Acrylamide


 * Awesome Acrylamide

and The Wonders of Our Daily Lives With It

Acrylamide is a chemical used primarily as a building block in making and synthesizing polycrylamides, which make thing like paper, dyes, plastics, water treatment chemicals and sewage treatment chemicals, because they are water-soluble thickeners. Food and cigarette smoke are the major sources of acrylamide exposure. Asparagine is an amino acid that is found in vegetables, with higher concentrations in some varieties of potatoes. When heated to high temperatures with certain sugars present, asparagine can form acrylamide. Acrylamide, in large doses, reacts badly with the nervous system and the neurological system in humans. Acrylimde degrades micro-organisms in soil and water, and break down fast, making them good for purifying large amounts of water. Whether the water in soil, or the water under it, or lakes that are set aside for human consumption. Acrylamide is disposed of in dumps, or in human waste. In some cases it is recycled to the plants that partake in recyclables. Because acrylamide is almost everywhere and is only harmful in high doses, it is highly doubtful that it will be banned. Personally, we believe that the chemical should not be banned because it is naturally occurring and almost impossible to get rid of. Not only that, but it is only dangerous in extremely high doses, and is most dangerous through direct contact to the chemical, which is only possible when working with the chemical, as it is only trace in foods. Banning this chemical would have adverse effects on people and the economy. The people would lose one staple of their diets, potatoes, and farmers would lose money by not able to sell them. Also, plastics could not be manufactured and we'd lose a purifier for water, causing multiple problems. In short, we should not worry any more than we already do about our diets.
 * Abstract**:

Acrylamide is a chemical used primarily as a building block in making and synthesizing polycrylamides which make thing like paper, dyes, plastics, water treatment stuff and sewage treatment stuff because they are water-soluble thickeners. They are found in many places that consumers walk around in and buy. Food and cigarette smoke are the major sources of acrylamide exposure. Asparagine is an amineo acid that is found in vegetables, with higher concentrations in some varieties of potatoes but when heated to high temperatures with certain sugars being there, asparagine can form acrylamide. Acrylamide's damage effect can be from cancer to extensive nerve damage.
 * Background**:

Acrylamide is made when starch and sugar in food react to heating. You know it's present in food when the food becomes golden brown. It's especially present in french fries, potato chips and baked goods. the stability of acrylamide in the environment vaires from places to place, in some places, usually in high fatty places, its over the acceptable limit but in some its fine and low. if the stability of the acrylamide is over, it can cause nerve and neurological damage to humans it Acrylamide has been tested multiple times for its effects, and many are disputed. Most experiments find that Acrylamide can cause cancer of the large bowel, bladder, and kidney. People who have high contact with Acrylamide have also been found to develop neurological problems. It has been found to cause damage to male reproductive glands as well. Direct exposure to Acrylamide, via inhalation, skin absorbtion, or eye contact has been known to cause a number of things. Among them, irritation of the nose, swearing, urinary incontinence, nausea, myalgia, speech disorders, numbness, paresthesia, and weakened legs and hands. Because Acrylamide is produced by frying or baking many foods, it is commonly ingested, and can lead to many of these problems. Luckily, it takes a high amount of Acrylamide to cause most of these problems, and people with a healthy diet, who rarely eat fried and baked foods are safe.
 * Chemistry**:
 * Human Health Implications**

acrylamide, in big doses, reacts badly with the nervous system and the neurological system in humans. acrylimde degrades from micro-organisms in soil and water and break down fast making them good for purtifying large amounts of water, wheather the water in soil or under it or lakes that are set aside for human consumption. the degrading process in water it very soluble and only takes a few minutes, in soil it takes a little longer, depending on the moisture of the soil and to degrade by evaporation takes .007 of pressure to start lifting it away. the main materials that acrylamide is disposed of usually in dumps or in human waste, on the account of it being in food. but in some cases it is recycled to the plants that partake in recycling goods. Because acrylamide is almost eveywhere and only in high doses, is it harmful, it is highly doubtful that it will be banned but if it were to be banned, we would lose delicious fries, most paper, ciggaretes, most packaging materials that people use everyday and our water and waste would need a good solid place to get treated in. You could bake your food or eat it raw to save money or reduce the cost of eating. if acrylamide was banned then basically all fried potato foods and baked goods would be banned. the united sates exports and imports the good and the goods that have acrylamide in it. the average American eats tons of fried potatoes (french fries, anyone?) and this affects an average joe because people could be getting cancer left and right and have nerve damage because of the mass amount of french fries. Banning potatoes and baked goods would be a terrible desicion seeing as people eat tons of fried food and baked products and if we were to ban the goods then others wouldnt be able to sell it to the U.S. making tensions grow within the nations becasue they cant sell their stuff
 * Environment/Economic/Politcal:**

Acrylamide is used to purify large amounts of water because it degrade micro-organisms. However, when introduced to the body in large doses, Acrylamide can cause damage to the nervous and neurological systems. It only exists in food in trace amounts and is only harmful through direct contact therefore banning it would be useless.
 * Summary**:

media type="custom" key="5667369" Citations**: (2008, July 29). Acrylamide in Food and Cancer Risk. Retrieved March 8, 2010, from National Cancer Institute website: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/risk/acrylamide-in-food
 * PSA:

New poisons - old advice. P. Shannan Retrieved March 8, 2010 Website: http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/acrylamide.html

FDA, Initials. (2009, May 13). Acrylamide. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodContaminantsAdulteration/ChemicalContaminants/Acrylamide/ucm053569.htm

MNT,. (2008, February 29). Certain Antioxidants may reduce acrylamide in food. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/98962.php