cigarettes, and 20 had no tobacco users.

Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, researchers analyzed dust samples from these homes for five nitrosamines that are found only in tobacco, as well as five tobacco-only alkaloids such as myosmine. The team also used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure nicotine, the best-known tobacco alkaloid, which is addictive.

The team wanted to distinguish smokeless-tobacco contamination from cigarette-smoke contamination, so they calculated the ratio of myosmine to nicotine. In unburned tobacco, myosmine content is less than 0.5% of the nicotine content. But as tobacco burns, myosmine is produced, increasing the ratio to roughly 7% in tobacco smoke.

Levels of two key carcinogenic nitrosamines—N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)—were roughly five and seven times as high, respectively, in the dust of smokeless-tobacco households as in samples from tobacco-free households.

Moreover, the median myosmine-nicotine ratio was 1.8% in smokeless-tobacco households versus 7.7% in cigarette-user households, confirming that contamination in the smokeless-tobacco homes came primarily from smokeless tobacco.

Whitehead warns that the researchers don’t yet know how much of a risk this dust contamination might pose, or how the smokeless tobacco got into the dust.

But the findings suggest that household members who don’t use smokeless tobacco could be exposed to its known carcinogens.

Young children, who often play on the ground and put their hands in their mouths, can accidentally ingest dust and may be especially vulnerable to exposure, he says.

The contamination could come from activities such as opening a package or dropping small amounts on the floor during use, Whitehead says, which could lead to simple strategies for reducing the risk of contamination.

Hugo Destaillats, an environmental chemist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory who wasn’t involved with the work, calls the findings an interesting first step.

The sample size was small, note both Whitehead and Destaillats, and the study didn’t directly measure anyone’s exposures.

Additional research, they suggest, could focus on the amount of tobacco-related compounds that young kids ingest when they live with someone who uses smokeless tobacco, and the resulting health risks. And Destaillats suggests doing future studies to see how dust contamination might vary in other geographical areas.

Source: American Chemical Society. This article has been edited for length.

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Air pollution slows brain development: study

Air pollution takes a double toll on babies' brains

Studies have tied air pollution to a wide range
of problems in children.

A common pollutant in vehicle exhaust, power plant emissions and cigarette smoke can shrink white matter in fetal brains and cause developmental damage during the toddler years, a new study suggests.

In 40 children examined by researchers, prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was correlated with reduced white matter on the left side of children's brains during their early childhood.

Those physical changes in the brain's internal wiring also were correlated with slower cognitive processing and with symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity, according to the study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

“They tend to be fidgety and hyperactive and very impulsive, so they leap before they look,” said Dr. Bradley Peterson, director of the Institute for the Developing Mind at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and the lead author of the report.

The researchers had previously tied behavioral and cognitive problems to eight common types of these pollutants, which are a product of incomplete combustion of organic materials.

The new study now suggests those problems have a biological root in the altered architecture of the brain.

The research involved 655 New York City women of Dominican and African American descent who gave birth between 1997 and 2006.

During late pregnancy, the women carried detector backpacks that measured exposure to PAHs over 48 hours. Their children later were tested for exposure and underwent several rounds of cognitive and behavioral testing.

For the JAMA Psychiatry study, Peterson and his colleagues selected a representative sample from the original study group: 20 children whose own PAH readings were below the median and 20 whose PAH levels were above it.

All the children were about 8 years old when they underwent magnetic resonance imagery scans.

Those scans showed that white matter was significantly reduced from normal volumes throughout the left hemisphere, an area that controls language and cognition, among other higher functions.

In fact, the higher their prenatal exposure to PAH was, the more white matter was reduced and the more acute the behavioral and developmental problems were, the study found.

Scientists don’t know why the left side seemed to be affected more, but they suspect the compounds interfere with an early biochemical process that helps the fetal brain divide into slightly asymmetrical hemispheres.

The damage, however, is not isolated to prenatal stages, or to the left hemisphere. Postnatal PAH exposure, measured at age 5, correlated with diminished white matter in areas of the prefrontal cortex of both hemispheres, the study found.

“It’s a double hit,” Peterson said. “They have the abnormality from prenatal life throughout the left hemisphere and then on top of that they have this bilateral frontal hit from exposures around age 5.”

The 40 children were from nonsmoking homes and had little or no exposure to lead or insecticides that likewise have been linked to developmental and behavioral problems, according to the study. All were right-handed.

