Air Pollution Linked to Cancer: Carcinogens & Formaldehyde - Essay Sample

Introduction

Carcinogens released due to air pollution and household air pollution is reported to cause different forms of cancer. Tobacco smoke contains carcinogens as a result of insufficient combustion of biomass. Exposures to these carcinogens result in genetic mutations transforming body cells into cancerous cells. Formaldehyde (FA) indoor pollution is another source of cancer when exposed to human DNA. Indoor air pollution from activities such as wood burning and fireplace use release carcinogens, which in turn increases the chances of breast cancer. Aside from the carcinogens causing cancer, some chemicals cause mutations of human cells. Chemical screening serves to help in identifying chemicals that can lead to an increase in breast cancer risk.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Methods

The four articles used for comparison analysis were sort from peer-reviewed databases that are PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest. The keywords used to identify the articles were cancer, carcinogens, air pollutions, and indoor air pollution. The keywords were systematically analyses to complete a comparison of the literature review.

Results of the Articles

According to Zhou (2019), genomic mutations are increased through tobacco smoking. Through smoking, there are raised mutational signatures. The mutational signatures found in cancer patients are caused by damages to DNA by tobacco carcinogens. d’Ettorre, Criscuolo & Mazzotta (2017) share the same idea that pollution from FA increases the risk of cancer. The results of the study confirmed that increased exposure to FA in a working environment is high in most working places. There are suggestions that alcohol-based fixatives, zinc-based fixatives, or honey should be used to replace the use of FA. The two articles differ because Zhou(2019) is exploring the mutations caused by carcinogens, while d’Ettorre (2017) seeks to find an alternative solution to manage formaldehyde, which is a confirmed leading cause of cancer. The results of the research conducted by White and Sandler (2017) found out that a high number of participants used indoor wood burning stove. The persons who used indoor word burning stove were likely to use oral contraceptives. The results of the follow-up study showed that 2416 participants in the research were diagnosed with breast cancer. The study suggests that using a wood-burning stove at the adult age increases the chances of breast cancer. The article by Schwarzman, Ackerman, Dairkee, Fenton, Johnson, Navarro & Janssen (2015) differed from the other three articles because the study is about the current approaches to chemical screening regarding the methods used in finding out about chemicals increasing breast cancer threats. PAHs (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which form components of cigarettes, are a class of chemical carcinogens that exposes the human body to cancer. The study used the Hazard Identification Approach for Breast Carcinogens (HIA-BC). The HIA-BC identified the chemicals that acted as mutagens, therefore, changing the function ability of cells. The study is similar to the other three studies because it identifies the chemicals that are mutagenic hence increasing alteration of DNA.

Discussion

The authors of the four articles agree that tobacco smoke and air pollution are the risk factors of lung cancer. The findings of the studies identify carcinogens that form part of tobacco smoke and haze. The particles increasing cancer risks contained in tobacco smoke are because of insufficient combustion of biomass. The FA exposure levels determine the risk level of individuals to cancer infection. The solution to FA exposures is to find ways in which workers are protected from being exposed to FA. Managing of FA indoor pollution in anatomy pathology departments need risk assessment aside from chemical substitution for FA. Indoor air pollution caused by an open fireplace increases the chances of DNA adduct levels hence the breast carcinogenesis. The combustion of wood produces different components, such as the hexachlorobenzene. These components of biomass accumulate in the breast when inhaled, creating carcinogenesis. This carcinogenesis finally creates mutation increasing cancer risks. The designing of HIA-BC by Schwarzman et al. made it possible to address the lack of data on toxicity causing cancers. The use of HIA-BC is a step towards research on biological processes that increase the risk of cancer. The HIA-BC also addresses the issue of biological end-points that are important when determining the Genotoxicity of breast cancer.

Conclusion

The exposure of humans to chemical agents such as tobacco smoking, wood-burning, and open fireplace leads to DNA activation of carcinogens. Workers in laboratories are at risk of getting exposed to chemicals such as the FA. The genetic changes caused by these chemicals require advanced experiments to identify the implications caused by indoor air pollution. The experiments conducted using the HIA-BC are an example of progressive steps in researches aimed at advancing the knowledge of chemical carcinogenesis. My opinion on chemical carcinogenesis is that the advancement in technology will work best in understanding carcinogens that are not mutagen and vice versa. I believe our modern living environment is the leading reason why we are exposed to various chemicals containing carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds. Lack of government controls on the type of chemical products sold out is a challenge. The solution to ending carcinogen exposure is to come up with a plan that tests chemical products before they are approved for human use.

References

d’Ettorre, G., Criscuolo, M., & Mazzotta, M. (2017). Managing formaldehyde indoor pollution in anatomy pathology departments. Work, 56(3), 397-402. DOI: 10.3233/WOR-172505

Schwarzman, M. R., Ackerman, J. M., Dairkee, S. H., Fenton, S. E., Johnson, D., Navarro, K. M., ... & Janssen, S. (2015). Screening for chemical contributions to breast cancer risk: a case study for chemical safety evaluation. Environmental health perspectives, 123(12), 1255-1264. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408337

White, A. J., & Sandler, D. P. (2017). Indoor wood-burning stove and fireplace use and breast cancer in a prospective cohort study. Environmental health perspectives, 125(7), 077011. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP827

Zhou, G. (2019). Tobacco, air pollution, environmental carcinogenesis, and thoughts on conquering strategies of lung cancer. Cancer Biology & Medicine, 16(4), 700. DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2019.0180