Industrial chemical solvents, such as trichlorethylene - as we all know - are toxic and particularly harmful to health, because they favor the onset of serious diseases, such as tumors. But, according to the latest scientific studies, trichlorethylene and many other commonly used solvents also determine (or at least strongly contribute) to the onset of Parkinson's disease.
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerous
I industrial chemical solvents, such as trichlorethylene - as we all know - they are toxic and particularly harmful to health, because they favor the onset of serious diseases, such as tumors. But, according to the latest scientific studies, trichlorethylene and many other scommonly used solvents determine (or at least strongly contribute) to the onset of the disease Parkinson's.
This disturbing reality is revealed by a cross-scientific study carried out in the United States, Canada, Argentina and Germany.
Research - conducted on 99 pairs of twins - has highlighted as just one constant exposure to TCE - tricloroetilene, or common trichlorethylene - causes a 6 times higher than normal risk of getting Parkinson's.
The experiment was enlightening, because - of the pairs of twins participating in the study - one of the two was a Parkinsonian patient (unlike the other absolutely healthy); the same one that had been exposed to the TCE during his life.
But there is more: among the substances associated with trichlorethylene for harmfulness we also find fairly widespread toxic chemical compoundsi, like the percloroetilene (PERC, found in degreasers, including household ones, and in dry cleaners) and the carbon tetrachloride (cc14, present in refrigerant mixtures). These substances are often used against stains and adhesive residues.
Instead, toluene, xylene and n-hexane were found to be neutral substances for the onset of Parkinson's.
"We believe that there is a time lag of up to 40 years between exposure to the solvent and the onset of the disease" - said the coordinator of the international study, published in the Annals of Neurology journal.
But is there a way to defend against exposure to these substances dangerous to health and improve the quality of the air we breathe? Surely not to use chemical solvents remains the best advice, but also some common indoor plants, such as ficus, chrysanthemum, aloe, dracena and azalea, which not only absorb carbon dioxide releasing oxygen, but also manage to neutralize harmful volatile organic substances (VOC) including TCE itself thanks to methylotrophic enzymes.
In short, when in doubt it is better to avoid exposure to harmful substances, but if we really can't do without it, let's put a nice indoor plant nearby!
Verdiana Amorosi
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