Chemical Warfare: The use of chemical agents as a weapon of war or terror.
With growing tensions with countries throughout the world, a rising concern for chemical warfare is headlining news outlets, bringing our attention to toxic chemicals used in the past.
What is Agent orange?Agent Orange is an herbicide produced and used by the U.S. government in herbicidal warfare during the Vietnam war from 1961-1972. It was used as a defoliant to clear foliage that provided cover and crops that may have supplied a source of food for the enemy troops.
A major contaminant of Agent Orange is Dioxin (2,3,7,8- tetrachlorodibenzo para dioxin), a toxic chemical linked to a variety of health issues in exposed human populations.
|
Why learning about Dioxin matters
Time and time again, Dioxin has proven to be a continued contaminant that has relentlessly haunted many countries throughout the world despite its discontinued and/or restricted production and use.
Since its use as a contaminant of Agent Orange, incidences of Dioxin exposure include:
1949: An explosion at a Monsanto plant in the U.S. exposed more than 200 workers to Dioxin-contaminated herbicides. This was the first recorded case of human exposure in the U.S., causing severe skin lesions in those exposed. 1971: In Times Beach, Missouri, the town was exposed to high levels of Dioxin from contaminated waste oil used on dirt roads to suppress dirt. 1976: In Seveso, Italy, an explosion at a pesticide manufacturing plant released Dioxin into the environment, causing adverse effects such as chloracne, cancer, altered endocrine and hormone function, and diabetes. 1985: EPA classified Dioxin as a known animal carcinogen and probable human carcinogen. |
Due to its persisting presence, much research has been dedicated to finding its effect on the human body. Throughout the past few decades, a substantial number of studies have found associations between Agent Orange and Dioxin and a variety of health issues in exposed human populations. Perhaps more alarming were the results published by Schecter et al., in 1994, which revealed that the estimated average daily intake of Dioxin is at least 50 times greater than what the EPA approximates is a safe dose. This is because Dioxin is a fat-soluble compound, which allows it the ability to bioaccumulate in the food chain. Bioaccumulation creates a heighten risk for human exposure through diet--especially through meats, shellfish, dairy products, and fish. Once ingested, Dioxin has a half-life that is estimated to be about 7-11 years in the human body, allowing for long-term storage that could cause negative health consequences.
As pre-med students living in a time of chemical warfare and increased chemical pollutants in the environment, we were interested in learning about a toxin known for use in both aspects. Furthermore, with the title of "most toxic man made" chemical, Dioxin proves to be an intriguing choice of thorough research.