A Forensic Approach to Consumer Chemistry Selman A. Berger C i t y University o f
New York, John Jay College o f
C r i m i n a l Justice,
445 W e s t 5 9 Street, New York, N Y 10019
T h e r e c e n t r e p o r t , "Science and E n g i n e e r i n g f o r t h e 1980's p u b l i c r e g a r d i n g t h e c h e m i c a l s t o w h i c h t h e y are f r e q u e n t l y a n d B e y o n d , " h a s suggested t h a t nonscience m a i o r s m u s t exposed. l i t e r ; l r \ 11, ~ ~ ~ t d c r ~ II~CIC l i ~ t i ~ l d w c l u l ~4 .;rc?ter x.ictltili; W h i l e t h e r e i s n o d e a r t h in t h e n u m b e r o f a p p l i e d n o n t v , . h t i t l l L g ~:11>m1twhi, h t h ~ \y% i l lh l t e n~:th, J , ~ \ . - ~ ~ , - d i ~ y science courses w h i c h h a v e b e e n ~ r o ~ o s ethere d. d o n o t annear d e c i i i m - I U u r i t t g 1111. .,-I i 1 w y:.~r>, t h r i11di\,idu31'; r t r l ~ t o b e m a n y in t h e a r e a of consume; c h e m i s t r y (4). ~ h e k eex 3 . n,n,unit.r h 3 h e m t n r r ; ~ t c t ~ t (It It ~ l t t ((IILI imaL,lr a3lef). i s t i n g courses stress t h e f u n c t i o n i n g of t h e ~ r o d u cingredients t .III(I t(,xt,it\ 111 i.lit~rni~.al.a,ltich 3rc i t ~ < r t d i c n t : 111 r.,111111t.ras r e l a t e d t o s u c h c h e m i c a l as &face tension, h y ci,tlIy ~ ~ v , ~ i pru111tc.t~. l ~ t l ~ l ~ R C c c n t & l L , > i ~ r e < c ~ t i r ~ . r t t i t i!lit g d r o g e n b o n d i n g , h y d r o g e n a t i o n , etc. (5,6).A l i s t o f d i f f e r e n t
,.
.I
.
.
s h o u l d s t i m n i a t e a greater interest o n t h e p a r t o f t h e general Table
1.
t y p e s of p r o d u c t s w o u l d b e evaluated by e x a m i n i n g t h e various ingredients a n d d e t e r m i n i n g h o w each one functions. In a college of c r i m i n a l justice, t h e t h r u s t of s u c h a course w o u l d b e q u i t e d i f f e r e n t . In a d d i t i o n t o g a i n i n g an u n d e r -
Goals of a Forensic Oriented Course in Consumer Chemistry
i. Development of essential mathematical skills important to the consumer. 11. The relationshipbetween composition and function of chemical ingredients in commercially available products. Ill. The safety and toxicity of components. IV. Responsibility of manufacturer in product development, testing, and safety. V. Role of governmental agencies in regulating product safety. VI. Understanding the role of litigation in consumer affairs. Table 2.
c a l l y o r i e n t e d c o n s u m e r c h e m i s t r y c o i r s e . In T a b l e
2 an
A portion of this material was presented at the 13th Annual Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, March 19-23. 1979. Monrnouth College, West Long Branch. NJ
Topical Outline for a Consumer Chemistry Course
I. Mathematics and the Consumer (1 week: A. Application of Dimensional Analysis B. Percentage by Weight C. Graph and Chart interpretation D. Bulk Buying E. Use of Simple Statistics 11. Composition, Properties, Uses. and Hazards of Chemical Ingredients in Commercial Products (9weeks) A. Container Materials 1. Plastics 2. Glass 3. Metal Allovs 4. Paper B. Drugs 1. Over-the-counter Drugs a. Allergy Preparations b. Cough Medicines C. ~ n t i i c i d s d. Analgesics and Anti-pyretics e. Vitamins 2. Prescription Drugs a. Antibiotics b. Hypnotics C . Diuretics d. Amphetamines e. Analgesics and Narcotics f. Cancer Chemotherapy C. Cosmetics and Hygienic Products 1. Antiperspirants 2. Hair tonics and sprays 3. Hair treatment processes 4. Depilatories 5. Antiseptics 6. Skin creams and Lipsticks 7. Soaps
