How Eating Ultra-Processed Foods May Result in an Increased Cancer Risk

 

    As easy as it is to grab a quick premade meal, you may want to think twice about the long-term consequences. An article in the Washington Post talked about the possible dangers of consuming large quantities of "ultra-processed" foods. They reference a recent paper published in The Lancet, that followed the diets of  almost 200,000 adults for a 10-year period in the UK and found that "a higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with a greater risk of overall cancer, specifically ovarian and brain cancer." They noticed that for every 10 percent increase of ultras processed food in a person's diet resulted in an increased incidence of 2 percent overall, and a 19 percent increase for ovarian cancer specifically. The article also pointed out that almost 60 percent of the calories that adults consume in the US are from ultra-processed foods, which would mean an overall 120% increase in the risk of ovarian cancer. Also pointed out are other studies on the link between ultra-processed foods and higher rates of obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer. The authors of the paper in The Lancet did note that while this observational study alone cannot definitively link ultra-processed food consumption as the cause  of increased cancer risk, the two are certainly associated, and more studies need to be done.

 While the one study on it's own does not prove anything, the increasing number of studies that have been released showing similar results paints a pretty bleak picture for ultra-processed foods being a core part of anyone's diet. It is important to highlight the chemical significance of this article, as most people may not understand why this would be possible, if a food is considered safe. A large part of this is that FDA regulation of foods is much lower than that of medication. Something that is developed as a chemical additive or sweetener must go through much less testing before it is considered safe for sale. Another source of an increase in cancer risk could be unintended chemical by-products of processing reactions that, while miniscule in small doses, cause issues when consumed in large quantities over long-periods of time. Overall this article is pretty chemistry agnostic, not painting in either a positive or negative light, only that it is something that must always be considered.

Frankenstein's Pharmacy: Digital Markets and Chemical Dealings

Posted by Beth Smith

"Business India" on CNBC reports the Health Ministry in India has recently started taking legal action against online pharmacies, stating that many of these digital retailers have violated several drug ordinance codes. According to the Indian government “these online pharmacies and platforms were found to be selling drugs that are not allowed for retail sale without proper prescriptions from registered medical practitioners”, and as such the government has moved to place legal sanctions on the companies running these platforms. The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists has also been involved in efforts to prosecute the companies behind these online pharmacies, as they have publicly stated that there are concerns regarding the formation of monopolies within the pharmaceutical industry as well as issues regarding the privacy of patient information. Many chemists and doctors within the country have also brought up concerns regarding the health risks of these websites, as they worry people may try to incorrectly self-medicate using them and experience serious side effects. While chemistry and biology professionals raise concerns over the safety and ethics of these sites, many Indian citizens continue to use them, as they gained massive amounts of popularity during the lockdowns incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, and for many people they are more convenient than physical doctor’s offices and pharmacies.

While the term “chemist” is used here to describe those in the pharmaceutical industry, this news story involves the medical applications of biochemistry, and thus reflects on chemists as a whole through the lens of a layperson looking at the products of this field. This particular news story has sort of a split portrayal of chemists, with those who side with the regulations of the government portrayed as good chemists and those operating both small scale and large international pharmaceutical websites as bad chemists. While the news story does not uniformly portray chemists poorly, it still tends to stereotype those who work in online pharmaceutical companies. It plays into the narrative of some “bad” groups of scientists being reckless rogues who do not understand danger in the face of discovery, fame, and profit, ultimately fueling the image of those in a less regulated industry being nefarious mad scientists akin to Frankenstein. This story also plays into the idea of pharmaceutical companies and the chemists who work for them being willing to harm their customers in the name of profit, which is another chemophobic idea frequently seen in those who refuse conventional medication and vaccination. While these digital markets do have a potential for harm, as the patients purchasing these drugs may not know things such as proper dosages and can not be instructed by professionals as they would be in a doctor’s office or traditional pharmacy, those running these websites are largely not malicious actors seeking to poison people, nor would it make financial sense for the companies and employees running this website to harm those paying them for their goods. While the risks associated with medication outside of direct instruction and supervision are not negligible, the idea that chemists are using conventional medicine to intentionally harm people for profit does play into many anti-science attitudes. While the news story ultimately tries to avoid portraying all chemists in the same way, the manner in which the article separates “good” scientists from “bad” ones ultimately falls back on using stereotypes associated with rogue chemists to describe those working for digital pharmacies.

