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EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY The advent of technology brought about progress and have greatly improved our way of life. However, there are trade offs too. Technology not only bring about positive impact but negative impact as well. The following are the negative effects of technology that can harm our human society and our environment. PERSONAL POLLUTION A. Food Additives: These are substances added to food to improve its flavor, color, texture or resistance to spoilage. It makes food attractive to consumers and enhances shelf-life of food products. Sources: 1. sodium nitrite used for curing bacon and other meat products is considered carcinogenic ( cancer causing agents). It can react in human digestive tract to form nitroso compounds which can cause cancer. 2. sulfites can cause asthmatic attacks and gastric irritation when present in high concentrations 3. artificial sweeteners (30)cyclamate and (550)saccharin, used in softdrinks and ice cream because it costs much less than sugar . Studies have shown that cyclamate can cause liver damage and saccharine has been shown to be a carcinogen. 4. color- makes food appetizing. The familiar violet dye once use to stamp inspected meat are suspected of being carcinogenic. Citric red used for coloring orange skins does not penetrate the fruit but it endangers anyone who sucks the peel or eat marmalade from it. It is also suspected to be carcinogenic. Yellow foor coloring called tartrazine was blamed for allergic reactions in adults and hyperactivity in children. Food colors may cause symptoms of respiratory disorders, headaches and intestinal disturbances. To stay clear of ill effects caused by additives: We should limit the intake of food containing doubtful additives. Read labels. Eat variety of health food. 5. monosodium glutamate used as flavor enhancer. Too much of these may cause headaches and nausea 6. aflatoxin content of peanut butter that may increase risk of liver cancer and may also destroy embryonic cells and retard fetal growth. 7. pesticide used to kill pests may also affect non target organisms. They are poisonous substances that adhere to fruits and vegetables and also accumulated in tissues of fish and fowls. If residues are not washed off well, we ingest it together with the food. 8. clostridium botulinum affects canned goods that causes it to bulge as sign of presence of gases. These bacterium causes food poisoning which can be fatal. 9. lead found in milk decrease red blood cells may affect nervous system particularly the brain 10. mercury and cadmium may be found in the fish muscle tissues that we buy from market. We ingest these as well. This disease is delibitating and may cause death B. MEDICINES These are substances used to treat disease. Below are examples of drugs banned from other countries but available in the Philippines. Generic Brand Known Uses Country Reason Name Name banned Banned Dipyrone Apracur for fever US causes form of anemia Beralgin and pains where blood elements Beserol are decreased Gardan Piril Unagen Stanozolol Winstrol appetite US stunts growth of children Winavit stimulant Depo- Provera injectible US causes cancel in beagles contraceptive and monkeys Phenformin Glucopostin diabetes US causes lactic acidosis and sometimes has fatal side effect Quinoform Entro - anti diarrhea Japan causes reversible Vioform Sweden nerve injury Mexaform leading to paralysis and other nerve disorders Examples of Prohibited Drugs used, misused and abused Drug Effect Narcotics pain killer, produce insensibility, stupor, melancholy or (opium, morphine) dullness of mind with delusion Cocaine overdose results I convulsions and vasoconstrictions which may lead to Myocardial infarction and stroke Metamphetamine produces anxiety, irritability and loss of self control "shabu" causes irregularity of heartbeat, hypertension insomnia and even cardiac arrest Mrijuana Slows down mental and psychomotor activities, "grass pot or weed" sows down reflexes solvents (lighter fluids causes intoxication, nausea and vomiting gasoline, rugby LSD lysergic Prolonged use can cause anxiety, panic reactions diethylamide or feelings of grandeur tranquilizer depresses body functions, slows down thinking valium, librium and ability to make decisions, numbing effect on senses The best way to solve the problem of drug abuse is through early training and education in proper use of drugs. We should also know what these drugs can do to us. Abuse of drugs can cause many health problems and can also lead to serious crimes and death. C. SMOKING Cigarette smoke contains morethan 2,000 substance that are considered as carcinogenic or irritants. Among these substance are nicotine, tar, carbon monixide, formaldehyde, ammonia, sulfur dioxide, radioactive isotopes like polonium or radon. Aside from being carcinogenic, nicotine has been found to be addictive. There are two types of smoking: active; inhaling of smoke by smoker himselef, passive; inhaling of smoke by non-smoker in smoke filled area. EFFECTS OF SMOKING: 1. It causes chronic bronchitis, which is an inflammation of bronchial tubes. The destroyed cilia and cells of the airways impair their ability to expel foreign bodies and production of mucus. The airway becomes narrow causing cough and sputum formation. 