Environmental Hazards Of Cancer Caused By Environmental Toxins

Pollution continues to pose an enormous threat to residents of urban cities worldwide. In the August 2008 Monthly Update, it is stated that approximately 800,000 deaths each year can be attributed to outdoor air pollution, making pollution the single most harmful environmental hazard to human health in urban areas (Kallman). The fact that pollution kills hundreds of thousands of people each year alone portrays just how dangerous living in these conditions can be. Kallman writes about a study which proves an increase in upper respiratory diseases, cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, and low birth weights when exposed to air pollutants (August 2008: Monthly Update). These can be very serious diseases and complications which, when contracted, can lead to death or very serious illnesses. There

The number and prevalence of known or suspected carcinogens is growing. Many environmental contaminants are manufactured synthetic chemicals; waste and by-products of industrial processes; chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals used in farming and for landscaping; chemicals used in other commercial activities; combustion by-products of petroleum-powered engines; water disinfection/chlorination by-products; and both man-made and natural sources of radiation (Reuben 16).

Also depicted in this paper is the type of cancers caused by each chemical and other related health problems associated with each chemical. Finally, the role of government agencies such as FDA, EPA and OSHA in preventing excessive amount or zero amounts of toxic chemicals from entering the environment will be discussed. The last paragraphs will enumerate the inferred conclusion from my research on Agent Orange, DDT and Benzene.

Also depicted in this paper is the type of cancers caused by each chemical and other related health problems associated with each chemical. Finally, the role of government agencies such as FDA, EPA and OSHA in preventing excessive amount or zero amounts of toxic chemicals from entering the environment will be discussed. The last paragraphs will enumerate the inferred conclusion from my research on Agent Orange, DDT and Benzene.

“One out of every four deaths in the U.S. is from cancer. About 1.2 million new cancer cases are diagnosed in the U.S. annually and about 564,000 Americans will die of it each year-- more than 1,500 people per day” (GrowthHouse). The real question is, what causes cancer? Is it all genetic or do things that we use in our everyday lives cause cancer? There are so many different ideas of what actually causes cancer. There has been a great deal of research in labs to see what increases the risk of someone getting diagnosed with cancer. Research has shown that the effects of chemicals in laundry detergent, sunscreen, hair dye and alcohol are possible causes of cancer.

Reinberg, S. (2013, July 31). Plastics Chemical BPA May Harm Human Fertility. Retrieved April 11, 2017, from http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20130731/plastics-chemical-bpa-may-harm-human-fertility-study#1

Recently, I was looking at the environmental health news website and I came across three articles that caught my eye. The three articles are “Why Firefighters Get More Cancer – How Modern Furniture Endangers Firefighters by Olga Khazan”, “The Exxon Valdez Spill is Still Making Fish Suffer 26 Years Later by Becky Ferreira” and “A Small Town and the Effects of Air Population by Jessica Cohen”. In the first article by Olga Khazan, the writer explains how numerous of firefighters are diagnosed with cancer and how cancer is the leading cause of firefighter line of duty deaths in the United States. Besides, Olga Khazan provides statistics on the rise of firefighter’s cancer deaths since 1950 and she makes correlations between the different materials

As described by the World Health Organization, three environmental determinants of health are; air pollution, housing quality, and hazardous wastes (WHO, 2016). When an individual is not in a comfortable and safe environment, their health can severely decline. Many people in the world suffer from both household air pollution, and also ambient air pollution (WHO, 2016). Pollution can contribute to fatal chronic illnesses in adults and acute lower respiratory infections in children younger than five years old, but is extremely preventable (WHO, 2016). The World Health Organization estimates that in 2012, over 6 million people died as a result of household and ambient air pollution and was responsible for almost 8 percent of the world’s mortality

Five environmental agents that can cause disease in humans are mercury, lead, radiation, air pollution, and pesticides. People are exposed to mercury in different ways. For example, a common way is by eating fish containing mercury or being exposed to broken products that contain mercury (thermometer). People are exposed to lead by exposure to lead-based paint and pipes of older buildings, as well as, ingesting contaminated water. We are exposed to radiation through the sun's UV radiation or x-rays people get when getting checkups in the hospital. As for air pollution, people can be exposed to CO2 emissions from cars, factories, and cities in general. Another way is being exposed while indoors by CO that comes from appliances that have no odor,