D. Household Cleaning Products 1. Soaps and detergents 2. Sink and drain cleaners 3. Organic solvents 4. Window and floor cleaners E. Prepared Foods and Their Additives 1. Prepared Foods 2. Function of Additives 3. Synthetic Foods. Diet, and Health Foods F. Clothing 1. Characteristics of Natural and Synthetic Materials 2. Dry Cleaning Processes 3. Dyeing G. Agricultural Products 1. Rodenticides 2. Herbicides 3. Fertilizers H. Fuei. Its Properties 1. Natural and Synthetic gas 2. Oil and Gasoline 3. Coal 4. Radioactivity 5. Solar sources 6. Future sources Ill. The Manufacturer and Product Safety (2 weeks) A. Manufacturer's Testing Programs 1. Quality Control 2. Toxicology Studies 3. Animal Testing B. Examples of Litigation Relating to Product Safety C. Role of Lobby Groups IV. Role of Governmental Agencies in Monitoring and Regulating Product Safety A. Local. State, and Federal Statutes (2 weeks) B. Federal Regulatory Agencies C. Function of Governmentai Monitarino Laboratories 1 Role of the Pubic Health San~tar~an 2 Laboratory testlng 3 lnve~tigatlonof Adulterated Products
-
Volume 6 0
Number
1
January 1 9 8 3
33
Table 3. Listing of Some Chemical lngredlents in Consumer Products Useful for Student Research Projects C h e m i c a l ingredient
Product
in w h i c h i t is contained
References
Asbestos
patching compounds. artificial e m b e r i r i n g materials, h a i r dryers. and many other products
24
Halocarbons
aerosol propellants anti-abortive drug germicidal s o a p
25-27 28 29. 30
tranquilizer cancer c h e m o t h e r a p y antibiotic
31 32 33
D.E.S. Hexachlorophene Thaiidomide Laetrile Chioramohenicoi
outline for the lecture portion of the course is given. It includes a section which deals with basic mathematical skills, which is important since many students in nonscience major chemistry courses express great fear in doing the most rudimentary arithmetical operations. Section 2 describes the composition, properties, uses, and possible hazards of the chemical ingredients in a wide classification of consumer products. Section 3, elaborates upon the responsibility of the manufacturer in product safety, while the role of governmental agencies in monitoring and regulating product safety is outlined in Section 4. In order to help the student gain a better insight into the Drocess involved in the recoenition of the hazardous mowerties . . of a chemical to its final control by a governmental agency, a case studv can be illustrated. A verv well-documented e x a m ~ l e can be cited for the presence of lead in paints. It has been recoenized since the 1940's that ~ e e l i nm r i n t containing lead h a geen ingested by children, rebultingi;l lead poisoning(l0). Mild symptoms of insomnia, fatigue, listlessness, loss of appetite have been observed in addition to mental retardation and death in the more extreme cases (9). During the last ten years, Federal legislation has altered the allowable percentage of lead in paints between 1%and 0.06%. Currently the Consumer Product Safety Commission has set the limit to 0.06% as a result of investigations and hearings (22). General information relating to the background of lead intoxication is given in references (7-15); the views of the paint industry are cited in references (16-20) and (231, while the actions of the Federal government are contained in references (14) and (21-23). In recent years, other chemical ingredients which have been shown to he hazards can also be used as case studies for student oroiects. These are listed in Table 3, with a few a m r o sumer Product Safety Commission include cellulose insulation, henzidine, formaldehyde (21, asbestos and benzene l.?i ~-,.
As this course is concerned with an applied chemical approach, students would need to have a fairly strong high school chemistry background or a one-semester nonmajor's chemistry course which would stress the fundamentals of atomic structure, bonding, and introductory principles of organic chemistrv. Laboratory work would include (a) preparation and properties of simwle commercial wroducts. (b) isolation of components from existing products, (c) examination of ingredients listed on labels with librarv follow-UD , visits to . ~ . r o. i e c t s(dl , . c ~ ! ~ , n 1~~ 4~1rrd,c i , rie 1 6 9 . . 1Ii.c I:~.II-it o f f t 1.1 IIN ; p . i ~ , i f : ~ r ti.
