3E2 Group 10 Article Review


Group 10:

Nonstick chemicals linked to infertility , By Janet Raloff , Web edition : Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/40518/title/Science_%2B_the_Public__Nonstick_chemicals_linked_to_infertility

 

Some questions to think about:

As each day passes, more and more chemicals are found to be harmful to the human body. What are some of these chemicals recently discovered to be harmful when consumed?

The recent saga of Melamine found in baby milk powder has shocked the world. Stand in the shoes of each of the following people and give possible reasons to explain their actions:

1. The Company who manufactured the tainted milk powder

2. The Consumers who bought the milk powder

3. The Government who failed to check on the food safety standards


 

GROUP MEMBERS ! :

1. Gracia !

2. Yee Chin !

3. Tessa !

4. Liping !

^^v! 

 

SUMMARY!

Studies have shown that women who have high concentrations of certain nonstick- chemical pollutants that circulate in their blood have more trouble in getting pregnant.

There are 2 types of compounds that run inside their blood. PFOA and PFOS. These are primary constituents of Teflon and Scotchguard Products.

PFOA stands for Perfluorooctanoic Acid, a man-made chemical which does not occur naturally in the environment. PFOA (also known as "C8") is used by companies, such as DuPont (Teflon®, Stainmaster®, Scotchguard®), to make fluoro-polymers for use in non-stick cookware and all-weather clothing.

About 10 years ago, commercial nonstick-product lines have changed to avoid reliant on PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate).

However, these compounds can still be found in the air we’re breathing in and water. These compounds are even flowing through our bodies. Babies are often born with the traces of these compounds. Which source came from their mothers.

For the past 2 years, people have been trying to connect the raising concentrations of both PFOA and PFOS in moms with a lower chance that their babies would meet early development milestones such as responding to your calls.

They also experimented. Selecting 1240 women who gave birth to healthy and “planned” babies. And they asked them how long they had tried to get pregnant. The number of months it took was formulated with the concentrations of the compounds of that woman’s blood during pregnancy.

And results had proven, women to have a higher concentration of PFOA AND PFOS levels took longer time to get pregnant. They also took other affecting factors such as the husband’s sperm quality and her age. But these weren’t the affecting factors.

PFOA and PFOS are compounds that do not break down. They just stay in the air. They just accumulate just like CFCs ever since they were introduced in the market.

But thankfully, there are ways to avoid these pollutant compounds.

Today, these compounds are present in clothes, carpets and non stick pans that have been treated with stain guard chemicals. And also treat popcorn bags and other products that might have contact with grease. And we, can avoid these compounds, by avoiding these products.

But clothes and popcorn bags aren’t the main source of the products.

These compounds are showing up in the water entering municipal treatment plants long distances from manufacturing facilities — not to mention in animals and people around the globe.

Hence, people are still trying their best to find a way to control this compound. Meanwhile, these compounds will continue to accumulate and run in our bodies. So, we need to find their source as soon as possible for the best of our future generation! 

Credits:

http://www.pfoa.com/

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/40518/title/Science_%2B_the_Public__Nonstick_chemicals_linked_to_infertility

 

 

 

 

 

The recent saga of Melamine found in baby milk powder has shocked the world. Stand in the shoes of each of the following people and give possible reasons to explain their actions:

 

1. The Company who manufactured the tainted milk powder

What I think : The company just wants to make more money from putting the Melamine into the milk powder. Melamine is a substance which can boost the proteins in the milk powder. From this, the parents will think that this milk powder is a very good product for their child to drink as the milk can boost the proteins from the child. Thus, more parents will buy the milk product and so the company will be earning more money from it. Melamine is also a substance which can be bought easily as it does not cost much, so the company can save a sum of money to buy more expansive products. From this situation, the company will gain more profit instead of getting less.

Here are some of the information about the tainted milk powder :

http://english.caijing.com.cn/2009-01-15/110048298.html

2. The consumer who bought the milk powder

What I think : The consumers saw the ingredient in it and they thought that it was very nutritious for their baby to drink, thus they will buy the milk powder. Every parent wants their children to grow strong and healhty, they thought this brand of milk powder will be suitable for their children. The parents are not scientists and they did not know that some substances in the milk powder will harm their children. The container of the milk powder will not really state what kind of ingredient they put inside the milk powder.

Here are some of the information about consumers who bought milk powder :

http://chinhdangvu.blogspot.com/2008/09/milk-powder-drama-spills-over-china.html

3. The government who failed to check on the food safety standards.

What I think : The company which produced all those tainted milk powder had not done the right thing. Knowing how lethal melamine could get, they still went on with the production and sales. Melamine could be cheaper and known to be richer in proteins. But melamine would cause kidney stones inside the babies. Causing waste materials inside the body to accumulate because the kidney cannot function properly unless the stones are being removed. I guess the government were being bribed by the companies during the health safety checks. Causing the widespread of death in china. Therefore, they have to be severely PUNISHED FOR WHAT THEY DID.  

 

THREE Questions for Critques

1.What are the primary constituents of teflon and Scotchguard products?

2.How does PFOA and PFOS affect the chances of getting pregnant?

3.What is the main source of the these pollutants being spreaded around in the society?

 


Critique Group

 

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Answers to Questions

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Three things good about the Article Review

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Two learning points from the Article Review

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B)

 

One possible improvement for the Article Review

 


 

Critique Group

 

Group Number:                 

 

Answers to Questions

1.

2.

3.

 

Three things good about the Article Review

i.

ii.

iii.

 

Two learning points from the Article Review

A)

B)

 

One possible improvement for the Article Review