Although it remains possible that other pollutants could be affecting the results, the researchers said their sampling methods eliminated the major contenders, helping to isolate the effects of the PAH compounds.

Numerous studies have linked air pollution — especially particulate matter — to respiratory and cardiac problems. But over the last decade, researchers have accumulated more evidence that particles and other types of airborne pollution can affect brain development.

A 2012 study using a database of 19,000 nurses found greater cognitive decline among older women exposed to high levels of particulate matter.

A 2011 Boston study involving 680 men showed similar results. A series of studies involving children in Mexico City linked air pollution with the brain inflammation that is typical of diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

“It is worrisome,” Peterson said of the latest findings. “California has gone a long way toward improving and cleaning up the air, but there’s a long way to go. Future generations depend on it.”

Source: LA Times

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Children's exposure to secondhand smoke tied to clogged arteries

Exposure to tobacco smoke can have long-term
effects in cardiovascular health: Researchers

(Reuters Health) – In a Finnish study spanning 26 years, kids exposed to parental smoking were more likely to develop plaque in their carotid arteries as young adults than kids who were not exposed to secondhand smoke.

These findings and others suggest the health effects of passive smoking on children are not limited to respiratory or developmental health, but can have a long-term impact on cardiovascular health, said senior author Costan G. Magnussen of Menzies Research Institute Tasmania in Hobart, Australia.

Researchers used frozen blood samples from more than 1,000 kids ages three to 18 collected in 1980, along with parental reports of smoking status in 1980 and 1983 from a larger group of kids. They also had ultrasounds of the adult children in 2001 and 2007.

They tested the blood samples for levels of cotinine, a byproduct of cigarette smoke exposure, and looked for a buildup of plaque in the carotid arteries, two large blood vessels of the neck, on the adult ultrasounds.

Carotid plaque can cause narrowing of the arteries, increasing blood clot and stroke risk, according to the National Institutes of Health.

About two percent of the grown-up kids had a carotid plaque uncovered by ultrasound at an average age of 36.

More than 84 percent of kids of nonsmokers had no cotinine in their blood, compared to 62 percent of those with one smoking parent and 43 percent when both parents smoked.

The authors assumed that kids with a parent who admitted to smoking who did not have cotinine in their blood had been exposed to less secondhand smoke, possibly because parents had been careful to keep their smoking away from the child.

Compared to kids of nonsmokers, these kids were about one and a half times as likely to have carotid artery plaque as adults. But kids of smokers with poorer “smoking hygiene” that exposed them to more smoke (and resulted in cotinine in their blood) were four times as likely to have carotid artery plaque as those with nonsmoking parents.

“What we were able to do that others have not, is show that parents who are unable or unwilling to quit smoking can still limit the impact of their smoking on their child’s future cardiovascular health by changing their smoking behavior to limit the amount of smoke their child is exposed to,” Magnussen told Reuters Health by email.

Early smoke exposure is dangerous in
many ways, health experts suggest.

Many smoking parents did not smoke inside the home or car, or smoked well away from their children, to the point where there was no evidence for passive smoke exposure in their child’s blood, Magnussen said.

Plaque buildup, or “atherosclerosis,” can begin in childhood so the results are not surprising, according to Karin B. Michels, an epidemiologist and associate professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

But only 64 out of more than 2,000 grown subjects did develop plaque, which is a very small number, Michels told Reuters Health by phone.

“I would be a little cautious but overall I think it’s an important study and lends more support to the risk of passive smoking for children,” she said. “I don’t doubt that there is a risk and it could be affecting other things like blood pressure.”

Atherosclerotic plaque is particularly dangerous when it develops at an early age, she said.

This group of kids grew up in a time when smoking was much more ubiquitous, and they would have been exposed to more secondhand and thirdhand smoke, said Melbourne Hovell of San Diego State University, who was not part of the new study.

“Thirdhand smoke” is that which lingers on surfaces or in environments and may combine with other chemicals to create toxic substances over time, Hovell told Reuters Health by phone.

Early smoke exposure may have several deleterious effects other than just plaque buildup in the arteries, including an increased risk of later breast cancer and a predisposition to nicotine addiction, Hovell said.

Plus, children of smokers are more likely to become smokers themselves, triggering a cascade of other health risks.

“It’s pretty much a perfect storm,” Hovel said.

