Exploring the Aluminum Industry

Exploring the Aluminum Industry

Aluminum, once an element only owned by the rich, has now become a common everyday materials that can be found in satellites, jewelry, eyeglass frames, optical instruments, tableware, foil, and is a major component of basic house building. So with such an important element there always comes an industry that adheres the classical law of supply and demand. According to a journal by the the National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI), aluminum production comes from the mining of raw ore before the actual Aluminum metal itself is extracted through various industrial process such as refining and smelting. The journal then goes into more detail about all three process and the associated health risks that come with them as well as the overall impact that aluminum extraction has on the climate. Some of the possible health hazards mentioned in the article were: heat stress, hearing loss, musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory problems, lung disease, cancer, ETC. The impacts that aluminum extraction has on the environment were said to be industrial emission of airborne chemicals that can contaminate nearby waters and soil while putting the nearby community at risk of developing acute cancer.

Something that I found interesting about the article is when they mentioned the possibility of developing technology that could lead to a new aluminum extraction process called carborthermic production of aluminum which could lead to energy savings which could lead to the Aluminum industry saving 21% of energy on a yearly while also extracting purer versions of Aluminum. Despite all the problems that come with extracting Aluminum both internally and externally I still believe that this industry must be allowed to continue to develop considering how important Aluminum is in housewares. Besides we can all rest easy knowing that there are in fact plenty of prevention methods put in place over the years, such the personal protective equipment act (PPE) or the powered air purifying act (PPAP) that severely reduces the risk of health hazards mentioned in this journal. Now a question that I would have for my readers would be: What do you think should be done to improve workroom safety in the aluminum industry?

Sources;

Wesdock, James C., and Ian M. F. Arnold. “Occupational and Environmental Health in the Aluminum Industry.” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, vol. 56, 8 May 2014, doi:10.1097/jom.0000000000000071.

The Ethics of Alcohol

The Ethics of Alcohol

Ethanol is a commonly used chemical substance in modern society. It is the main component to almost all alcoholic beverages like beer and wine. Ethanol can described as a colourless liquid that has a high solubility rate in water and other organic compounds.  Ethanol is a covalent compound made up of carbon, hydrogen and hydroxide which bond to create C2H5OH. In this post I will be discussing the risks and benefits of alcohol consumption and the ethanol that is present within it.

In an article posted by Drugs.com the subject of alcohol and its risks/benefits are discussed. The article begins with a brief summary of what alcohol is and how many grams of ethanol have to be present to equal 1 drink. The article then moves on to address the health hazards of alcohol consumption. It states that even in moderate doses alcohol consumption can lead to an increased risk of colon, rectum, liver, mouth, throat or breast cancer developing. The article also states that abuse of alcohol can lead to psychiatric problems like anxiety, depression and a decrease in social skills. The article then counters this point with describing the positive effects of alcohol consumption. The article mentions that small doses of alcoholic beverages like wine can help reduce the risk of heart diseases and help prevent the formation of blood clots. The article then concludes with treatment options for alcoholism.

After reading this article I believe that alcohol is a substance that brings more harm than good when it comes to human health. However, I don’t believe that alcohol should be treated as a hazardous substance that should be fought against, because in reality, it isn’t any more evil than fire or water. The main problem is that people are proving to be incapable of controlling their consumption rate of alcohol just like young children are incapable of understanding the dangers of playing with fire. So in my opinion despite all the negative health consequences that alcohol presents, it should still be made as accessible as water and fire is currently.

My question would be, do you believe that alcohol distribution and accessibility needs to be more government controlled. Or, do you think that alcohol products should be made more accessible and trust the population to make their own choices regarding their health?

Citations:

“The Risks and Benefits of Drinking Alcohol.” Product Reviews and Ratings - Consumer Reports, Consumer Reports , June 2010, www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/01/the-risks-and-benefits-of-drinking-alcohol/index.htm.

“Alcohol (Ethanol) Effects, Hazards & Warnings.” Drugs.com, Drugs.com, 2 Apr. 2018, www.drugs.com/alcohol.htm.