膠合板裝潢新家 男子罹腎炎險洗腎 Environmental Medicine

住進新家,竟然住到差點「洗腎」,腎臟科醫師最近發現這名病例,罹患過去較罕見的「局部性腎絲球硬化症」,治療了3年才終於找到元兇,醫師前往他家裡檢驗,發現至今他的住家,揮發性有機化合物還是超量4倍,甚至致癌的甲醛也超量3倍,因為他家裡幾乎都是「合板」建材家具,不斷散發化學味道傷害身體。
裝潢新屋,幾乎都有股化學味道,一名年輕男子新婚住進新家後,沒多久就因為「毒害」,差點得洗腎。新光醫院腎臟科醫師江守山:「結婚(搬進新房)不久之後,他就開始出現,腳突然腫起來,他也發現小便有泡泡,後來接受腎臟穿刺,證實是『局部腎絲球硬化症』」。
罹患的是數一數二難治療的腎臟病「局部腎絲球硬化症」,症狀有蛋白尿、血尿,甚至水腫、噁心嘔吐,嚴重8成必須洗腎,好不容易用類固醇控制住病情,醫師到男子家中找到凶手!原來,不只地板是合板鋪的,木質衣櫥、大大小小櫃子都是合板。
像這種便宜櫃子,外頭的木紋只是一層貼紙,恐怕用了不少黏著劑,住了超過3年,總揮發有機化合物,還是驗出超量4倍,甚至致癌甲醛也有3倍多。江守山:「曝露在有毒物質下,每個人感受度不一樣,通常一家裡面,一個、兩個發病就了不起。」
可能是體質關係,一個屋簷下的太太卻完全沒發病,只是無法預測是否會被「毒害」,民眾不能因此輕忽,屋內裝潢所可能帶來的危機。

洗衣精愈香 毒性愈高

怕衣服不夠香,許多人都會在洗衣服時倒一大匙洗衣精,不過,醫師表示,帶有香味的洗衣精、衣物柔軟劑等等,大多會添加有機溶劑、塑化劑等致癌物質,尤其衣服脫完水進行烘衣步驟時,這些有毒物質更會因此溶出,進而滲透到人體內,醫師表示,民眾在晾衣服或烘衣服時,環境最好保持通風,讓香味散發掉。

洗衣精、衣物柔軟劑內所含的芳香物質多半會添加揮發性的有機溶劑,其中包含致癌的乙醛和苯,苯是一級致癌物,會引起小孩白血病及大人補血再生不良性貧血,還有一種是乙醛,它是可能致癌物質。 而這些致癌物質在烘衣時最容易散發,醫師也建議,曬衣服或烘衣服時,環境愈通風愈好,而選擇洗衣精或衣物柔軟劑時,香味則是愈少愈好,減少和人體接觸機會,從而降低罹癌率。

Chemical compounds ubiquitous in our food, air and water are now found in every person. The bioaccumulation of these compounds in some individuals can lead to a variety of metabolic and systemic dysfunctions and in some cases, outright disease states. The primary classes of the most common toxic offenders are solvents, pesticides and heavy metals. Of heavy metals, mercury is the one most individuals are burdened by. The systems most affected by these xenobiotic compounds include the immune, neurological and endocrine systems.
The use of standard plywood gave way to using less-costly chipboard with higher formaldehyde and VOC content. The unfortunate truth is that wherever we go, outdoors or indoors, at work or at home, we are breathing in solvents. The worst places with high solvent content in the air are the homes where people usually spend at least half of their day, and their workplace, where they spend at least eight hours.
Kidney injury is a characteristic consequence of acute poisoning from inorganic mercury.