Shapeshifting metal robots can prove useful for scientists (and not for cyborg assassins).

Movie fans will certainly remember the incredible abilities of the t-1000 shapeshifting cyborg from Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Recently, a Washington Post article showcases how a lab at the Chinese University of Hong Kong has developed a metal alloy that eerily replicates the transforming ability of the t-1000, allowing a small “robot” to melt through the bars of its cage and reform into its original self. What’s really happening is a combination of heating and cooling, in addition to magnetic fields in order to modify the form and location of the metal robot. On the other hand, the t-1000 is controlled fully autonomously, and has different motives than the robot composed of neodymium-iron-boron microparticles and liquid metal, which could potentially be of great use for clinical and industrial applications.

Scientists were less inspired by the form changing ability of the t-1000, but more by the sea cucumber which can change between soft and hard states allowing for a wider range of functions and abilities. This led the team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong to combine neodymium-iron-boron microparticles (commonly used magnets) and gallium, to create their robot. The magnets allow the scientists to swiftly move the robot through the simple use of a magnetic field and also for efficient phase change from solid to liquid due to induction. Gallium is a metal with a very low melting point (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and flows almost like water when melted. The resulting function of their creation is something that is easily controllable (through magnetic fields), highly flexible (melting allows for reach in tighter spaces) and also strong enough to perform various tasks.

The scientists demonstrated the functionality of their robot in the video above, where the robot seemingly transforms into liquid metal and then reforms to escape its cage. After heating up, the robot easily flows out of the cage (again with the help of a magnetic field), and then reforms once cooled into its original solid state.

The practical use demonstrated by the robot is to show how effective it is in reaching hard to reach places, while being able to reversibly change between solid and liquid. Another demonstration shows the material in a model for the stomach removing a foreign object. Similarly, it heats up and changes to liquid form, then “latches” onto the foreign object, after which it cools down and “carries” the object out of the stomach. Besides clinical applications, in industrial settings this material can be similarly used to help repair and modify hard to reach machinery. Both settings would greatly benefit from this type of technology, however there are some obstacles to overcome before then. Specifically in clinical settings, both neodymium-iron-boron microparticles and gallium are toxic to humans, so while this material may have functional advantages over other microrobotic materials, it may face difficulty before use inside of a human. The material is also somewhat difficult to control since it requires an external magnetic field and heat source (although, this will prevent fully autonomous cyborgs). Ultimately, readers should appreiciate this discovery as an innovative material with interesting functionality, and as a potentially important step in how scientists face challenges in the field of microrobotics.

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2023/01/26/liquid-metal-shape-shifting-melting-robot/

https://www.cnet.com/science/see-a-real-life-terminator-robot-turn-into-liquid-to-bust-out-of-a-cage/

Wang, Qingyuan, et al. “Magnetoactive Liquid-Solid Phase Transitional Matter.” Matter, Jan. 2023. ScienceDirect, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2022.12.003.

How an Ohio Train Derailment Could Have Serious Health Consequences

Image 1: Derailed Freight train burning the day after in East Palestine, Ohio

  

     On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk train derailed close to the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. What would have been an already tragic accident was only escalated by the fact that the train was carrying some seriously dangerous chemicals. Out of the many cars that derailed in the crash, 5 of them contained a hazardous chemical called vinyl chloride. As a result, individuals and residents in the surrounding area were forced to evacuate. On February 7th, the Washington Post published an article titled “The health risks for Ohioans after the derailment of the train with toxic chemicals” to try to explain potential health risks. In order to understand why many individuals within the area of the crash may experience health consequences, we must first understand how the chemical spill was dealt with and what makes vinyl chloride so dangerous.

