practically polluting laboratories in educational settings
TRANSCRIPT
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Practically Polluting
Laboratories in ducational
Settings
Deepti Kavathekar
M.Phil., CIE, University of Delhi
E-mail: [email protected]
Knowledge and understanding about
interactions between man and science can be said
to be good step to begin with. To know which
chemicals, biological and physical agents are
harmful, and which ones are not, and to understand
what are the hazardous impact if one happen to be
exposed to them is an essential task. Only by that
knowledge and understanding one is able to protect
oneself from the potential hazards of these
agents chemiool, biological and physical}. The more
one know the less a person fear. But the reality is
that where this knowledge is being imparted is been
itself a site of pollution and health hazards. School
as well as colleges which are considered to be the
temple of learniTJ-gand which provide hands on
experiences to its students are actually sites of
environmental pollution.
Experiments which are performed in Science
Bio, Physics, Biotechnology, Chemistry and other
science fields) practicdl s are essential if a student
wishes to master the process of science and have
direct experiences that capture their interest and
maintain thei1:motivation. A school s lab environ-
ment becomes hazardous for children and teachers
due the presence of some of the fungus candida),
chemicals benzene, cyanide, lead etc.), lR, X-Ray
and more such instruments. Same is also true for
the laboratories of colleges, universities and
research institutes. Poor management in maintain-
ing of the biological specimens, improper handling
of chemical, instruments may also result in risks to
human health and the environment. This paper has
three parts; the first part finds answers to what
practices in the educational settings are leading to
the pollution in the environment ( as a whole) and
its impact on the humans engaged with it, whereas
the second part explores the attitude as well as
knowledge of pollution by the persons engaged in
the lab work lab assistant, teachers, professors and
technicians}. The third part explores the initiative
taken by the school, college or the Educational
Bodies regarding the minimization of the pollution
caused by the educational activities performed in
these institutes.
Introduction
We are in the midst of one ofthe most dramatic
revolutions in history, changing e,erything from
the ways that we work, to the ways that we
communicate with each other, to how we spend our
leisure time. This technological re\ olution,
centering on information technology, is often
interpreted as the beginning of a knowledge society,
and ascribes education a central role in every aspect
of life. This Great Transformation poses tremen-
.
dous challenges to education to rethink its basic
tenets, to deploy the new technologies in creative
and productive ways, and to restructure education
in the light of the metamorphosis we are now
undergoing.
Schools are the sites of the transmission of
knowledge. It is considered to impart not only the
theoretical knowledge but also initiates the
learning by doing and by demonstration. In India
the education system try to provide a great deal of
the know ledge to the new generation and also
provies the hand on experiences in many cases. The
students who reach X have got different type of
subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, Biology,Home
Science, Biotechnology as their options to be taken
when they opt for the Science Stream. All these
options have practical s in them which provided
the realistic experience s to the students regarding
the actuality ofthe subjects.
In Indian scenario, the schools and educational
institutions do not think about the waste-
management problems because there are often
many separate business operations within a
university or school. The school as well as college
authorities do not think over. The management
consider this a trivial matter to look upon. Since
there are no rules and regulations for this is I}.ot
considered as a polluting agent .
Each and every school and college which is
engaged in transmitting the knowledge of sciences
to the students are involved in polluting the
environment at small level. Different types of
wastes are generated by laboratories. Different set.
of waste~ from studentexperiments and research
labs in biology, chemistry, physics and many other
varied studies supported at educational institu-
tions.
Chemistry
In the course of classes IX -XII the subject
have different topics that the has to be demons-
trated to the students. From Class X onwards the
Science Practical Classes is compulsory. hi class
XII syllabus:
..
1. Preparation of standard solution of oxalic acid.
2. Determination of strength of a given solution
of sodium hydroxide by titrat~ng it against
standard solution of oxalic acid.
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3.
eepti Kavathekar
4.
Preparation of standard solution of sodium
carbonate.
Determination of strength of a given solution
of hydrochloric acid by titrating it
against standard sodium carbonate solution.
Qualitative Analysis: Determination of one
anion and one cation in a given salt: Cations -
Pb2+, CU2+, As3+ A13+, Fe3+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, C02+,
C
a
2+ S
r
2+ Ba2+ M
g
~ NH +. Anions - CO 2- S2-
, , , , 4 ' 3' ,
SO 2- SO
2- N02- NO-3 C1- Br- 1-
3' 4' .
' , ,.
5.
Alsu in colleges in Chemistry Practical's
benzene (as a solvent), cone. HCL, H2SO4' cone.
NaOH, NH4OH are some of the common chemicals
are being used. Now the question arises as how
can it get into body? Benzene can be absorbed into
body if :
1. Breathe in air containing benzene vapor;
2. Absorb it through skin;
~. S'N~llQ'Nm~texia..lcontaining it.
