CAR Air-conditioning

 

Have you wonder why the vehicle’s manual usually states to roll down the windows to release all the hot air before turning on the A/C? Everyday, many people are in their vehicle seats the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night without observing this procedure.

 

Note the steps:

 

+ Do NOT turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car - notice the smell of heated plastic?

 

+ Open the windows after you enter your car, and then turn ON the AC after a couple of minutes

 

The danger lurking can be so terrible as to cause cancer. Why?

 

According to research, the car’s dashboard, seats, a/c ducts and all of the plastic objects present emit Benzene, a cancer-causing toxin. Therefore, those who enter the car with closed windows inevitably inhale, in quick succession, excessive amounts of this toxin.

 

+ Acceptable Benzene level indoors is: 50 mg per sq.ft.
 

+ A car parked indoors, with windows closed, contains 400-800 mg of Benzene.
 

+ A car parked outdoor under the sun with a temperature above 60 degrees F can chalk up Benzene level up to 2000-4000 mg (40 times the acceptable level)

 

What is Benzene?

 

Benzene is a natural constituent of crude oil, being one of the most basic petrochemicals. It is a colorless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell that evaporates easily into the air. Known to be a carcinogen, its use as an additive in gasoline is now limited, but ranks in the top 20 chemicals for production of industrial solvent and precursor to basic industrial chemicals including drugs, plastics, dyes, resins, nylon, synthetic fibers, lubricants, detergents and pesticides. Natural sources of benzene include volcanoes and forest fires.

 

The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) classifies benzene as a human carcinogen. Human exposure to benzene is a global health problem. Animal studies have shown low birth weights, delayed bone formation and bone marrow damage when pregnant animals breathed in this toxin.

+ The short-term breathing of high levels of benzene can be fatal; low levels can cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, headaches, tremors, confusion and unconsciousness. Eating or drinking foods containing high levels of benzene can cause vomiting, irritation of the stomach, dizziness, sleepiness, convulsions and death.

+ The major effects of benzene are manifested via prolonged exposure through the blood. It can cause damages to the bone marrow and a decrease in red blood cells, leading to anemia. In cases of excessive bleeding, a compromising immune system increases the chance of infection. Hence, it is commonly associated with other blood cancers and pre-cancers of the blood.

 

+ Some women having breathed high levels of benzene for many months experienced irregular menstrual periods and a decrease in the size of their ovaries. Such exposure has also been linked directly to the neural birth defects spina bifida and anencephaly. Men exposed to high levels of benzene are more likely to have an abnormal amount of chromosomes in their sperm, which impacts fertility and fetal development.

+ Benzene targets main organs like liver, kidney, lung, heart and the brain, and can cause DNA strand breaks, chromosomal damage, etc. This may account for the higher incidence of leukemia and multiple myeloma caused by chronic exposure in recent times. Pure benzene, when oxidized in the body to produce an epoxide, if not excreted readily can interact with DNA to produce harmful mutations.

+ People most exposed:

– In two separate studies conducted, it has been connected to a rare form of kidney cancer in one involving tank truck drivers and the other involving seamen on tanker vessels, both carrying benzene-laden chemicals.

— Workers in various industries that make or use benzene may be at risk for being exposed to high levels of this carcinogenic chemical. Industries that involve the use of benzene include the rubber industry, oil refineries, coke and chemical plants, shoe manufacturers and gasoline-related industries. Downstream petroleum industry operations include the following categories: refinery, pipeline, marine, rail, bulk terminals and trucks, service stations, underground storage tanks, tank cleaning, and site characterization and remediation.

— Water and soil contamination are important pathways of concern for transmission of benzene contact. In the US alone, there are approximately 100,000 different sites that have benzene soil or groundwater contamination. In 2005, the water supply to the city of Harbin in China with a population of almost nine million people, was cut off because of a major benzene exposure. Benzene leaked into the Songhua River, which supplies drinking water to the city, after an explosion at a China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) factory in the city of Jilin on 13 November.

Adopt the right approach to minimise the inhalation of this deadly chemical. It is extremely difficult for the body to expel this toxic stuff.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzene

VIVA corner

Glutathione seems to play an important role by protecting against benzene-induced DNA breaks and it is being identified as a new biomarker for exposure and effect. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) is an important enzyme that is responsible for protecting cells from damage due to free radicals like hydrogen and lipid peroxides with its antioxidant properties. Levels of glutathione peroxidase in the body are closely linked with glutathione, the master antioxidant.

To raise glutathione levels, it is better to supply the body with the raw materials it uses to make this compound: cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine. VIVA Ageguard is derived from soy and rice protein, broken down into unchained form for quick absorption. The 3 amino acids mentioned above, glutamine, cysteine and glycine are present in this product.

VIVA Chloroguard acts as an antioxidant and reduces acid levels in the body which occur from free radical formation and oxidative reactions. It is effective in neutralising and eliminating heavy metals like lead, mercury, copper and cadmium. All the potent ingredients found in it help to strengthen the liver and aid in the body’s detoxification processes.