Why in news?
At least 11 people have died as a result of a gas leak in Punjab’s Ludhiana recently. As per the medical examination the deaths were not caused by suffocation but by the gas’s harmful effect on the nervous system of the victims.
High levels of Hydrogen Sulphide gas, a kind of neurotoxin, have been detected. Hydrogen sulphide is so toxic that even one breath of it taken inside can kill a person.
Probably some acidic waste was thrown into sewer which reacted with methane, carbon monoxide and other sewerage gases to produce hydrogen sulphide.
What is Neurotoxicity?
Neuro-toxicity occurs when the exposure to natural or manmade toxic substances (neurotoxicants) alters the normal activity of the nervous system that includes brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
Nerve cells, or neurons, communicate with each other through a series of electrical and chemical signals and are at the greatest risk of damage from neurotoxins because of their high metabolic rate.
How neuro-toxic substances damage nerve cell function?
Neuro-toxic substances can damage nerve cell function by modifying the structure of the cell membrane, which controls the passage of ions into and out of the neuron. As a result, the electrical activity of the neuron may change.
How neuro-toxic substances affect neurotransmitters?
Neurotoxins can prevent neurotransmitters from being released or taken up by other neurons, thereby preventing their production or release. Neurotransmitters are responsible for signal transmission between neurons.
What are neurotoxic gases?
Methane, hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are common neurotoxic gases .While methane and carbon monoxide are odourless gases, hydrogen sulphide has a pungent odour and in higher concentration it can be fatal for humans.
To remove gases such as hydrogen sulphide from wastewater, chemical oxidation is done, where oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide are added to the wastewater.
Neurotoxic smoke
Wildfire smoke is a mixture of countless noxious chemical compounds. Fires burning across the warming planet – from California to Greece and Australia – are adding dangerous particulate matter to the atmosphere that includes neurotoxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and manganese nanoparticles.
These toxins are an added environmental burden on top of the pollutants emitted by factories, power plants, trucks, automobiles and other sources.
The greatest potential for health problems comes from minuscule particles, smaller than 2.5 microns – or PM 2.5 . This is, in part, because tiny particles are easily inhaled; from the lungs, they enter the bloodstream and circulate widely throughout the body.
In the brain they may inflame the microglial cells, the brain’s defensive cells, causing harm to neurons instead of protecting them.
Studies show that these extremely tiny particles may damage neurons or brain cells by promoting inflammation. Brain inflammation can lead to conditions like dementia and Parkinson’s disease, a movement disorder in adults.
Waterborne neurotoxins
Blue-green algae (though it’s commonly called algae) is actually a type of bacteria called cyanobacteria. These toxic microorganisms thrive and proliferate in warm waterways when excessive nutrients, particularly phosphorus from fertilizer runoff, pour into fresh and brackish water. It produces cyanotoxins.
One of these cyanotoxins, β-methylamino-L-alanine, or BMAA, is linked to neurodegenerative disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
In 2020, more than 300 elephants in Botswana died after drinking from water sources contaminated by the cyanobacteria that cause these algal blooms.
Mold neurotoxins
Warm, humid air creates the perfect conditions for mold to grow, and water-damaged buildings are particularly susceptible. Some species emit mycotoxins, or mold toxins.
Long-term exposure to mycotoxins, even at low levels, can present serious health hazards for both people and animals.
Mold spores are tiny, making them easy to inhale or ingest. Inside the body they can trigger an immune response, leading to chronic inflammation.
Ultimately, exposure to these spores may cause cognitive impairment, including memory loss, irritability, numbness, tremors and other symptoms.
Such a situation is likely to develop after a region has experienced the flooding of residences or workplaces in the weeks after they have been damaged.
Mold toxins, particularly ochratoxin A, can trigger inflammation that may harm neurons and brain function. It has been specifically implicated in Parkinson’s disease.
Measures to take in the event of a hazardous gas leak
Cover your mouth and nose with a towel or mask to avoid breathing in the dangerous vapours.
Move to a safe position uphill and upwind of the source of the gas leak.
Call the emergency services, provide as much information as possible regarding the location and type of gas leak.
Wait until emergency personnel have given the all-clear before returning to the area.
Even if you feel fine, if you have been exposed to a harmful gas, you should seek medical attention soon.
For more information visit https://www.tcimedicine.com/post/neurotoxins-cause-effect-and-prevention