If any of these takes place then what are the
health
hazards? The
effects on
health
depend
on
how much benzene is being exposed to andfor how
long. As with other organic solvents, immediate
effects of a single exposure to a highconcentration
(hundreds of ppm and more) can include:
1. Headache
2. Tiredness
3. Nausea
4. Dizziness
\Is
Benzene can also cause unconsciousness if
exposure is v~ry high (thousands of ppm). Long-
term exposure to lower concentrations of benzene
can result in:
1. Bone marrow suppression leading to serious
blood disorders such as anaemia;
2. Cancer - forms of leukaemia and other white-
blood-cell cancers.
V se of HCl and H2SO4 in inorganic testing is
very harmful for the students performing the
practicals. The fumes coming out of the reactions
e.g. chromyl chloride test is harmfull causing eye
irritation as well as bronco problems.
Cone. NH4OH fumes causes eye irritation even
if the bottles are opened. So its intensity is quite
high affecting the eye area and the delicate cornea
leading to the watering and numbnessn the eye.
iology
Formaldehyde is a common chemical used as
an embalming fluid, tissue preservative, sterilizer
and fumigant in laboratories. In laboratories, the
gas is more commonly dissolved in water and used
as an aqueous solution called fQ.rmalin. Formalin
solutions typically use up to 15 methanol as a
stabilizer. A40 solution of formaldehyde in water
called formalin is used in the preservation of
biological or anatomical specimen.
orm ldehydeFormalin) Storage
Formaldehyde and its solutions should not be
stored near strong oxidizers (e.g., permanganates,
nitrates, peroxides, and chlorates), amines, acids,
or alkaline materials. Formaldehyde reacts with
HCL (bleach) to form a potent carcinogen, bis-
chloromethyl ether. Store formaldehyde in labeled,
chemically compatible containers, away from heat
and flame. Large volume containers, such as 4-liter
bottles, should be stored under the ducted
laboratory hood, or on a low, protected shelf or in
another location where they will not be accidentally
spilled or knocked over. Containers larger than 4-
liters should be stored inside a deep pan or other
secondary containment.
Formaldehyde is a common sensitizIng agent
found in laboratories that that can trigger an
allergic
reaction in normal tissue
after single or
repeated exposures. It is also classified as a known
human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) by
the International Agency for Research on Cancer
and as a probable human carcinogen by the V.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Resear-
chers must understand the hazardous properties
of formaldehyde so that control measures can be
taken to minimize exposure. Acute exposure to
formaldehyde can, however, cause various health-
related issues such as irritation on various body
parts (eyes, nose, throat, and skin).
Formaldehyde released from external sourc. es
enters the human body either via inhalation ofits
gaseous form. There is also some possibility of
intake via dermal absorption (Documentation,
2001). Once absorbed, almost every tissue in the
body has the ability to break down formaldehyde
(Franks, 2005). It is usually converted to a nontoxic
chemical called formate, which is excreted through
the urine (WHO, 2003) and can be exhaled via
conversion to carbon dioxide. It can also be broken
down so that the body can use it to make larger
molecules needed in hl.man tissues. Otherwise, it
can be attached to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or
to protein in body (WHO,2003) transmission is
provided next.
Acute mucus membrane irritation is the most
common adverse effect of formaldehyde exposure,
often leading to dry skin, dermatitis, tearing eyes,
sneezing, and coughing (Kulle, 1993). Serious
formaldehyde exposure can often result in eye
conjunctivitis and nasal and pharyngeal diseases,
while increasing the likelihood of dangerous
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conditions such as laryngospasm and pulmonary-
edema (Paustenbach, Alarie, Kulle, Schachter,
Smith, Swenberg, et al.,1997; Neuss, Holzmann,
Speit ,2010; Wolkoff Nielsen, 2010 ). In a study
conducted in China, 66 workers in the chemical
industry exposed occupationally to formaldehyde
were reported to suffer from congestion in the
cornea, nasal membrane, and pharynx (Zhang,
Zhang, Jin, Liu, 1999). In other studies,
volunteers exposed to fofmaldehyde in the range
of 0.25 to
3.0
ppm experienced eyej nose, and throat
irritation (Kulle,1993). Kulle (1993) reported that
eye irritation was the dominant symptom with a
linear trend at a dose range of 0.5-3 ppm.
Concerns of Educational Personnel s
In Bhopal, schools are affiliated to CBSE, M.P.
Board and ICSE. In M.P. Board school (which were
mostly in numb,ers) the discussion regarding the
pollution which is caused by'practical's performed
in laboratories was done. In Sri Sathya Sai H.S.
