Fireworks toxins can damage your health. Fireworks contain potassium perchlorate and other heavy metals such as dioxin, cadmium, and lead. These toxins land on the soil and can leak into lakes and enter the food chain. Avoid exposure to fireworks by remaining inside or far away from the fireworks displays.
What toxins are in fireworks?
Fireworks toxins include potassium perchlorate, gunpowder, and metals such as aluminum, dioxin, rubidium, cadmium, antimony, mercury, lithium, arsenic and lead. Potassium perchlorate is an ingredient in rocket fuel. It can reduce the body’s ability to absorb iodine, which is critical to thyroid health. The gunpowder used in fireworks can contain a mix of potassium nitrate, sulphur and charcoal. However, the potassium perchlorate is often used in place of the potassium nitrate because its chemical reactions are more stable.
Chemical added to fireworks
Copper is added to make blue fireworks and they can create cancerous dioxins if the chemical reactions of the s are not complete. Dioxin can cause skin lesions as well as issues with blood sugar and hormonal regulation. The green color is fireworks is made by the metal barium. Exposure to barium can cause diarrhea and other digestive issues, muscle weakness and difficulty breathing. Extreme exposure to barium can lead to irregular heartbeats and even death. Sulphur dioxide is a byproduct of sulfur combustion. This is the same ingredient that causes acid rain, affection crops and the water supply.
Toxins remain after firework displays
One hour after a fireworks display levels of strontium have been shown to have increased 120 times, and barium 12 times, research has shown. A study in 2010 pointed out that exposure to fireworks could increase risk of cardiovascular deaths by 125%. Perchlorate a lake in Oklahoma was 1,000 times higher more than 14 hours after a fireworks display in Oklahoma.
How can you avoid exposure to firework toxins?
To avoid exposure to the metal and toxins from fireworks, stay far away from the debris field of the fireworks. Do not enter the area under the displays for at least 24 hours. Since the pollutants are regulated by the Clean Water Act, firework organizers need to have permits. Ask local law enforcement to check for permits.
About the author:
Melanie Grimes, CCH, is a writer, health educator and homeopath. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. She has taught at Bastyr University and lectured internationally. Follow her blog at MelanieGrimes.com. To order professional quality vitamins, visit her online vitamin shop at https://www.healthwavehq.com/welcome/mgrimes.
Sources include:
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es070069
http://www.newsweek.com/are-fireworks-chemicals-dangerous-81679
http://www.naturalnews.com/026561_fireworks_thyroid_.html
http://www.backcountryattitude.com/toxic_fireworks.html
An award-winning screenwriter, Melanie has taught creative writing, and authored medical textbooks.
She writes about health, natural medicine, food as medicine, herbs, homeopathy, and travel.
You can follow her blog at
http://melaniegrimes.com/
To order professional quality vitamins, visit her online vitamin shop at
https://www.healthwavehq.com/welcome/mgrimes