2. It causes emphysema. The obstruction to air passages in and out, leads to reduced elasticity of the tisuues lining the air spaces of the lungs and their eventual collapse. 3. It causes circulatory and heart disorders. Carbon monoxide displaces the oxygen in the red blood cells, thereby forcing the heart to work harder in meeting the requirements of the body for oxygen. The heart rate and blood pressure are elevated by this compensatory mechanism, which aggregates the risks of heart attack and stroke. It also contributes to the hardening of the arteries known as atherosclerosis. 4. It causes early death, reducing the persons life by at least 7 years. One stick reduces the lifetime by 7 seconds. One pack per day reduces lifetime by 140 seconds. 5. it causes cancer of the lips, larynx and lungs. Benzopyrene, a substance in tobacco tar, is considered a potent carcinogen. 6. Causes Asthma attack. 7. Cigarette smoking may cause miscarriage or stillbirth.. It can retard fetal heart growth and may cause heart and brain defects of the developing fetus. It may also lower the infants resistance to respiratory diseases like bronchitis and pneumonia. D. COSMETICS 1. Lanolin in shampoos, creams and ointments and phenylenediamine inhair dyes can cause allergic contact dermatitis, a kind of skin allergy. 2. Eosin a dye used lipstick can cause lip dermatitis. 3. toluene in nail polish can cause dermatitis. 4. artificial fingernails are made from a liquid monomer, methyl metharcrylate which has been found to cause allergy. 5. aluminum salts in anti perspirants may cause allergy. 6. Some perfume contain psoralen which is a photosensitizer which may cause skin pigmentation. 7. hair spray contain dichlorodifluromethane and dichlorotetraluorothane compounds which may lead to lung disorder or cancer. 8. Possible harm of silicone used for breast enhancement and nose lifting may cause inflammation, scarring and hardening of tissues of organs like breast or lungs. May lead to cancer. NOISE POLLUTION Racket, din, clamor, noise. Whatever you want to call it, unwanted sound is America's most widespread nuisance. But noise is more than just a nuisance. It constitutes a real and present danger to people's health. Day and night, at home, at work, and at play, noise can produce serious physical and psychological stress. No one is immune to this stress. Though we seem to adjust to noise by ignoring it, the ear, in fact, never closes and the body still responds - sometimes with extreme tension, as to a strange sound in the night. Sources of noise pollution are: 1. Noise emitted by street traffic is generated by engines, exhaust systems, tires interacting with the road, and horns. Of these, tires contribute most predominantly to the noise emitted by automobiles, both in the effects on passengers within a vehicle and in the contribution to roadside noise, especially in American-made cars. The other components of traffic noise are significant contributors nonetheless. Besides cars, buses, trucks and motorcycles contribute to street noise. 2. Aircraft noise that is derived primarily from airplanes' propulsion systems and from aerodynamic noise. 3. Railroads, like street traffic, are a source of surface transportation noise. The majority of noise emitted by trains is produced by the engines or by the interaction of the wheels with the track 4. Industry There are four main categories of industrial activity that are particularly relevant to the study of noise: product fabrication, product assembly, power generation, and processing. Noise is generated in all of these activities, with the majority occurring at the lower end of the frequency spectrum. 5. Construction noise, a major source of noise pollution, is emitted by construction equipment, which Leasure (1979) defines as "that equipment utilized at construction sites for the fabrication, erection, modification, demolition, or removal of any structure or facility, including all related activities such as clearing of land, site preparation, excavation, cleanup, and landscaping" 6.
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