“The other message for the lay public is to not allow any smoking in your home or car,” as it will contaminate the environment indefinitely, he said. “Parents with young children probably should avoid buying a used car that has been smoked in.”

Source: Reuters

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Air pollution affects children's memory, IQ: Study

Exposure to air pollution  can damage the brain,
a new study shows.

City smog lowers children's IQ.

This is among findings from a recent University of Montana study that found children living in cities with significant air pollution are at an increased risk for detrimental impacts to the brain, including short-term memory loss and lower IQ.

Findings by UM Professor Dr. Lilian Calderón-Garcidueñas, MA, MD, Ph.D., and her team of researchers reveal that children with lifetime exposures to concentrations of air pollutants above the current U.S. standards, including fine particulate matter, are at an increased risk for brain inflammation and neurodegenerative changes, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Calderón-Garcidueñas' findings are detailed in a paper titled "Decreases in Short-Term Memory, IQ and Altered Brain Metabolic Rations in Urban Apolipoprotein ε4 Children Exposed to Air Pollution," which can be found online here.

The study found that clinically healthy children who live in a polluted environment and who also carry a gene - the apolipoprotein ε4 allele, already known to increase a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease - demonstrated compromised cognitive responses when compared with children carrying a gene with apolipoprotein ε3 allele.

Urban growth leads to environmental pollution

Metropolitan Mexico City is an example of extreme urban growth and serious environmental pollution, where 8 million children are involuntarily exposed to harmful concentrations of fine particulate matter in the air every day beginning at conception.

The study matched two groups of children living in Mexico City by multiple variables, including age, gender, socioeconomic status and education, among others.

They then compared children carrying the ε4 allele to children carrying the ε3 allele and found that those with the ε4 allele had three significant alterations.

They had short-term memory shortfalls, an IQ that while within the normal limits measured 10 points less, and changes in key metabolites in the brain that mirror those of people with Alzheimer's disease.

"The results add to growing data suggesting ε4 carriers could have a higher risk of developing early Alzheimer's disease if they reside in a polluted urban environment," Calderón-Garcidueñas said.

She said the study also raises concerns about important educational issues. Since Mexico City children mostly attend underprovided public schools, children do not build cognitive reserves that serve as a defense to pollution impacts.

"A IQ difference of 10 points will likely have a negative impact on academic and social issues, including bullying and teen delinquency," she said.

A serious public health issue

The authors argue that sustained exposures to urban air pollution result in cognitive underperformance and metabolic brain changes that could lead to an acceleration of neurodegenerative changes.

Air pollution is a serious public health issue, and exposures to concentrations of air pollutants at or above the current standards have been linked to neuroinflammation and neuropathology.

In the U.S. alone, 200 million people live in areas where pollutants such as ozone and fine particulate matter exceed the standards.

There are significant associations between exposures to particulate matter and increased mortality due to stroke, cardiovascular disease and respiratory events. The problem in children living in megacities like Mexico City is much worse.

"There is an urgent need to have a broader focus on APOE ε4 and air pollution interactions impacting children's brains, and their responses could provide new avenues toward the unprecedented opportunity for Alzheimer's disease prevention," Calderón-Garcidueñas said.

"We have a 50-year window of opportunity between the time urban children experience the detrimental effects we are describing here and when they will present with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. We need support for studying the current pediatric clinical and imaging evidence in highly exposed urban children. Our efforts should be aimed to identify and mitigate environmental factors influencing Alzheimer's disease."

Source: Press release via EurekAlert

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Greenest neighbourhoods produce bigger babies

Expecting mothers with access to trees and
grass delivered heavier babies: Study

Mothers who live in Metro Vancouver’s greenest neighbourhoods tend to deliver bigger babies and are more likely carry a baby to term than those who live in less green parts of the city, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Using data from more than 64,000 births and analysis of satellite imagery, researchers found that babies from the greenest residential spaces ­­— those with access to trees and grass within 100 metres — were up to 45 grams heavier, had a reduced likelihood of preterm birth and were less likely to be small for gestational age, according to the lead researcher Michael Brauer, a professor in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia.

The positive effects of greenness persist even when the researchers control for other factors known to influence gestation and birth weight, including air pollution, noise, income, access to parks, opportunities for physical activity and the walkability of the immediate neighbourhood.

