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Practically Polluting

Laboratories in ducational

Settings

Deepti Kavathekar

M.Phil., CIE, University of Delhi

E-mail: deep123k@gmail.com

Knowledge and understanding about

interactions between man and science can be said

to be good step to begin with. To know which

chemicals, biological and physical agents are

harmful, and which ones are not, and to understand

what are the hazardous impact if one happen to be

exposed to them is an essential task. Only by that

knowledge and understanding one is able to protect

oneself from the potential hazards of these

agents chemiool, biological and physical}. The more

one know the less a person fear. But the reality is

that where this knowledge is being imparted is been

itself a site of pollution and health hazards. School

as well as colleges which are considered to be the

temple of learniTJ-gand which provide hands on

experiences to its students are actually sites of

environmental pollution.

Experiments which are performed in Science

Bio, Physics, Biotechnology, Chemistry and other

science fields) practicdl s are essential if a student

wishes to master the process of science and have

direct experiences that capture their interest and

maintain thei1:motivation. A school s lab environ-

ment becomes hazardous for children and teachers

due the presence of some of the fungus candida),

chemicals benzene, cyanide, lead etc.), lR, X-Ray

and more such instruments. Same is also true for

the laboratories of colleges, universities and

research institutes. Poor management in maintain-

ing of the biological specimens, improper handling

of chemical, instruments may also result in risks to

human health and the environment. This paper has

three parts; the first part finds answers to what

practices in the educational settings are leading to

the pollution in the environment ( as a whole) and

its impact on the humans engaged with it, whereas

the second part explores the attitude as well as

knowledge of pollution by the persons engaged in

the lab work lab assistant, teachers, professors and

technicians}. The third part explores the initiative

taken by the school, college or the Educational

Bodies regarding the minimization of the pollution

caused by the educational activities performed in

these institutes.

Introduction

We are in the midst of one ofthe most dramatic

revolutions in history, changing e,erything from

the ways that we work, to the ways that we

communicate with each other, to how we spend our

leisure time. This technological re\ olution,

centering on information technology, is often

interpreted as the beginning of a knowledge society,

and ascribes education a central role in every aspect

of life. This Great Transformation poses tremen-

.

dous challenges to education to rethink its basic

tenets, to deploy the new technologies in creative

and productive ways, and to restructure education

in the light of the metamorphosis we are now

undergoing.

Schools are the sites of the transmission of

knowledge. It is considered to impart not only the

theoretical knowledge but also initiates the

learning by doing and by demonstration. In India

the education system try to provide a great deal of

the know ledge to the new generation and also

provies the hand on experiences in many cases. The

students who reach X have got different type of

subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, Biology,Home

Science, Biotechnology as their options to be taken

when they opt for the Science Stream. All these

options have practical s in them which provided

the realistic experience s to the students regarding

the actuality ofthe subjects.

In Indian scenario, the schools and educational

institutions do not think about the waste-

management problems because there are often

many separate business operations within a

university or school. The school as well as college

authorities do not think over. The management

consider this a trivial matter to look upon. Since

there are no rules and regulations for this is I}.ot

considered as a polluting agent .

Each and every school and college which is

engaged in transmitting the knowledge of sciences

to the students are involved in polluting the

environment at small level. Different types of

wastes are generated by laboratories. Different set.

of waste~ from studentexperiments and research

labs in biology, chemistry, physics and many other

varied studies supported at educational institu-

tions.

Chemistry

In the course of classes IX -XII the subject

have different topics that the has to be demons-

trated to the students. From Class X onwards the

Science Practical Classes is compulsory. hi class

XII syllabus:

..

1. Preparation of standard solution of oxalic acid.

2. Determination of strength of a given solution

of sodium hydroxide by titrat~ng it against

standard solution of oxalic acid.

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3.

eepti Kavathekar

4.

Preparation of standard solution of sodium

carbonate.

Determination of strength of a given solution

of hydrochloric acid by titrating it

against standard sodium carbonate solution.

Qualitative Analysis: Determination of one

anion and one cation in a given salt: Cations -

Pb2+, CU2+, As3+ A13+, Fe3+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, C02+,

C

a

2+ S

r

2+ Ba2+ M

g

~ NH +. Anions - CO 2- S2-

, , , , 4 ' 3' ,

SO 2- SO

2- N02- NO-3 C1- Br- 1-

3' 4' .

' , ,.

5.

Alsu in colleges in Chemistry Practical's

benzene (as a solvent), cone. HCL, H2SO4' cone.

NaOH, NH4OH are some of the common chemicals

are being used. Now the question arises as how

can it get into body? Benzene can be absorbed into

body if :

1. Breathe in air containing benzene vapor;

2. Absorb it through skin;

~. S'N~llQ'Nm~texia..lcontaining it.