Throughout the nation, vinyl chloride turns up in everything from packaging materials to housewares, but why is it so dangerous? Vinyl Chloride is an odorless chemical that is known to be a carcinogen. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned individuals that breathing this hazardous chemical over an extended period of time could result in several types of cancer: including brain, lung, and blood cancers. In addition to how dangerous this chemical is, some questions are raised about the disposal methods of the chemical.

After the five cars of vinyl chloride derailed and spilled, officials decided that the toxic chemicals would be burned through a controlled fire. This decision was made due to the fear that the chemicals could explode and send shrapnel into neighborhoods near the crash. This burning of toxic chemicals could lead to a slew of consequences. First, the Environmental Protection Agency is now having to monitor the air within the area due to the possible release of phosgene and hydrogen chloride due to the burning off of the vinyl chloride. This is bad news as hydrogen chloride is known to irritate the throat, nose, and skin, as well as have an extremely pungent odor. Phosgene on the other hand is a very toxic gas that was utilized in WWI and could cause chest constriction and sometimes death. In addition to these dangerous chemicals being released as a result of the burning of the vinyl chloride, many believe that the burnt-off vinyl chloride could wind up within the water. The CDC has publicly stated that it is possible that some of the vinyl chloride could dissolve within the water and could eventually infect the groundwater. However, a day after the accident local officials stated that due to the location of the derailment, it is unlikely that the groundwater or drinking water is contaminated.

Image 2: A plume of smoke that is rising from the controlled burn of vinyl chloride in East Palestine, Ohio

    This article begs the bigger question of why we are still transporting such dangerous chemicals in this way. Humans are imperfect creatures and as a result, accidents are bound to happen. For instance, there have been multiple chemical spills from rail cars within the year that simply did not gain the same amount of media attention. Some of these accidents include a methyl chloride leak in Peoria, Illinois, and another chemical leak in Perris, California. As a result, I believe that in order to keep our supply chain functioning properly and the general public safe, less toxic chemicals need to be used or formulated that won’t poison a whole community if spilled. Additionally, I believe that this article serves to question if the agencies involved with this clean-up are truly being transparent with the public about the severity of the spill. After only a day, local officials deemed it safe to return to the area, which seems much too small of a period to understand the true transmission of the vinyl chloride within the area. Erik Olsen, a senior director for the Natural Resources Defense Council urged against the burning of the chemicals as he believed it would increase the dispersion of the hazardous chemicals. Additionally, when asked what he would do in this situation if his family lived close to the accident, he claimed “I would take my family with me and not return until I’m pretty confident the risk has subsided”.

    This article and event would be an excellent scenario to discuss in CHEM 100. This is because it is a real-life situation in which a mistake has resulted in a hazardous chemical spill. As a result, the train derailment could be used to teach the importance of the safe transport of hazardous chemicals. In addition, the fact that the chemical in this situation is vinyl chloride and that it was burned serves to provide an excellent example of what happens with chemical dispersion when a hazardous chemical is spilled on such a grand scale. Finally, this situation serves as an example of different ways in which the EPA responds to large chemical spills.

References:

Phillips, Anna. “The Health Risks for Ohioans after Derailment of Train with Toxic Chemicals.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/02/07/ohio-train-derailment-toxic-impacts/.

Puskar, Gene J. “A Plume Rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a Result of a Controlled Detonation of a Portion of the Derailed Train Monday.” The Health Risks for Ohioans after Derailment of Train with Toxic Chemicals, The Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/02/07/ohio-train-derailment-toxic-impacts/. Accessed 14 Feb. 2023.

Puskar, Gene J. “The Freight Train That Derailed Friday Night in East Palestine, Ohio, Burns the Following Day.” The Health Risks for Ohioans after Derailment of Train with Toxic Chemicals, The Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/02/07/ohio-train-derailment-toxic-impacts/. Accessed 14 Feb. 2023.