“We know from other studies that birth outcomes are influenced by pollution and noise in a negative way, so we went looking for something (in the urban environment) that is healthy,” said Brauer.

Cities in most of the developed world are designed to accommodate the automobile, which usually results in relatively barren, noisy and polluted environments. Brauer’s study seeks to quantify the benefits of a different approach to urban planning.

“If we didn’t design for automobiles and instead designed for people, the hope is that we would be healthier,” he said. “With the high cost of health care, modifying urban design features such as increasing green space may turn out to be an extremely cost-effective strategy to prevent disease.”

While 45 grams isn’t a lot of extra weight for one healthy infant, the effect of increased birth weight across the entire distribution of births moves thousands of babies from birth weights that are dangerously low into a healthier range.

“From a medical standpoint, those are small changes in birth weight, but across a large population, those are substantial differences that would have a significant impact on the health of infants in a community,” said co-author Perry Hystad, assistant professor in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University.

Even in an urban area as rich in green space as Metro Vancouver the benefits conferred by the very greenest neighbourhoods compared with the least green neighbourhoods were substantial, including a 20-per-cent reduction in severely premature births and 13 per cent fewer moderately pre-term births.

The mechanism by which greenness translates into healthier babies is not exactly clear, but greener environments are known to facilitate social connectedness and reduce blood pressure, heart rate and stress-related hormones, according to the study, the third in a series of similar inquiries on the health impacts of urban spaces.

“Even when we eliminate the noise and the pollution and (a measure) of physical activity, we still see this benefit of green space,” he said. “What we don’t know is whether it is enough to see a tree out your window or do you have to have a park across the street where you chat with your neighbours.”

Source: Vancouver Sun

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Demystifying household chemicals: Triclosan

Triclosan is a common ingredient
in liquid soap
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

"Demystifying household chemicals" is a series that aims to inform people on the types of chemicals found in and around our homes. The series will be featured every Wednesday where a different chemical, and its everyday uses, will be discussed.

Last week, the news was littered with articles about triclosan, a chemical whose side effects have suddenly resurfaced. Though this chemical has been used for 40 years, a new study has found even more disturbing health hazards.

Triclosan is a type of phenol (see article on phenols) and it is used as an antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agent.  In its natural form, triclosan is a white powder that has a slight aromatic smell.  Because of its antibacterial properties, which are often used in liquid soap, scientists have expressed concern that the overuse of triclosan can result in bacteria strains which are resistant to the chemical.

Though many products contain triclosan and, according to the FDA and the European Union, must list the chemical in the products' ingredients, there are many companies that have their own trademarks.  The following are other names used for the chemical triclosan:

• Microban
• UltraFresh
• Amicor
• BioFresh

Triclosan has been known to cause a number of health issues, including endocrine disruption (which affects your hormones), cancer and birth defects.  The new study indicates the chemical can also affect your muscles. 

After extensive tests, researchers have determined that even short term exposure can reduce muscle contractions, thereby increasing the potential for heart disease and heart failure.

In 1998, the EPA estimated that over one million pounds of triclosan were produced every year in the United States. In light of the number of products now containing the chemical, production has undoubtedly increased. With that increase is the chemical’s reach. Traces of triclosan have been found in breast milk, waterways, dolphins, fish and human blood.

Though the quantity of triclosan used in everyday products is within acceptable levels, the fact that we use so many different products that contain this chemical is cause for concern. Here are a few examples of where triclosan can be found:

• Liquid soap
• Facial cleansers
• Mouthwash
• Toothpastes
• Make-up
• Deodorants
• Shaving creams and gels
• First aid medicines (e.g. sprays)
• Cutting boards
• Socks
• Toys
• Furniture
• Paints

Take a look at this list of brand name products for more information on goods that contain triclosan.

After looking at the link above, how many of these products are in your home right now? What will you do with them? Let us know!

Sources: MedicalXpress,  AmericanNewsReport

Protecting your home and your health

Though products containing triclosan are used in hospitals to combat infections, scientists and doctors alike suggest people discontinue using antibacterial products, such as liquid soap, in the home. There is no absolute value added and regular soap and water can be just as effective.

Think about reducing the number of products within your home that contain triclosan, such as furniture, toys and socks.

 

AllerAir's air purifiers can
help remove harmful chemicals
from your home.

Find alternative products that are better for you and for the environment. There are many organic products, or environmentally-friendly products, that can serve you better by keeping you healthier for longer.