The genes that are malfunctioning are classified into three groups: proto-oncogenes, oncogenes, and tumor suppressors. Pro-oncogenes produce protein products that would normally be able to enhance cell division or inhibit normal cell death. When these are mutated, they are known as oncogenes. The tumor suppressors make proteins that would be able to prevent cell division or cause cell death. Individual genetic differences also affect the susceptibility of a person to the carcinogenic effects of environmental agents. Around 10% of the population has an alteration in a gene. This causes an excessive amount of an enzyme that will break down hydrocarbons present in smoke and air pollutants, whose chemicals are then turned into carcinogens. These people are 25% more likely to develop cancer from hydrocarbons that are present in the air. (Moscow J, Morrow CS, Cowan KH,

Cancer is the second leading cause of death across the world; it accounts for 1 in 4 deaths in the world, and claims more than 1,500 lives a day. There are many origins of cancer for cancer such as tobacco, sun and UV exposure, and chemical radiation. The most imminent threat is the product that we make that causes cancer. In this paper, I will be researching the man-made causes of cancer. The cancer epidemic is due to the industrial chemicals in the environment because of the chemicals that are not discarded properly, car exhaust, and nuclear power plant.

Every day we are exposed to toxins through what we eat and drink and via environmental poisoning. The main sources of environmental poisoning include smoking, pollution and exposure to harmful household cleaning products. Detoxification is very important in promoting natural health because toxic overload is often the cause of a number of illnesses. Detoxification is a key function of the body, it is estimated that 80 percent of all chemical processes that take place in the body involve some form of detoxification.

Smoking is a huge concern for people because it is the primary reason for lung cancer. “Eighty to ninety percent of lung cancer cases occur in smokers. Smoking has also been shown to be a contributory factor in cancers of the upper respiratory tract, esophagus, larynx, bladder, pancreas, and probably liver, stomach, breast, and kidney as well” Jacqueline L. Longe. Gale. (2010). Researchers also believe that secondhand smoking is also to lead to an increase chance of getting these types of cancer. Other causes of cancer are alcohol, which increase the chances of alcoholics getting liver cancer. Also many types of cancers could be passed down hereditary family lines.”A few cancers, such as the eye cancer retinoblastoma, a type of colon cancer, and a type of breast cancer known as early-onset breast cancer, have been shown to be linked to certain genes that can be tracked within a family. It is, therefore, possible that inheriting particular genes makes a person susceptible to certain cancers” Jacqueline L. Longe. Gale. (2010). Pollution has also been linked to cancer due to waste from corporations leaking out in the environment. The contamination of air, land, or water is linked to 1% of cancer deaths.”Several studies have shown a link between asbestos and cancer. Chlorination of water may account for a small rise in cancer risk” Jacqueline L. Longe. Gale. (2010). All

Carcinogens are substances that are harmful to the body, such as smoking. Smoking is a known cause of lung cancer, and contains several chemical that are harmful to the body. NNAL and NNK are the most abundant carcinogen contained in smoking products. The body metabolizes these carcinogens with UGTs. UGTs are phase II detoxification enzymes, that increase water solubility and molecular weight of substrates. Preliminary data shows that UGT2B17 has the highest detoxification activity for the carcinogen, NNAL. The primary purpose of the research was to observe how gene deletions of UGT2B17, the detoxification enzyme, would increase lung cancer risk. The study also looked to observe risk associated with UGT metabolism differences in genders and

Many scientific researchers have said that our environment has been filled with toxic chemicals, which us humans have had a part of. There are many different issues that should concern us surrounding these toxic chemicals. The major concern is that many of these toxic chemicals have been claimed to be causing damage to the health of humans and even other life forms. Another concern is that most of the theses toxic chemicals have just recently been produced; and by our environment changing everyday there is no telling what effects these toxic chemicals may have in the long run on the public 's health. Just about all of these toxic chemicals exist in the way they do because of humans. As humans we practice a lot of different activities that cause toxic chemicals to pollute our environment such as, agriculture, industrial, and many domestic activities as well. Many of the toxic chemicals that we produce and use don 't get used in a effective way, which causes them to be wasted, left abandoned, and disposed of. When toxic chemicals are not disposed of properly they effect the environment and the public 's health in a negative way.