Polyethylene

If you have ever looked at the ingredients list on any of your favourite mascaras, tampons, squeeze bottles, trash bags, or orthopedic goods you have probably come across polyethylene. (1)

Polyethylene is basically the photo-bomber of anything plastic. It is composed of ethylene molecules (CH2=CH2) which have been bonded together through the process of polymerization. (1) During polymerization the double bond between the carbon atoms is broken which allows another carbon to attach to one of the carbon atoms of the first ethylene molecule. (1) If it’s a little unclear just think of two friends holding both of each others hands. When they let go with one hand it frees them up to hold onto someone else’s. This continues to happen until you have a chain of people holding hands which is similar to a polyethylene chain, with the people’s joint arms representing the carbon bonds.

The chain length and side branches of polyethylene are the key factors in determining what type of plastic it will be used to make. Longer polyethylene molecules with no branches are generally used to make sturdier products such as pipes. (1) Shorter molecules with branches tend to end up used in films or thinner plastics. (1)

In regards to any danger being related to polyethylene’s presence in the products around your home, it’s negligible. It would take an oral dose of more than 2 g/kg in order to kill a rat. (2) A 145 g oral dose would be needed to kill a 165 lbs person at the same ratio. Even though polyethylene in harmless it can still cause some irritation should it get into your rabbit’s eyes, but there is no conclusive evidence of it being harmful to humans. (2)

Something you may not know about polyethylene is that is was discovered accidentally twice. It was only two years after it’s re-discovery that J.C. Swallow and M.W. Perrin figured out a way to produce it commercially. (1) Unfortunately; it was difficult to produce polyethylene of standard quality and the companies making it were facing financial ruin. That was until Wham-O began to produce hula-hoops out of the lower quality products. (1) This saved the industry while scientists fiddled around trying to produce a more consistent polyethylene by way of a more efficient reaction involving catalysts. (1)

References

1)     Polyethylene. (2006). In N. Schlager, J. Weisblatt, & D. E. Newton (Eds.), Chemical Compounds (Vol. 2, pp. 579-582)

2)     Final report on safety assessment of polyethylene. (2007) International Journal of Toxicology. Retrieved Oct. 22, 2015, from http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~odtn3q:1

3) Wikipedia. Polyethylene. Retrieved October 30, 2015 from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Polyethylene_balls1.jpg

Hydrogen Peroxide

Ever wonder what carelessly using a chemical looks like? Well here's an idea:

Figure 1: A Man with the "Hairy Tongue" Condition.

Source: Mayo Foundation.

 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/black-hairy-tongue/multimedia/black-hairy-tongue/img-20006420 

(acessed on Oct 23, 2015). Copyright by Mayo Foundation.

Do you know what this is a picture of? It's a hairy tongue literally, the kind that you can't brush (1). 

This is a rare condition that can happen to you if you drink a lot of coffee or tea, don't brush your teeth, smoke tobacco daily, and rinse your mouth with hydrogen peroxide everyday (1).  

So What is Hydrogen Peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide is a very common chemical that you can find in many places. It is in the atmosphere during a rainfall, and it is inside your body, after every meal you eat (2). It is also a common enough chemical that you can find it in your home, under the kitchen sink, or in your laundry room. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent, able to turn many things white, even your hands if they were to come in direct contact with the chemical (3). Every time you go to the dentist for your annual cleaning, the dentist would use hydrogen peroxide to give you pearly white teeth (3). Hydrogen peroxide is also the reason why the paper you use every day in school is white, and not brown (4).

Why Does it Cause a "Hairy Tongue"?

Now, you may wonder why using hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash would cause hairs to grow on your tongue. Well, it is because hydrogen peroxide is a chemical that is strong enough to disturb the bacteria in your mouth. This would cause the bacteria to collect on your tongue over time to result in what you can see in the picture above (1). And so in general, hydrogen peroxide is considered to be a very useful chemical, however when it is abused, it could lead to bad effects on the body. That's why you always got to brush your teeth, kids, else you can get this on your tongue, and then it'll be like there are two of you, Jimmy and Jimmy Jr.



Hala AlSharbati
5th Year Student at Mount Royal University
Studying Bachelor of Science:
General Science Major with a Chemistry and Biology Minor


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References:

(1) MayoClinic.com Health Library - Black, hairy tongue 
http://www.riversideonline.com/health_reference/dental-care/hq00325.cfm (accessed Oct 31, 2015).

(2) Direst, J; Thacker, E. The Magic of Hydrogen Peroxide, 7th Ed.; James Direct Inc: Ohio, 2010


(3) TOXNET. Hydrogen Peroxide. http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-
bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~u1PBAf:3 (accessed Oct 23, 2015)

(4) ChemIDplus - Hydrogen peroxide - MHAJPDPJQMAIIY-UHFFFAOYSA-N - Hydrogen peroxide [USP] - Similar structures search, synonyms, formulas, resource links, and other chemical information. http://chem.sis.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/name/hydrogen peroxide (accessed Oct 23, 2015).

MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

Figure 1. Products with MSG.¹

Often times, we choose to buy foods that taste delicious. If anyone actually cares to look at food labels, you can find many ingredients that you may not know. One of those ingredients could be monosodium glutamate (MSG). We always hear or see "MSG" and know it's bad for you. Not many people know the full name of the Chinese seasoning.² The chemical can be found in foods artificially and naturally.³ So it may be impossible to avoid MSG intake because you might not know the full name or you didn't know that foods contained a natural form of MSG.

For most of the population, MSG has no effect whatsoever. People, who are affected by MSG, usually get symptoms such as headaches, nausea, etc.⁴ For those of you who have at least one of these symptoms after eating out at a Chinese restaurant, you may have the Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.⁴ Chinese restaurants will most likely use the seasoning without you knowing, until you feel sick from eating the food.

Many studies have been done to compare whether or not MSG harms people. Some studies present facts that if you don't have any symptoms, then you are safe. This suggests that MSG is safe for you to use.⁵ If you do get any symptoms as mentioned above, then try to stay away from artificially added MSG. This is why others argue that the chemical isn't safe to use because it affects our health.³

The main point is that if you do use MSG, then try to use little as possible to reduce the possible health risks. It's always better to be on the safe side rather than regret later. Always read the label in case you do want to know what you are eating.

1. INK-CHROMA. The MSG Files, Part III: Umami.

https://inkchromatography.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/the-msg-files-part-iii-umami/ (accessed Oct 30, 2015). Copyright 2012 by INK-CHROMA. Reprinted with permission.

2. Monosodium Glutamate. In The Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs,

and Biologicals; O’ Neil, M. J., Heckelman, P. E. Koch, C. B., Roman, K. J., Eds.; Merck & Co: Whitehouse Station, NJ, 2006; pp 1080.

3. Paullam. MSG: More Than Meets The Tongue. 2007. http://www.scq.ubc.ca/msg-

more-than-meets-the-tongue/ (accessed Oct 23, 2015).

4. Monosodium Glutamate. In Encyclopedia of Toxicology; Wexler, P., Anderson, B. D.,

De Peyster, A., Gad, S. C., Hakkinen, P. J., Kamrin, M. A., Locey, B. J., Mehendale, H. M., Pope, C. N., Shugart, L. R., Eds.; Elsevier: Oxford, U. K., 2005; pp 150-152.

5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Questions and Answers on Monosodium

Glutamate (MSG), 2012. http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackaging Labeling/FoodAdditivesIngredients/ucm328728.htm (accessed Oct 23, 2015).