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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, September 12, 2016 at 7:51:16 AM
A membership benefit of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas
Table of Contents (14 articles)
AIR-POLLUTION-DERIVED MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES FOUND IN HUMAN BRAINS
Tags: laboratory, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
FAMILY DISPLACED, CLASSES CANCELED AGAIN AFTER SCHOOL MERCURY CO
Tags: us_NV, education, release, response, mercury
FIREFIGHTING FOAM LINKED TO WATER CONTAMINATION, INJURIES...
Tags: us_OH, industrial, release, injury, other_chemical
2 DEAD IN EXPLOSION AT CHILE CHEMICAL PLANT
Tags: Chile, industrial, explosion, death, explosives
STAFF RESCUED FROM THOMASTOWN NITROUS ACID LEAK
Tags: Australia, industrial, release, response, other_chemical
FIREFIGHTERS BATTLE CHEMICAL LEAK IN PASADENA
Tags: us_TX, industrial, release, response, ammonia
GERMANY BEGINS DESTROYING GADDAFI-ERA CHEMICAL WEAPONS FROM LIBYA
Tags: Germany, industrial, discovery, response, toxics
EXPLOSION IN CARGO TANK OF CHEMICAL TANKER EIWA MARU 3 OFF JAPAN
Tags: Japan, transportation, explosion, death, other_chemical
20 CHILDREN CONSUMED POISONOUS COPPER SULFATE CHEMICAL, HOSPITALISED
Tags: India, education, release, injury, copper_sulphate
HAZMAT TEAM RUSHES TO SECONDARY SCHOOL IN SABAH AFTER MERCURY SPILL
Tags: Malaysia, laboratory, release, injury, mercury
AT LEAST 15 DEAD IN BANGLADESH FACTORY FIRE
Tags: Bangladesh, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical
LAS VEGAS FIRE BREAKS DOWN PREPAREDNESS FOR HAZMAT SITUATIONS -
Tags: us_NV, education, follow-up, response, mercury
6 HOSPITALIZED AFTER UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE CAUSES HAZMAT ALERT IN IRVINE
Tags: us_CA, transportation, release, injury, unknown_chemical, waste
SETTING A SAFE COURSE FOR GENE EDITING RESEARCH
Tags: laboratory, discovery, environmental
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AIR-POLLUTION-DERIVED MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES FOUND IN HUMAN BRAINS
Tags: laboratory, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
Magnetite, a magnetic iron oxide mineral, is showing up in a place it doesn‰??t belong: the brain.
Researchers at the University of Lancaster found unexpectedly high levels of magnetite nanoparticles in human brain tissue they were examining with electron microscopy (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2016, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1605941113). Barbara A. Maher, one of the team leaders, says that‰??s concerning because magnetite could be toxic to the brain, generating harmful reactive oxygen species that have been linked to Alzheimer‰??s disease.
Scientists first discovered magnetite particles in human brains more than two decades ago that had structures suggesting a biological origin. In contrast, the vast majority of particles found in the new study resemble magnetite from airborne pollutants.
Common sources of magnetite particles include iron impurities in burning fuel‰??especially diesel‰??and indoor sources such as printer toners, and leaky stoves.
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FAMILY DISPLACED, CLASSES CANCELED AGAIN AFTER SCHOOL MERCURY CO
Tags: us_NV, education, release, response, mercury
AS VEGAS (FOX5) -
Clark County School District said classes at Johnson Junior High School are canceled Monday after officials recovered upwards of a quarter of a cup of mercury.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 80 bags were brought in for testing over the weekend. 16 bags were being retested. 60 homes were evaluated and one family was asked to temporarily evacuate.
"It is unclear where it was actually found because it was so high, so we can't pinpoint that. So, we're going to do another investigation," said Randy Nattis, of the EPA, in reference to the evacuated home.
The EPA also inspected Kristina Langendorf's home, but she said it was cleared.
"It was scary because I didn't know what to expect or what they were going to find," said Langendorf.
---------------------------------------------
FIREFIGHTING FOAM LINKED TO WATER CONTAMINATION, INJURIES...
Tags: us_OH, industrial, release, injury, other_chemical
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE ‰?? A fire suppressant foam linked to the shutdown of two drinking water wells at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base injured a firefighter during a training incident and the Defense Department has launched an investigation to determine how widespread the problem is across the nation.
The firefighter, Michael R. Strouse, was injured when piping inside a fire cab ruptured and shot the chemical at high pressure into his eyes, he said.
‰??My face was chemically burned and my eyes were really blood shot and they were sore,‰?? Strouse said in an interview with this newspaper. ‰??Then the next day I was actually taken off the job.‰??
Strouse, 38, a veteran firefighter for more than a decade at Wright-Patterson, was reassigned to administrative duties. But his condition gradually worsened, he said. He‰??s now been off work for more than three months.
The injury to Strouse comes as concerns over aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF, have soared in recent years.