Use air purifiers. The fact that one chemical is found in so many products should be a wake-up call.

We are living in a chemically-laden world. Thousands of chemicals are competing for space inside your home: air fresheners, your stove, cleaning products, personal care products etc...

An air purifier with an activated carbon filter will help remove those chemicals, gases and odors from the air, giving you a better chance at clean, healthy air.

For more information about our air purifiers, contact AllerAir today.

Show your support for a greener and healthier life. Become a member of this blog!

Chemicals in plastics could contribute to diabetes

Cosmetics contain many different
chemicals, including phthalates
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

Though there has been a lot of talk about how chemicals can affect one’s health, new studies reveal a link between these chemicals and diabetes in ethnic women, particularly African-Americans and Mexican-Americans.

In a previous post on phthalates, we looked at a study done on 1000 senior women and the correlation between those who had diabetes and the levels of phthalates in their system.

A new study now reveals that women belonging to a low socio-economic group are at higher risk for diabetes. This may not seem like news as the poor tend to eat cheaper and fattier foods, thereby gaining more weight. But what is of interest in this study is the culprit seems to be the plastics found in peoples' homes.

Phthalates are found in many different products, such as vinyl flooring, perfumes, shower curtains and cosmetics. Over 75 percent of Americans have phthalates in their system, but research into the chemical had, until now, largely focused on how it affected newborns.

Twenty-six million Americans suffer from diabetes, and the rates are highest among African-Americans. They are 77 percent more likely than Caucasians, to develop diabetes. Hispanics are the second most at-risk ethnic group with a 66 percent chance of developing diabetes over Caucasians.

There are many different types of phthalates on the market. Researchers have looked into dibutyl phthalates (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalates (BBP), Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalates (DEHP) and diethyl phthalates (DEP).  

Both DBPs and BBPs seem to double the rate of diabetes for women who demonstrated the highest concentrations of phthalates in their system, while DEHP showed similar, though less elevated, trends. 

BBPs are mostly used in vinyl flooring. The study found that women under the poverty line had 78 percent more BBPs in their systems than more financially stable women. 

DEPs, as of now, show no link to the disease. Of all the phthalates, DEP is the chemical most used in cosmetics. Though this could be cause for relief, the study also revealed that African-American women had double the amount of DEPs and DBPs in their system than did Caucasian women.

Do you think someone's socio-economic standing can cause him or her to develop diabetes? Share your thoughts with us!

Source: Environmental Health News

Give yourself a fighting chance

AllerAir's air purifiers can help
you live a healthier life.

It can be daunting to know how prevalent chemicals are in our lives. Sometimes we feel like there is no escaping chemical exposure. But there are ways to mitigate your contact with some of the most harmful chemicals out there. 

First start by doing some research on the cosmetics and personal care products you apply to your body daily. Replace the worst offenders with healthier options.  For those products that are impossible to get rid of, reduce your exposure to the gases and chemicals in the air by getting an air purifier that can remove them.

AllerAir’s air purifiers can aid in improving your indoor air quality. To find out which air purifier would work best for you, contact one of our IAQ experts.

Show your support for a greener and healthier lifestyle. Become a member of this blog!

Pesticide exposure affects boys more than girls

Chlorpyrifos is still widely used
in the agricultural industry
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

On August 3, 2012, we posted a blog entry on how exposure to pesticides during pregnancy can affect fetuses.  A new study now reveals more details on the side effects of these toxic chemicals.

The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) has found that the insecticide chlorpyrifos affects boys and girls differently.

When comparing seven-year old boys and girls, the CCCEH determined that boys had more difficulty with their memory, which inevitably affected their IQ levels.

What it does

Chlorpyrifos was widely used in pesticides within the home until 2001, when the EPA restricted indoor use. 

This chemical is an endocrine disruptor, which interferes with the body’s hormones. The most common side effects of endocrine disruptors are developmental disabilities, such as attention deficit disorder, learning difficulties and even physical birth defects.

This study has been carried out at a few different levels. Earlier this year, it was shown that even low to moderate exposure to chlorpyrifos could have irreversible, adverse effects on babies’ brains.

The most recent study has focused on how different genders react to the same chemical. Dr. Megan Horton led the study where 335 mother-child pairs signed up to partake in the research.  After testing their home environment at age three, researchers tested the kids’ IQ at age seven. The boys’ IQ were, on average, three points below the girls’.