Ic- r t I 41,
.,
r l tl,tIit
I t , m ~ r e1 1 ~ ~ 1 ~ r : . i I, l. i ~ r \ . d < 11111,
111 .)It . r > c
studies relating to hazardous chemical ingrediknts. Concerning the availability of text material, there is no single hook which covers the material in Table 2. Chapters from some available texts may be referred to for coverage of some of the products (34-36). However, there are a great many useful reference materials available in most college libraries. Such magazines as Changing Times, The New Republic, and Consunzer Reports are quite useful. The latter contains cur34 Journal of Chemical Education
rent examples of specific court cases relating to product liability in a section called The Docket. In addition, the Consumer Product Safety Commission Issues annual reports and periodic bulletins relating to product safety. Literature Cited
.,.,,.. I?) Annual Report. U.S. Pmducf Safety CommirrV~n. pf 2. Urnd>ingtan. DC 20207.
lss" ..... I41 I51 161 171
Huifclt1er.J D., J . C H E M El l'irem. ""d Ham. 1%.J Mattiello J
1971, sh. 12. 19i Blood. P.K.. ,h'd~ior). "Essryr inToximlog~."Vul. I. A r a c l e m ~Press. New Yurk, 1969,
1977). (201 Roland. R, A.,"AreU.S. and RuiinrrrcsHradedfniComprtihilitv?."Amrr Painland Cnotingi Jnernal. 62, 16 IFeb 6.19761. (21) "Research Report on llnpart Study of Load i n I ' r i n t , 8 a t t r l l i Rrrenrrh Laboraturier Columbus, OH. SeyL 27, 1976. (221 Federal Reziifcr. JZFH, 9406, IPeh 16, 19771. 1251 Consumer ProducLSarety Commiiiinn, "Fisal Fnvirnnmentul Impact Statement on 1 . d Confmt in Print."Yol l a n d 11. WaihmgtonUC 20'207, Ma) 1977. 1241 ".4sbcrtos and Health-An Annotated B~hliooraphyr , f P u b l ~m d l'nrlrss~onrlE d u ~ rviinnrlMrteriali." U.S.DepL.H.E.W..Pub. Nu. 7%1842, hug. 1978. (251 Bmdeur. P.. "Ammli uS Chemistry: Aernnul Spluya." N e u i i l i k e r . 61, 47 (.4pn1 7. 19751 126) Mitch?ll, S.. " H n r Spray in tho Ozone: The Politics oS Froos." 'Na'uicnn. 220. 77'1 l l u n ? ?8,1975). 127) "Aommlr Under Siege: Um#s und Coimi,iic indiisirv. 12%28 1.llmr 1977). (281 Shago, M. S.. "A Nsfionof(:oiner Pi~s,"PreeI'ress-MrcMdlmi'ab.Co..Ne%vYurk. ,97ll,"l,. 7. 1291 "F. D. r\. Wwld Curh Hexachlorphene as Skin Cleanser: W o l i S i i i i t i o u i n o I , ~ .I . ldnn.6. 19721. 1301 "Hexachiomphene Ran Alters Lhe Cumpiexion u l A c n e ~ l h eM w k r t . " Wnil Strift ~ p.~ I. Inec. 26, ~19721. ~ ~ ~ ~ i . [ : i l l Kldeowry, J., "More AbuW Thslld,mmidc,"lV~a~Rrpublilr.. 119661. L3P) Shame. M . S.. rVea: Hepublit, pp. 68-72, 119661. I:W 'Chloromyrrlin." Cc~nrunirrOcpart*, I O c t 19701. (:id) Srinr. IV. H.. "Chemistry fnr tho Canrumer;'Allyn and Bacon, Bustun. 1!178. .."Chemirtry,~l\lm, m d 155) ,lanes,N. M.,NetLrrnlle. J.T.,Johniun,ll. O.,and Wuod,.l. i. ~ ~ , ~ i ~andt ~ ~ h. ~ ~" ~ d~ e i ~pi ~h ni~aoC ,, ~~ ~ dDIti.I~ ~ ~ (:16) Millrr.,lr.,G. T.,"Chen!i?try: A Canfempornr?Appmrih," WrdsrllrlhPub.Co, lnr.. Iirlmoni. CA, 1976. Chrpr. 12-11.
ca..
Suggested Supplementary Sources (11 Ev~Is..~.H.. IEdiioil. "Cunrnmerism in thoUnited Stales-An I i ~ l r r l n r l u i r r y A n a l ~ ysls," l'raeprr Pulr.. New York. 1960,~h.h, 6. lnc. l n ~ (21 Dlckerrun, F. R., "Product Safety i n Huusehold Coodi." R o b b r ~ M w r i l Co., l dianrpolir. 1968. (:%ISanford, D.. IEdiinrl. "Hot War on the Consumer." Pitman Pub. Co., N e v Yoik,