---------------------------------------------
2 DEAD IN EXPLOSION AT CHILE CHEMICAL PLANT
Tags: Chile, industrial, explosion, death, explosives
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) ‰?? A chemical company says one of its plants has suffered an explosion in northern Chile, killing two workers.
The Australian company Orica confirmed the explosion in a Sunday statement.
The explosion occurred Saturday afternoon at its chemical and explosives plant in Antofagasta about 680 miles (1,100 km) north of Santiago and set off a fire that was controlled hours later by area firefighters.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
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STAFF RESCUED FROM THOMASTOWN NITROUS ACID LEAK
Tags: Australia, industrial, release, response, other_chemical
Firefighters have rescued four workers trapped during a nitrous acid leak in an industrial area in Melbourne's north.
Staff at Electromold in Holt Parade, Thomastown, sheltered inside while more than 20 firefighters including Hazmat crews worked to contain the toxic leak, which began around 10.15am Saturday.
Workers from a Thomastown factory were evacuated by firefighters. Photo: Facebook/(MFB) Metropolitan Fire Brigade
An orange cloud is escaping the tank and an exclusion zone of 250 metres has been created downwind of the site.
MFB Steve Moore spokesman said firefighters are working to contain and neutralise the spill of about 100 litres of acid, none of which has entered drains.
"The remaining contents of the 1000 litre tank are then to be decanted to a clean container for neutralising."
---------------------------------------------
FIREFIGHTERS BATTLE CHEMICAL LEAK IN PASADENA
Tags: us_TX, industrial, release, response, ammonia
Firefighters are trying to figure out what led to an ammonia leak at a food processing plant in Pasadena.
Fire officials say the plant is on South Richie Street.
Ammonia was leaking from a freezer inside the plant.
The leak was not a threat to nearby communities.
There was, reportedly, just a terrible smell left behind.
---------------------------------------------
GERMANY BEGINS DESTROYING GADDAFI-ERA CHEMICAL WEAPONS FROM LIBYA
Tags: Germany, industrial, discovery, response, toxics
Germany has begun destroying toxic materials from Libya‰??s chemical weapons program, the country‰??s defense ministry revealed on Friday.
Nearly 500 tons of toxic materials dating back to the Gaddafi era were transferred to a special center in northern Germany this week, the ministry said in a statement.
The work of destroying the chemicals will continue for several months.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said his country‰??s assistance to the Libyan Government of National Accord would contribute to international security.
‰??We need to prevent toxic chemicals from falling into the wrong hands. In doing so, our aim is to improve security in Germany, Europe and, of course, Libya,‰?? he said in a statement.
---------------------------------------------
EXPLOSION IN CARGO TANK OF CHEMICAL TANKER EIWA MARU 3 OFF JAPAN
Tags: Japan, transportation, explosion, death, other_chemical
Explosion in cargo tank of chemical tanker Eiwa Maru 3 killed one and injured two seamen off Japan. The vessel was making en route from Shimotsu to Yokkaichi in Japan under ballast, passing through Kiisuido Strait and making tank cleaning. At the same time the engineers party was performing wielding works on a cargo deck, which inflamed the chemical gasses and caused explosion into the cargo tank. The blast was strong, causing serious injuries and burns of three crew members. The incident was reported to the local authorities and coast guard dispatched a helicopter to medevac the injured people. One of the, the Chief Engineer of Korean nationality, died in the hospital. The another two Indonesian crew are in stable condition, but with heavy burns.
The chemical tanker Eiwa Maru 3 returned to Wakayama port, where was docked for further inspection and investigation. The other crew did not suffered injuries. The local authorities ordered full inspection of the tanker and started investigation for the root cause of the explosion.
---------------------------------------------
20 CHILDREN CONSUMED POISONOUS COPPER SULFATE CHEMICAL, HOSPITALISED
Tags: India, education, release, injury, copper_sulphate
HOWRA: Twenty primary school children were taken ill after consuming poisonous copper sulfate chemical here today.
However, all the students are out of danger, said authorities of the hospital where they were admitted.
One of the students of state-run Kamargaria primary school in Jaipur area found a packet of unknown substance on the road and brought it to school.
Thinking that it could have been some salt, 20 students of various classes ate it, said Sudip Karar, Superintendent of Uluberia General Hospital.
Shortly afterwards they started complaining of stomachache and nausea. They were first taken to a local hospital and then to Uluberia General Hospital.
The children were given saline and are now out of danger, Karar said.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT TEAM RUSHES TO SECONDARY SCHOOL IN SABAH AFTER MERCURY SPILL
Tags: Malaysia, laboratory, release, injury, mercury
KOTA KINABALU: A hazardous materials (Hazmat) team from the Fire and Rescue Department was rushed to a secondary school in Penampang after a thermometer broke, spilling mercury in a laboratory there.
Department spokesman Affendy Ramin said a Form Four student, Joshua Vinilis Johny, 16, sustained minor injuries in the 8.40am incident Friday.
He said Joshua was taken to the hospital by the St Michael secondary school vehicle for treatment.
Affendy said about 20 students and a teacher who were in the laboratory at that time were evacuated from the area.
