Toxins

The Poison Plastic.

"You know PVC and you don't know PVC: "New car smell? New shower curtain smell? That's the smell of poisonous chemicals off-gassing from the PVC."

One thing that always surprises me is how common the elements are in organic chemistry βš—οΈ

One thing that always surprises me is how common the elements are in organic chemistry βš—οΈ

Most organic chemicals are strings or carbon and hydrogen linked together, two of the most common chemicals on earth. Benzene, xylene and toluene are exclusively those compounds. They’re very good solvents often make up a portion of plastics and oil and gas turned into fuel because they burn well. At proper stoimetric ratios when burned all they create is water vapor and carbon dioxide.

Likewise even the famously poison cyanide is just carbon and hydrogen with a nitrogen atom tacked on. That’s why automakers have to limit cyanide emissions and why cigarette smoke contain cyanide – it’s not intentional to poison smokers. Wood smoke and candles also contain cyanide gas – especially with the carbon monoxide rich yellow flames from combustion.

We often think that toxins like benzene, toluene, xylene or even cyanide are man made but often they’re as commonly natural as man made. They’re not elemental toxins like lead or mercury – they’re actually made up from much more common building blocks from the earth.

Vinyl Chloride Spills

Vinyl Chloride Spills

I was thinking about the recent chemical spill in Ohio, and remembered the vinyl chloride spill at Selkirk Railyard last year. I was curious how common such spills are. 60 reported spills of vinyl chloride have occurred since 1976, though some of them didn't have enough information to geocode on the address on the map.