Chlorpyrifos’ reach

Though the EPA restricted the use of this chemical within the home, it is still widely used in commercial and agricultural sectors.  Farmers continue to use it for food and feed crops. Some parks and golf courses also use it. The lumber industry sometimes uses chlorpyrifos to treat wood.

People living in agricultural areas may be at risk of inhaling this chemical, thereby potentially affecting their unborn children. It is also possible to ingest it while eating fruit that have been sprayed with the insecticide, so caution is strongly advised.

Do you still use pesticides in your home? If you do, does this article change your mind about using them? If you no longer do, share your alternative solutions with us!

Source: Science Daily

In search of cleaner air

 

AllerAir's air purifiers
Speak to our IAQ experts
to find the best unit for you.

Though there is not too much to be done about your exposure to chemical substances out in the open, there are ways to limit how these chemicals can affect you within your home.   

If you live in an agricultural community, where a lot of pesticides are used, it is a good idea to invest in an air purifier to improve your indoor air quality. 

Even when windows and doors are kept closed, toxins get trapped inside the house, resulting in poor indoor air quality.

AllerAir provides you with different air purification options. All our units can be customized with specially blended activated carbon filters which help remove chemicals and odors from the air. Our HEPA filters also clean the air by absorbing particles, such as dust, pollen and pet dander, which are known allergens..

To learn more about our air purifiers, contact AllerAir.

Show your support for greener and healthier living by becoming a follower of this blog.

Studies link lupus to staph bacteria

The staphylcoccus aureus bacteria
may be linked to lupus
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

Research recently conducted by the Mayo Clinic points to the possibility that the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (known commonly as staph) may be connected to the development of lupus disease.

In a study using mice, researchers exposed the rodents to low doses of a staph protein over a period of time. The mice developed auto-antibodies and a kidney disease along with lupus-like symptoms, which lead doctors to believe this may also occur with humans.

A little background

Staph bacteria are located all around us. They live on our skin, but are in higher concentrations around moist openings, such as the nose and mouth.  People are only put at risk when there is a break in the skin where the bacteria can get in and cause an infection.

Many of you may have heard of staph infection break-outs in hospitals. Those who are most affected are usually burn victims, people who have a weakened immune system or patients who have undergone surgery. In those serious situations, the bacteria enter the bloodstream resulting in more dangerous infections.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that is suspected to be genetic in some way, although why people develop lupus is still very unclear. There are a few different forms of the disease, the most dangerous one being systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE. In each of the cases, the body turns on itself by attacking its own tissue and joints. For people with discoid lupus, the skin becomes inflamed, but with SLE, the body can attack the organs.

What the research means

The fact that the mice have reacted to a protein in the staph bacteria may not only help doctors determine what causes lupus, but might also help them keep people from developing the disease. By determining whether or not the disease is caused by prolonged exposure to staph, doctors may help patients avoid flare-ups. In addition, if it is proven that the staph bacteria causes lupus, doctors could keep lupus from developing at all by minimizing exposure to the staph bacteria.

What do you think about this study? Share your thoughts with us!

Source: EurekAlert!

How air purifiers can help

Any of these AllerAir units
(4000, 5000, 6000)
can support a UV filter

Air purifiers can keep the indoor air quality healthy for you and your family.  AllerAir’s units are used for many different purposes, including chemical exposure, odors and particles. But our air purifiers also have a UV germicidal filter option that can help minimize the presence of bacteria and mold in the air. The UV lamp alters the bacteria’s DNA, thereby hindering reproduction.

To learn more about our UV filters or to ask about our different units, contact one of our IAQ experts at 1-888-852-8247 or reach us through our website.

Show your support for a greener and healthier lifestyle by becoming a follower of this blog.

Highway proximity responsible for high asthma rates

Living close to a busy highway can affect your health.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A new study found that living close to heavily congested highways correlated with higher rates of asthma.

New York researchers examined 62 randomly selected adults, including 45 patients with rhinoconjunctivitis or asthma and 17 healthy control, to see if a heavily trafficked highway has any impact on the condition.

The study participants were asked to report asthma symptoms and provide information on their living conditions.

Seasonal allergies did not seem to increase the risk of asthma, whereas proximity to busy highways was found to have a strong link, according to the researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Their results showed that vehicle emissions increase the risk of asthma, a respiratory disorder that is characterized by wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing as well as breathing problems.

