Three Common Chemicals Found in the Home - Essay Example

Identify three common chemicals found in the home and discuss their potential for toxicological poisoning. Include what treatment, if any, is appropriate in these poisoning cases. Please cite a reference source for your response. As researchers have identified that average of 62 toxic chemicals are found in a common household. Over 3 million cases of poisoning are reported each year and growing rapidly. The major percentage of these are three groups infants and toddlers, chronically ill and the elderly respectively.

These household chemicals have become so common in our households that no proper supervision and care is taken while handling them which contribute majorly to poisoning accidents. Following are three of the many types of household chemicals found. Sodium carbonate This chemical can be easily found in many household products. In dishwashing fluids , bubble baths solutions, in some bleaches, glass products etc. As a result of toxicity by sodium carbonate a person might collapse, get diarrhea, redness of eyes itching and pain, blood pressure can fall , vomiting , difficulty in swallowing etc.

In case of poisoning immediate medical help should be consulted. A person should not be made to throw up until and unless instructions by a physician are given. If the chemical gets into eyes or on skin, the affected area should be flushed with lots of water for a good 15 minutes. If the chemical was swallowed then the person should be given a glass of water or milk. If he’s vomiting or level of alertness has decreased then this treatment should not be followed as a medical care officer should be consulted.

In case of inhalation of the chemical the person should be moved to a place with open and fresh air. Sodium Hydroxide This chemical is a common component of household batteries, usually referred to as dry cells. Dry cells are used in variety of household products to power them. Also I can found in cleaning agents such as drain cleaners. It has also been used as a relaxer in straightening lotions. In case of contact with this chemical people can experience severe burns. In can cause blindness if it falls or splashes into eyes.

Diarrhea , severe mouth pain and abdominal pain, vomiting and in severe cases throat swollen shut in case of dry cell battery poisoning. Immediate medical treatment should be approached if the battery is swallowed. If the chemical fell onto the skin or the battery broke and the contents touched the eyes , the affected area should be washed thoroughly with water. If the person breathe in fumes of dry batteries he should be introduced to fresh air and made to breathe heavily. Hydrochloric acid Commonly found in fertilizers, pool chemicals, in bleaches and some soldering fluxes.

Incase HCL is swallowed the person may experience acute chest pain, blood pressure can fall , vomiting blood and severe abdominal pain. If fumes of HCL are inhaled symptoms like dizziness, shortening of breathe, weakness, choking etc are experienced. If HCL falls on skin then the affected area should be rinsed thoroughly with water and ice should be applied to reduce the pain of burning. In case of swallowing immediate medical help should be approached as it’s a highly corrosive chemical and cause severe damage to respiratory organs, eyes, intestines etc.

If fumes are inhaled the person should be taken to hospital as the byproduct of HCL burning is chlorine gas which is highly poisonous. References Eric Perez, M. D.-R. (n.d.). Retrieved from Medline Plus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ H., K. (n.d.). Toxic Household Chemical Facts and Statistics . Retrieved from wellsphere: http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-eating-article/toxic-household-chemical-facts-and-statistics/658392 M.D, D. S. (1995). The Safe Shoppers Bible, A Consumers Guide to Nontoxic Household Products, Cosmetics and Food.