Exposure to Environmental Toxins

   Environmental toxins are chemicals and other substances that have the potential of causing harm to humans and the environment. They are known to contribute to the development of diseases when exposed to them in sufficient amounts. The sources of environmental toxins range from building materials to consumer products to personal care products. Other major sources of environmental toxins include chemicals that are used in production/manufacturing processes. Nonetheless, there are natural agents such as ozone which is also known to have adverse health effects in humans especially  among vulnerable populations including children, the elderly and sick people. Depending on where an individual is at a particular point in time, there are several environmental toxins he or she may be exposed to. These environmental toxins could cause certain cancers and respiratory diseases. Others have been associated with acute and chronic illnesses.
Environmental toxins are categorized into three. They are Chemical Toxins, Biological Toxins and Physical Toxins. The table below gives some examples of the different categories of environmental toxins.

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Chemical Toxins	Biological Toxins	Physical Toxins
Lead Mercury Asbestos Cadmium Arsenic more	Bacteria Viruses Other microbes	Noise Radiation Heat Cold Direct blows

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    There are several sources of environmental toxins. These sources can be found in cities, towns, farms, ports and even borders such as the U.S.-Mexico border. Human exposure to them occur through inhalation, skin contact or eating/drinking contaminated food. Sources of environmental toxins in cities include airplanes, brownfields, construction sites, drinking water, electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and factories. Towns sources include homes, schools, parks, factories, drinking water, offices and stores. Most of the chemicals found in towns are similar to those in cities. For farms, animal waste, feeding operations, landfills, outdoor air, barn and silo are the main sources of toxins in the environment. Sources with respect ports are algae blooms, rivers, beaches, cruise ships, fish farms and septic systems, whereas border sources (specifically the U.S.-Mexico border) include auto shops, colonia, crop fields, drinking water, maquiladora and tienda. In addition to the above mentioned locations, there are other locations that are potential sources for environmental toxins.

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