Congested highways are a common sight in North American cities, where housing developments are often built close to the roadways for easy access.

To minimize vehicle emissions, experts recommend

• Carpooling
• Using more public transportation
• No idling
• Keeping the car well maintained
• Driving smoothly without hard accelerations or braking

Source: Greener Ideas

Keep air pollution out with indoor air purifiers

Vehicle emissions and other outdoor air pollutants can make their way into homes, where they can build up and affect people’s health and well-being.

Since we spend so much time indoors, good indoor air quality is important to keep health effects in check and to minimize exposure to harmful contaminants.

AllerAir’s general purpose air purifiers can help remove airborne chemicals, gases, fumes, odors, fine particles, dust, allergens, mold, bacteria and viruses with a multistage filtration system containing activated carbon and HEPA.

Specialized air purifiers for allergies and asthma can provide cleaner and healthier air in the bedroom, the living areas or any other space where it is needed.

“[My asthmatic son] no longer needs to use his asthma inhaler when he visits!”
Evan Berljawsky, owner of a 6000 Exec
Read more testimonials

For more information, contact AllerAir.

Follow this blog to show your support for greener and healthier homes.

Generation Xers: Indifferent about climate change?

Some people don't believe in global warming
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

This summer is proving to be full of record-breaking temperatures. All across North America, people are suffering from sweltering heat and humidity that can have devastating effects indoors. 

Studies have shown there are more toxic chemicals hovering in homes during heat waves such as these than during cooler periods.

Add to that the fact that environmental scientists have been talking about global climate change for years and we can only imagine what the quality of air is like in our homes.

Interesting new studies, however, have revealed some surprising facts. 

The University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research has determined that Generation Xers (32 -52 years old) are, for the most part, indifferent and even doubtful about climate change. 

Between 2009 and 2011, the study, funded by the National Science Foundation, recorded a decline in interest on the issue. 

Of the 4000 people polled, only 16 percent were still interested in climate change in 2011, compared to 22 percent in 2009.

Upon further exploration, the study revealed that more educated Generation Xers also tended to be more concerned for the environment. It also indicated that adults with children were somewhat less concerned about the environment than those adults without children; a result that surprised researchers.   

Source: University of Michigan

Real environmental threats

Whether or not you believe in global climate change, there are some real indications that we live among many pollutants. Regardless of where we go or what we do, harmful particles and chemicals surround us.

During peak heat periods, smog not only coats the air outside, but also seeps into the home, especially when people are dependent on fans and open windows to keep rooms ventilated.

Every time we open doors or windows, even when we have air conditioning, outside air comes indoors.  This is why it is important to find ways to minimize indoor air pollution.

The benefits of an air purifier

AllerAir's 5000 Exec is part of
the 5000 series

AllerAir’s air purifiers are a great investment when trying to maintain a healthy home environment. 

The 5000 series is a practical, wheeled unit that can easily be moved from room to room. The unit uses activated carbon and HEPA filters to eliminate particles, chemicals and odors from the home.

Place it in the kitchen if you want to mitigate food odors. Keep it in your bedroom to help you to get a fresh night’s sleep.

You can even put the unit in the living room, where it can clear the air of cigarette smoke, as well as the harmful chemicals found in scented candles and air fresheners.

For all you Generation Xers out there…how many of you are concerned with climate change?

For those of you who aren’t convinced the world’s undergoing climate change: what are your reasons for your doubts?

We’d love to hear from you. Post your questions, comments and concerns and we’d be happy to respond.

Show your support for green living by becoming a follower of this blog.

For more information about AllerAir's general purpose air purifiers and specialized units, contact us.

Chemical sensitivity may be more common than thought: Study

Exposure to common household chemicals can
trigger reactions in people with chemical intolerance.
Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos

Ever feel like typical household products such as cleaners, perfumes and air fresheners bother you or could be the cause of allergy-like symptoms?

The condition, often referred to as chemical sensitivity or chemical intolerance, may be more common than you think.

According to a small study conducted at two Texas family medicine practices, a growing number of low-income patients exhibit the typical signs of chemical intolerance when it comes to common household products.

What is multiple chemical sensitivity?

MCS is still a hotly debated topic in the medical community, as there is no agreement as to the cause or the exact symptoms. Some people even say that it should not be considered a disorder unto itself.

