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Toxicity: having within a substance poison to humans. Most toxins that cause problems in humans are released by microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses.
(www.healthcentral.com/ency/408/002331.html)
Anthracene: used in the artificial production of the red dye alizarin. It is also used in wood preservatives, insecticides, and coating materials. The substance irritates the eyes, the skin, the respiratory tract and the gastrointestinal tract.
(www.itcilo.it/actrav/actrav-english/telearn/osh/ic/120127.htm)
Arsenic: naturally occurring element widely distributed in the earth's crust. In the environment, arsenic is combined with oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur to form inorganic arsenic compounds. Arsenic in animals and plants combines with carbon and hydrogen to form organic arsenic compounds. Inorganic arsenic compounds are mainly used to preserve wood. Copper chromated arsenic (CCA) is used to make "pressure-treated" lumber. CCA is no longer used in the U.S. for residential uses; it is still used in industrial applications. Organic arsenic compounds are used as pesticides, primarily on cotton plants.
(www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts2.html)
Benzo (a) Perylene: one of a group of compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They are not produced or used commercially but are very commonly found since they are formed as a result of incomplete combustion of organic materials. EPA has found benzo(a)pyrene to potentially cause the following health effects when people are exposed to it at levels above the MCL for relatively short periods of time: red blood cell damage, leading to anemia; suppressed immune system. From a lifetime of exposure, Benzo(a)pyrene has the potential to cause the following effects (at levels above the MCL): developmental and reproductive effects; cancer.
(www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/dw_contamfs/benzopyr.html)
Benzo (g,h,i) Perylene: one of a group of chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs for short. PAHs are often found together in groups of two or more. They can exist in over 100 different combinations but the most common are treated as a group of 15. PAHs are found naturally in the environment but they can also be man-made. Benzo(g,h,i)perylene is a colorless crystal-like solid. PAHs are created when products like coal, oil, gas, and garbage are burned but the burning process is not complete.
(www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0461.htm)
Carcinogenic: a material that is known to cause cancer. The phrase “known human carcinogen” means there is sufficient evidence of a cause and effect relationship between exposure to the material and cancer in humans. Such determination requires evidence from epidemiologic (demographic and statistical), clinical, and/or tissue/cell studies involving humans who were exposed to the substance in question. Obviously, it is unethical to deliberately test potential carcinogens on humans, so "proving" something (in the rigorous scientific sense) to be a carcinogen in humans is a difficult, demanding and lengthy task.
(www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/carcinogen.html)
Chromium: a naturally occurring element found in rocks, animals, plants, soil, and in volcanic dust and gases. Chromium is present in the environment in several different forms. The most common forms are chromium(0), chromium(III), and chromium(VI). No taste or odor is associated with chromium compounds. Chromium(III) is an essential nutrient that helps the body use sugar, protein, and fat. Breathing high levels of chromium(VI) can cause irritation to the nose, such as runny nose, nosebleeds, and ulcers and holes in the nasal septum. Ingesting large amounts of chromium(VI) can cause stomach upsets and ulcers, convulsions, kidney and liver damage, and even death. Skin contact with certain chromium(VI) compounds can cause skin ulcers. Some people are extremely sensitive to chromium(VI) or chromium(III). Allergic reactions consisting of severe redness and swelling of the skin have been noted.
(www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts7.html)
Chrysene: a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). It is a natural constituent of coal tar, from which it was first isolated and characterized. It is also found in creosote, a chemical used to preserve wood. Chrysene is formed in small amounts during the burning or distillation of coal, crude oil, and plant material. It is suspected to be a human carcinogen, and is known to cause cancer in laboratory animals
(www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0455.htm)
Creosote: the name used for a variety of products: wood creosote, coal tar creosote, coal tar, coal tar pitch, and coal tar pitch volatiles. These products are mixtures of many chemicals created by high-temperature treatment of beech and other woods, coal, or from the resin of the creosote bush. Breathing vapors of the creosotes, coal tar, coal tar pitch, or coal tar pitch volatiles can cause irritation of the respiratory tract. Eating large amounts of creosote (any form) may cause a burning in the mouth and throat and stomach pains. Eating large amounts of herbal remedies containing creosote bush leaves may cause liver damage, while large amounts of coal tar creosote may result in severe skin irritation, eye burns, convulsions, unconsciousness, and even death. Long-term (365 days or longer) exposure to lower levels of coal tar creosote, coal tar, coal tar pitch, or coal tar pitch volatiles by skin or air contact can cause skin damage such as blistering or peeling. Animals fed large amounts of wood creosote had convulsions and died, while those fed lower levels had liver and kidney problems. Animal studies have shown that when pregnant animals breathe creosote, it may cause harmful effects to the baby.