School when the-teachers and lab assistants were
asked about the disposal of the waste as well as
about the pollution being caused by it, their
responses were that it's the duty of the school
administration and not them to handle the
'chemical waste problem'. Since there is no proper
disposal methods for the chemicals and biological
wastes they are just drained into the normal drains
and get mixed with the sewage. The waste generate -
by the chemicalscontains in single XII class consists
of 2-3 litres of HCl/H2SO 4per student in 2 chemistry
practicals.(volu..fuetric titration).
Fig. l.Volume (m ) af concentrated acid
needed to prepare 1 litre of dilute
To prepare a 0.1 mol I-I solution, measure 16.6
ml of 6 mol I-I solution and dilute it to 1 litre.
To prepare a
0.02
m.oll-1 solution, measure
20.0 ml of 1 mol I-I solution and dilute it to 1 litre.
So, approximately in class of 30 students 16.6*
30*= 498 ml of solution is being prepared in each
practical's class in a school.
Moreover the seriousity of the chemical
hazards the schools generate are quite affecting to
the normal sewage disposal
too.
The biological
waste consists of dangerous algae and fungus which
are just being disposed ofin the drains.
Deepti Kavathekar
The simple yeast which is found in the
laboratories.
Many of the teachers still do not understand
the waste generated is harmful for the decomposing
bacteria which are helpful in the degradation of the
waste matter. As a teachers duty they perform the
task and they leave everything for the nature to
take care off. In many colleges that were explored
the same disposal techniques were followed making
no an special differences than the school.
Initiative Taken by Educational Bodies
This is the most important part of the paper
since all the problems always have one or the other
solutions. The educational boards in India, NCERT
have taken intiative to work in this direction. They
have come out with the Microscale chemistry
experiments using small quantity of chemicals and
simple equipment. The concept was first introduced
by D: W. Mayo, S. S. Butcheret. al. at Bowdoin
College in Brunswick about 30 years ago. In India,
this technique has been developed and introduced
in the school system by Prof. H. 0. Gupta, NCERT
with some innovative laboratory apparatus known
as Microscale chemistry laboratory kit. This
microscale chemistry laboratory kit enables the
students to perform experiments in an environ-
mentally safe pollution free atmosphere using small
quantities of chemicals without compromising the
quality and standard of experiments.
Conclusion
Literally hundreds of types of wastes are
generated that must be handled properly and must
be figured into a school's operational and
management budgets. The educational institute~,
should give the equipments that are very much
essential for the safety of the students. In the UK,
USA etc. the students are using mask, spectacles,
gloves while performing the experiments in
laboratories, which is totally lacking in Indian
schools and many of the colleges.
As the students are the Nation's Future it's
the ethical consideration of the authorities.
Bibliography
Documentation of theThreshold Limit Values and
Biological Exposure Indices (7th ed.).
2001)
American Conference of Government
Industrial Hygienists. Cincinnati
Franks, S. J. 2005). A mathematical model for the
absorption and metabolism of formal
dehydevapour by humans. Toxicological
Applied Pharmacolgy. 206, 309-320.
Kulle, T. J. (1993). Acute odor and irritation
response in healthy nonsmokers with formal
Volume2014-15. Number 1 . April2014
Desired
HCI
H2SO4
HNOg
strength mol }-l)
6 mol I-I
500
333.3
380
1 mol }-l
83
55.5
63.3
0.5 mol }-l
8.3
5.6 6.3
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dehyde exposure. lnhal Toxicol 5: 323-332
Paustenbach, D., Alarie, Y., Kulle, T., Schachter,
N., Smith, R., Swenberg, J., et al. (1997).A
recommended occupational exposure limit for
formaldehyde based on irritation. Journal of .
Toxicological Environmental Health 50: 217-
263.
Neuss, S., Holzmann, K., & Speit, G. (2010).Gene
expression changes in primary human
nasalepithelial cells exposed to formaldehyde
in vitro. Toxicological Letter,198(2), 289-295.
Speit, G., Schutz, P., Weber, I., Ma-Hock, L.,
Kaufmann, W., Gelbke, H.P., & Durrer, S.
(2011). Analysis of micronuclei, histopatho-
logical changes and cell proliferation in nasal
epitheliumcells of rats after exposure to
Deepti Kavathekar
formaldehyde. by inhalation. Mutation
Research, 721, 127-135.
World Health Organization. Formaldehyde.(2003).
A CICAD (Concise International Chemical
Assessment Document) No. 40. International
Programme on Chemical Safety (lPSC).
Wolkoff, P., & Nielsen, G.D.(2010). Non-cancer
effects of formaldehyde and relevance for
setting an indoor air guideline. Environment
International, 36(7), 788-799.
Zhang, D.Z., Zhang, F.L., Jin, S.Y., & Liu, Y.H.
(1999). Investigation on the health of workers
occupationally exposed to low level of
formaldehyde. Chinese Journal of Industrial
Hygien Occupation Disorder, 17(5), 13-14.
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