However, a standard screening questionnaire exists, which can help shed light on the condition.

The questions ask patients whether they feel sick when they are exposed to various chemicals and smells and about their symptoms.

Common culprits include gasoline, paint, perfumes, cleaning products and chemical pesticides.

Activated carbon helps remove
chemicals, odors and gases from
the ambient air.

Study finds higher rates of MCS

The results from the questionnaire showed that 20 percent of the 400 screened patients were affected by chemical sensitivities.

Previous studies on MCS focused on higher-income, white people, while this study’s participants were mostly lower-income and Hispanic.

The researchers say that the findings are substantial because they show that MCS may be understudied in certain population groups that often work jobs, which expose them to chemicals.

The study participants also identified some mental health disorders that may accompany MCS, including higher rates of depression and anxiety disorder for patients affected by chemical intolerance.

Figuring out they are sensitive to chemicals will help patients get some relief or change their lifestyles, the researchers say. If their regular doctor can’t help, they suggest a referral to an allergist.

The research was done at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Source: Reuters

Get rid of airborne chemicals with the right air purifiers

Even with a healthy lifestyle and non-toxic products, chemicals will find a way indoors, either from outside sources or hard to control sources such as building materials and furniture.

AllerAir has designed portable air purifiers for MCS that feature the most efficient air filtration methods and the most inert materials to make sure they are tolerable for chemically sensitive people.

The MCS air purifiers contain many pounds of activated carbon to remove airborne chemicals, volatile organic compounds, odors and gases. Since there are different types and blends of carbon available, MCS clients get to test some of them beforehand to make sure they can tolerate the filtration media.

AllerAir's MCS features include:

• Metal housings and metal filter canisters
• Powder-coated finish on housings and filter canisters
• Organic unbleached cotton pre-filters
• Super-HEPA: A high efficiency particle filter that contains no Polyamide, adhesives and other potentially irritating substances
• Burnt-in motor to reduce new motor smells
• And more!

Contact AllerAir for more information and a personal consultation with an IAQ expert. Find out what other people have to say about AllerAir's air purifiers.

Want to keep in the loop? Become a follower and stay up to date with indoor air quality issues in and around the home and office.
  

Children’s asthma connected to fine particles inside homes

Children's asthma was more common in homes with
higher levels of fine particulate matter, study shows.

A new study found that homes in neighborhoods where more kids have asthma usually also have elevated levels of black carbon indoors.

The homes may be located close to major truck routes, or the buildings may be using low-quality fuel oil, the researchers found.

Black carbon is a major contributor to air pollution known as fine particulate matter. It is formed when fossil fuels and wood are being burned.

Fine particulate matter is a health concern because the small particles can penetrate deeply into the lungs and affect the heart and respiratory system.

Outdoor air affects indoor air quality

If there is a lot of air pollution outside, the indoor air quality in nearby homes often suffers as well, the researchers say, and this study adds to the bulk of research warning about the respiratory effects of air pollution on children.

The study involved 240 children from middle-income families in New York City, who lived in neighborhoods that were either classified as low asthma prevalence or high asthma prevalence.

The researchers also measured other types of indoor air contaminants that may trigger asthma, including dust mite allergens and evidence of dogs, cats, mice or cockroaches in the home.

The study appeared in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.

Source: Environmental Health News

Air purifiers for cleaner indoor air

Indoor air pollution plays a major role in the development and control of asthma symptoms in children (and adults).

The AirMedic air purifiers clean the air with
activated carbon and HEPA filters as well as
a 360-degree air intake.

Fewer airborne triggers help avoid asthma attacks, studies have shown. For the cleanest indoor air possible, homeowners need to limit products and activities that may lead to poor indoor air quality, ensure that there is good ventilation and make the best use of an air purifier.

AllerAir’s air purifiers for asthma and allergies combine the most effective and longest lasting air filters to provide relief from indoor air pollutants such as fine particles and dust, allergens, chemicals, fumes, odors, bacteria, viruses and mold spores.

The air filtration system contains a deep-bed activated carbon filter for chemicals and VOCs, a medical-grade HEPA filter for the particles and optional UV germicidal filtration for biological contaminants.

AllerAir’s most popular air purifiers for asthma include the AirMedic Exec and other units from the AirMedic or AirMedic+ Series.

Contact AllerAir for more information.