(www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts85.html)
Dibenz (a,h) Anthracene: a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) with five aromatic rings. No commercial production or use of dibenz (a,h) anthracene is known. It occurs as a component of coal tars, shale oils, and soots and has been detected in gasoline engine exhaust, coke oven emissions, cigarette smoke, charcoal broiled meats, vegetation near heavily traveled roads, and surface water and soils near hazardous waste sites.
(http://rais.ornl.gov/tox/profiles/dibenz_a_h_anthracene_c_V1.shtml)
DMSA: the organic mercury species with greatest toxicity are methylmercury compounds, which have a high affinity for the brain and nervous system. DMSA is shown to cross the blood brain barrier and remove mercury from that organ. DMPS is much less effective. DMPS is also 3 times more toxic than DMSA, based on LD-50. Animal studies show DMSA to be almost 3 times more effective than DMPS in removing brain mercury, as tabulated below. DMSA has the added advantage that it is taken by mouth in capsule form. DMPS is usually given by injection.
(http://drcranton.com/mercury/dmsa.htm)
DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide): a by-product of the wood industry, DMSO has been in use as a commercial solvent since 1953. It is also one of the most studied but least understood pharmaceutical agents of our time--at least in the United States. According to Stanley Jacob, MD, a former head of the organ transplant program at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, more than 40,000 articles on its chemistry have appeared in scientific journals, which, in conjunction with thousands of laboratory studies, provide strong evidence of a wide variety of properties. (See Major Properties Attributed to DMSO) Worldwide, some 11,000 articles have been written on its medical and clinical implications, and in 125 countries throughout the world, including Canada, Great Britain, Germany, and Japan, doctors prescribe it for a variety of ailments, including pain, inflammation, scleroderma, interstitial cystitis, and arthritis elevated intercranial pressure. Yet in the United States, DMSO has Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval only for use as a preservative of organs for transplant and for interstitial cystitis, a bladder disease. It has fallen out of the limelight and out of the mainstream of medical discourse, leading some to believe that it was discredited.
(www.dmso.org/articles/information/muir.htm)
Fluoranthene: a universal product of the combustion of organic matter. It is present in fossil fuel products.
(www.speclab.com/compound/c206440.htm)
Fluorene: one of a group of chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs for short. PAHs are created when products like coal, oil, gas, and garbage are burned but the burning process is not complete. Like most PAHs, fluorene is used to make dyes, plastics and pesticides.
(www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimize/factshts/flourene.pdf)
Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA): signed into law in 1996, it amended the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) by fundamentally changing the way EPA regulates pesticides. Some of the major requirements include stricter safety standards, especially for infants and children, and a complete reassessment of all existing pesticide tolerances.
(http://www.ecologic-ipm.com/menu.html)
Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook: provides basic facts regarding foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins. It brings together in one place information from the Food & Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, and the National Institutes of Health.
(http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/intro.html)
In Harm's Way - Toxic Threats to Child Development: a report that educates health providers about the linkages between environmental toxins and development, in order to prevent exposure. Health care providers are uniquely positioned to provide information to parents at critical developmental stages and identify opportunities for intervention. The routine well-child exam is an ideal time for families to receive information, understand the links between environment and their child’s health, and make changes necessary to minimize exposure. Through providers, information about avoiding exposures to environmental toxins can reach thousands. This program was created by the Physicians for Social Responsibility ( PSR® ), a national organization of over 26,000 physicians, health care professionals and supporters. PSR®, known as "the active conscience of the medical community," was formed in 1961 to address the health consequences of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. It has since broadened its mission to include the health consequences of environmental pollution and degradation, and also the reduction of violence and its causes. PSR®'s international federation, the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, was awarded the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to translate the abstract concept of nuclear war into medical and personal terms.
(http://www.oregonpsr.org/programs/InHarmsWayToxicThreatsToHealth.htm)
Indeno (1,2,3,cd) Pyrene: a toxin found in fossil fuels and occurs ubiquitously in products of incomplete combustion. It has been detected in mainstream cigarette smoke, gasoline engine exhaust, emissions from burning coal, lubricating oils, used motor oils, soils, surface waters, and groundwater at hazardous waste sites.
(http://rais.ornl.gov/tox/profiles/indeno_1_2_3_cd_pyrene_f_V1.shtml)
Mutagen: a mutagenic agent is one which is capable of causing mutations. It may also (but does not necessarily) act as a carcinogen.
