Volatile organic compounds.
- Exposures to dangerous chemical like Trichloroethylene; known as TCE.
Volatile organic compounds include perchloroethylene known as PCE, trichloroethylene or TCE, a byproduct. It is acknowledged that 85% of these hazardous chemicals is in the atmosphere, air, soil and water. The international agency for research on cancer and EPA consider trichloroethylene a Group 2A carcinogen, indicating that it is dangerous to humans. However, some agencies disagree.
Brief history of TCE.
In 1920s
- Industries used TCE to extract vegetable oils like soy, coconut and palm.
- To decaffeinate coffee.
- To extract flavoring agents from hops and spices.
1930 through 1970
- Employed as an anesthetic.
- Used in the food and pharmacological industries.
In 1949s:
- Wells contamination through industrialization.
- 9% to 34% of the drinking water supply in the U.S. may have some contamination.
- Used as a dry cleaning solvent.
In 1950s:
- Degreaser for metal parts.
- Clean kerosene fuel rocket engines.
In 1953- 2001
- In North Carolina, Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune families were contaminated with tap water due to TCE.
In 2012
- Co-occurrence of 1,4-dioxane with trichloroethylene in chlorinated solvent groundwater plumes at US Air Force installations.
How can you become exposed?
Water, air and soil contamination.
- Groundwater makes up about twenty percent of the world's fresh water supply.
- Well.
- Indoor air exposures occur by vapor intrusion in buildings.
- Industries: car industry or repair shops; the chemical is used to degrease metal parts.
- Paint removers.
- Perchloroethylene is the most widely used solvent in dry cleaning.
2009-02013 studies: potential health hazards associated with exposure to trichloroethylene.
- Bladder cancer.
- Breast cancer.
- Cardiac arrhythmias.
- Cervical cancer.
- Congenital heart defects.
- Childhood leukemia.
- Childhood medulloblastoma.
- Immune dysfunction.
- Leukemia.
- Liver cancer.
- Lymphoid tissues.
- Kidney cancer.
- Non Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Prostate cancer.
- Parkinson’s disease.
- Medicamentosa-like dermatitis or a skin reaction.
- Neurologic dysfunction.
Decontamination of soil.
- Naturally-occurring bacteria have been identified with the ability to degrade or completely mineralize TCE.
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