Toxins in the Body
Tu K Ly
Devry University

Toxins in the Body
The human body contains toxins that originate from chemicals that occur naturally and those made by humans. These toxins normally enter the body through inhalation, consumption of contaminated food and/or water, or even absorption through the skin. Some of the toxins that persist in the human body include lead, mercury, dioxin, and furans, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The lead toxin is contained in both the indoor and outdoor air. Industries, waste incinerators, and plants manufacturing lead-acid battery usually emit that from the outdoor air. Lead-based paint is also a source of both lead contained in indoor and outdoor air. The lead present in drinking water normally comes from the corrosion of lead-containing materials found in the water supply systems. The coal-fired power plants are the leading emitters of mercury in the environment because mercury occurs naturally in coal. Gold mining is another source of mercury as it is largely used in the separation of gold from the mined ore. Waste incinerators produce mercury through the burning of disposed items containing mercury, for instance, thermometers and compact fluorescent light bulbs. Cement kilns also release mercury contained in the coal used as fuel in cement-manufacturing plants. Fish is another major source of mercury as it contains higher concentrations of mercury, which the fish takes up after consuming seafood that gets contaminated by mercury pollution that enters oceans and other water bodies. Its natural sources include volcanic eruptions and forest fires. Pesticide sprays are the major sources of DDT. Other sources include food products that were grown using DDT sprays as it is transferred up to the food chain. Dioxins and furans, which include hundreds of chemicals, are mainly by-products of industrial processes and pollutants from waste incineration activities. The sources of PBDEs in the environment include flame-retardants that are used in a wide range of products, such as furniture, building materials, and textiles.
Most of the substances that human bodies come into contact with during a normal day contain these toxins. For instance, it is almost certain that individuals will touch painted surfaces, such as walls, toys, and casings of gadgets like phones during a normal day. The paint on such substances has a higher likelihood of containing lead toxins that are harmful to human health. Most the cosmetic substances applied on the human skin contain metals, such as mercury, which enter the body through the skin. We come into contact with food materials on a daily basis, where its consumption can result in the uptake DDT toxins in case of vegetables and cereals previously sprayed with DDT pesticides or mercury in fishes that inhabited mercury polluted waters. The wearing of clothes dry-cleaned with solvents exposes our skin to such toxins, which can eventually penetrate the skin into our bodies. The deodorant sprays we use contain harmful hydrocarbons, most of which we inhale throughout the day. The plastic food containers we store food in can contain hydrocarbons and heavy metals, such as lead that can enter the body through consumption of contaminated foods. The toothpastes we often use contain chemicals, such as fluoride, anti-microbial compounds, detergents, abrasives and flavoring and thickening agents that can end up in our bodies. It is therefore evident that on a daily basis, our bodies are exposed to a wide range of substances that contain toxins that can end up in our bodies, thereby threatening our health.