(http://ptcl.chem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/glossary/mutagenic.html)
Naphthalene: also known as Moth balls, Naphthalene is a white solid substance with a strong smell. Poisoning from naphthalene damages red blood cells. It is found in Moth repellent and toilet bowl deodorizers.
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002477.htm)
National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals: a report that provides an ongoing assessment of the U.S. population's exposure to environmental chemicals using biomonitoring. Biomonitoring is the assessment of human exposure to chemicals by measuring the chemicals or their metabolites in human specimens such as blood or urine.
(www.cdc.gov/exposurereport)
Natural Toxins: plant produced toxins. All plants produce toxins to protect themselves against fungi, insects and predators. Tens of thousands of these natural pesticides have been discovered, and every species of plant contains its own set of different toxins, usually a few dozen. When plants are stressed or attacked by pests, they greatly increase their output of natural pesticides, occasionally to levels that are acutely toxic to humans.
(http://www.ncpa.org/~ncpa/ea/eajf94/eajf94c.html)
Organic Solvent Neurotoxicity: there is a link between organic solvents and toxins found by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Organic solvents are recognized by NIOSH, as carcinogens or reproductive hazards in the workplace. Examples of carcinogens recognized by NIOSH are benzene, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane. Reproductive hazards recognized by NIOSH include 2- methoxyethanol, 2-ethoxyethanol, and methyl chloride. This CIB describes other research results indicating the potential for organic solvents and various mixtures of organic solvents to cause neurotoxic effects in workers exposed to these substances. Neurotoxic disorders are listed by NIOSH among the ten leading work-related diseases and injuries. Because of expected increases in the manufacture of organic solvents, many of which may be neurotoxic, the population of exposed workers is likely to increase.
(www.cdc.gov/niosh/87104_48.html)
Pesticide Facts: information about pesticides compiled by RATE (Real Alternatives to Toxins in the Environment). They list the health risks that pesticides pose to children and adults.
(www.chebucto.ns.ca/environment/RATE/pestfact.html)
Pesticide: any agent used to kill or control any pest. Pests can be insects, rodents or birds, unwanted plants (weeds), fungi, or microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. Though often misunderstood to refer only to insecticides, the term pesticide also applies to herbicides (an agent used to kill or control unwanted herbs), fungicides (an agent used to kill or control unwanted fungi), microbiocides, rodenticides and various other substances used to control pests. Under United States law, a pesticide is also any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a insect or plant growth regulator, insect mating disruptor or egg sterilant, defoliant, or desiccant. Many household products are pesticides, such as cockroach sprays and baits, rat poisons, pet flea collars, products that kill mold and mildew, and kitchen disinfectants.
(www.panna.org)
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): chemical compounds that consist of fused aromatic rings and do not contain heteroatoms or carry substituents [1]. These compounds can be point source pollutants (e.g. oil spill) or non-point source (e.g. atmospheric deposition) and are one of the most widespread organic pollutants. Some of them are known or suspected carcinogens, and are linked to other health problems. They are primarily formed by incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels such as wood, coal, diesel, fat, or tobacco. Tar also contains PAHs. Since human civilization relies so heavily on combustion, PAHs are inevitably linked to our energy production. In this sense, PAH can be thought of as marker molecules as their abundance can be directly proportional to combustion processes in the region and therefore directly related to air quality. Different types of combustion yield different distributions of PAHs in both relative amounts of individual PAHs and in which isomers are produced. Thus, those produced from coal burning are different than those produced by motor-fuel combustion, which differ from those produced by forest fires. Some PAHs occur within crude oil, arising from chemical conversion of natural product molecules, such as steroids, to aromatic hydrocarbons.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycyclic_aromatic_hydrocarbon)
Sources for Pesticides & Agriculture Pollution: a pesticide and agricultural website put together by PANNA (Pesticide Action Network North America). This is an organization that works to replace pesticide use with ecologically sound and socially just alternatives. They link local and international consumer, labor, health, environment and agriculture groups into an international citizens' action network. This network challenges the global proliferation of pesticides, defends basic rights to health and environmental quality, and works to insure the transition to a just and viable society.
(www.panna.org/index.html)
Toxicity Profiles: a list put together by the Risk Assessment Information System (RAIS) using information taken from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) and Health Effects Assessment Summary Tables (HEAST) and other regulatory sources.
(http://rais.ornl.gov/tox/rap_toxp.shtml)
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