M4.2 Blog Assignment: National Library ToxNet

After watching this presentation, I was very surprised by how easily we can be exposed to harmful chemicals without even knowing. For example; baby formula sharing the same shelf with disinfecting wipes. This is causing harm to the formula which will eventually be consumed by the baby. This presentation showed us in depth the harmful effects of lead, nurses being sick on the floor, and many every day cleaning products.
One product in particular was bleach. Bleach is used in many products such as laundry, dishes, wipes we disinfect our homes and kitchens with. Bleach can be very harmful if consumed by one individual. One serious outcome of bleach exposure is chronic exposures that can travel throughout the entire body. This can result in ataxia, disorientation, constant headaches, short term memory, and loss of sleep. Liver damage and liver cancer can also be resulted from these exposures. It can then travel to your kidneys resulting in bladder damages, kidney failure, or even kidney cancer. Infants can be harmed by birth defects, fetal death, or very low birth weight, and even schizophrenia in adult life. Adult women can result in bladder cancer, myeloma, or even worsening of colored vision.
Another very serious health concern is from urea formaldehyde. This can be found in the buildings of our homes, works, stores, places we go to every single day making it hard to avoid. Some very serious health concerns it can cause is respiratory issues, cancer, or asthma in children. It can cause chest pains, shortness of breaths, and throat irritations. Once it gets in your system, it is very painful and almost impossible to get rid of on your own. It can be very serious and life threatening if not treated on time.