---------------------------------------------
AT LEAST 15 DEAD IN BANGLADESH FACTORY FIRE
Tags: Bangladesh, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical
DHAKA (AFP) - At least fifteen people have been killed and 70 injured, many critically, in a huge fire triggered by a boiler explosion at a Bangladeshi packaging factory, officials said Saturday.
"The death toll has risen to 15 and at least 70 people have been injured," Parvez Mia, a doctor at the Tongi state-run hospital, told AFP.
"Most of them had burn injuries. We sent the critically injured victims to the hospitals in Dhaka," he said.
Around 100 people were working when flames tore through the building following an explosion in the boiler room at the four-storey factory in the industrial town of Tongi, just north of the capital Dhaka.
Police say they are concerned many workers may still be trapped inside the building.
"The fire is still not under control," police inspector Sirajul Islam told AFP.
Chemicals may have been stored on the ground floor of the factory, helping to explain how the blaze that began at 6 am (0000 GMT) spread so fast, said Tahmidul Islam of Bangladesh‰??s industrial police unit.
---------------------------------------------
LAS VEGAS FIRE BREAKS DOWN PREPAREDNESS FOR HAZMAT SITUATIONS -
Tags: us_NV, education, follow-up, response, mercury
Las Vegas Fire and Rescue called the mercury scare at Walter Johnson Middle School the largest decontamination incident in the department's history.
It took 17 hours to screen more than 1,200 students and staff members at the school. No one was hurt during the mercury scare, but the situation has drawn questions about preparedness in the state.
So how prepared are first responders when it comes to handling hazardous events that could lead to mass casualties?
After the tragedy on 9/11, different agencies in the Las Vegas valley started doing annual training to respond to all types of mass casualty events, especially in areas of high concentration, like the Las Vegas Strip, but unlike a shooting or an earthquake, handling a hazmat situation is a slower and tedious process.
Frustrations were running high as parents waited for numerous hours to pick up their children from the school after the mercury contamination.
---------------------------------------------
6 HOSPITALIZED AFTER UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE CAUSES HAZMAT ALERT IN IRVINE
Tags: us_CA, transportation, release, injury, unknown_chemical, waste
IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- Six people were taken to hospitals after developing symptoms possibly due to an unknown substance at a waste management and recycling facility in Irvine, officials say.
The hazmat situation was reported around 8 a.m. at Sunset Environmental, located in the 16100 block of Construction Circle West. The entire facility was evacuated, which amounted to about 20 people.
The facility is where trash and recyclable materials are separated. No hazardous materials are supposed to be dumped at the location.
According to the Orange County Fire Authority, a total of seven people exhibited symptoms, including coughing, sneezing and watery eyes. Six people were taken to local hospitals.
Those showing symptoms included two drivers with Ecology Auto Parts, who were getting their trucks ready to haul sorted trash to the landfill.
"Couple of our drivers were at the catwalk tarping their loads in, started to feel nauseous, irritation in the nose, eyes watering and sneezing," described a worker at the scene.
The OCFA used equipment to monitor the air, while a hazmat team tried to find a source of the problem.
---------------------------------------------
SETTING A SAFE COURSE FOR GENE EDITING RESEARCH
Tags: laboratory, discovery, environmental
(Nanowerk News) A new DARPA program could help unlock the potential of advanced gene editing technologies by developing a set of tools to address potential risks of this rapidly advancing field. The Safe Genes program envisions addressing key safety gaps by using those tools to restrict or reverse the propagation of engineered genetic constructs.
"Gene editing holds incredible promise to advance the biological sciences, but right now responsible actors are constrained by the number of unknowns and a lack of controls,‰?? said Renee Wegrzyn, DARPA program manager. ‰??DARPA wants to develop controls for gene editing and derivative technologies to support responsible research and defend against irresponsible actors who might intentionally or accidentally release modified organisms.‰??
DARPA's Safe Genes program aims to develop a layered biosafety and biosecurity toolkit that will help reduce potential risks and encourage innovation in the field of genome editing.
Safe Genes was inspired in part by recent advances in the field of ‰??gene drives,‰?? which can alter the genetic character of a population of organisms by ensuring that certain edited genetic traits are passed down to almost every individual in subsequent generations. Scientists have studied self-perpetuating gene drives for decades, but the 2012 development of the genetic tool CRISPR-Cas9, which facilitates extremely precise genetic edits, radically increased the potential value of‰??and in some quarters the demand for‰??experimental gene drives.
Traditional biosafety and biosecurity measures including physical biocontainment, research moratoria, self-governance, and regulation are not designed for technologies that are, in fact, explicitly intended for environmental release and are widely available to users who operate outside of conventional institutions. The goal of Safe Genes is to build in biosafety for new biotechnologies at their inception, provide a range of options to respond to synthetic genetic threats, and create an understanding of what is possible, probable, and vulnerable with regard to emergent gene editing technologies. ‰??DARPA is pursuing a suite of versatile tools that can be applied independently or in combination to support bio-innovation or combat bio-threats,‰?? Wegrzyn said.
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