If any of these takes place then what are the

health

hazards? The

effects on

health

depend

on

how much benzene is being exposed to andfor how

long. As with other organic solvents, immediate

effects of a single exposure to a highconcentration

(hundreds of ppm and more) can include:

1. Headache

2. Tiredness

3. Nausea

4. Dizziness

\Is

Benzene can also cause unconsciousness if

exposure is v~ry high (thousands of ppm). Long-

term exposure to lower concentrations of benzene

can result in:

1. Bone marrow suppression leading to serious

blood disorders such as anaemia;

2. Cancer - forms of leukaemia and other white-

blood-cell cancers.

V se of HCl and H2SO4 in inorganic testing is

very harmful for the students performing the

practicals. The fumes coming out of the reactions

e.g. chromyl chloride test is harmfull causing eye

irritation as well as bronco problems.

Cone. NH4OH fumes causes eye irritation even

if the bottles are opened. So its intensity is quite

high affecting the eye area and the delicate cornea

leading to the watering and numbnessn the eye.

iology

Formaldehyde is a common chemical used as

an embalming fluid, tissue preservative, sterilizer

and fumigant in laboratories. In laboratories, the

gas is more commonly dissolved in water and used

as an aqueous solution called fQ.rmalin. Formalin

solutions typically use up to 15 methanol as a

stabilizer. A40 solution of formaldehyde in water

called formalin is used in the preservation of

biological or anatomical specimen.

orm ldehydeFormalin) Storage

Formaldehyde and its solutions should not be

stored near strong oxidizers (e.g., permanganates,

nitrates, peroxides, and chlorates), amines, acids,

or alkaline materials. Formaldehyde reacts with

HCL (bleach) to form a potent carcinogen, bis-

chloromethyl ether. Store formaldehyde in labeled,

chemically compatible containers, away from heat

and flame. Large volume containers, such as 4-liter

bottles, should be stored under the ducted

laboratory hood, or on a low, protected shelf or in

another location where they will not be accidentally

spilled or knocked over. Containers larger than 4-

liters should be stored inside a deep pan or other

secondary containment.

Formaldehyde is a common sensitizIng agent

found in laboratories that that can trigger an

allergic

reaction in normal tissue

after single or

repeated exposures. It is also classified as a known

human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) by

the International Agency for Research on Cancer

and as a probable human carcinogen by the V.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Resear-

chers must understand the hazardous properties

of formaldehyde so that control measures can be

taken to minimize exposure. Acute exposure to

formaldehyde can, however, cause various health-

related issues such as irritation on various body

parts (eyes, nose, throat, and skin).

Formaldehyde released from external sourc. es

enters the human body either via inhalation ofits

gaseous form. There is also some possibility of

intake via dermal absorption (Documentation,

2001). Once absorbed, almost every tissue in the

body has the ability to break down formaldehyde

(Franks, 2005). It is usually converted to a nontoxic

chemical called formate, which is excreted through

the urine (WHO, 2003) and can be exhaled via

conversion to carbon dioxide. It can also be broken

down so that the body can use it to make larger

molecules needed in hl.man tissues. Otherwise, it

can be attached to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or

to protein in body (WHO,2003) transmission is

provided next.

Acute mucus membrane irritation is the most

common adverse effect of formaldehyde exposure,

often leading to dry skin, dermatitis, tearing eyes,

sneezing, and coughing (Kulle, 1993). Serious

formaldehyde exposure can often result in eye

conjunctivitis and nasal and pharyngeal diseases,

while increasing the likelihood of dangerous

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conditions such as laryngospasm and pulmonary-

edema (Paustenbach, Alarie, Kulle, Schachter,

Smith, Swenberg, et al.,1997; Neuss, Holzmann,

Speit ,2010; Wolkoff Nielsen, 2010 ). In a study

conducted in China, 66 workers in the chemical

industry exposed occupationally to formaldehyde

were reported to suffer from congestion in the

cornea, nasal membrane, and pharynx (Zhang,

Zhang, Jin, Liu, 1999). In other studies,

volunteers exposed to fofmaldehyde in the range

of 0.25 to

3.0

ppm experienced eyej nose, and throat

irritation (Kulle,1993). Kulle (1993) reported that

eye irritation was the dominant symptom with a

linear trend at a dose range of 0.5-3 ppm.

Concerns of Educational Personnel s

In Bhopal, schools are affiliated to CBSE, M.P.

Board and ICSE. In M.P. Board school (which were

mostly in numb,ers) the discussion regarding the

pollution which is caused by'practical's performed

in laboratories was done. In Sri Sathya Sai H.S.

School when the-teachers and lab assistants were

asked about the disposal of the waste as well as

about the pollution being caused by it, their

responses were that it's the duty of the school

administration and not them to handle the

'chemical waste problem'. Since there is no proper

disposal methods for the chemicals and biological

wastes they are just drained into the normal drains

and get mixed with the sewage. The waste generate -

by the chemicalscontains in single XII class consists

of 2-3 litres of HCl/H2SO 4per student in 2 chemistry

practicals.(volu..fuetric titration).

Fig. l.Volume (m ) af concentrated acid

needed to prepare 1 litre of dilute

To prepare a 0.1 mol I-I solution, measure 16.6

ml of 6 mol I-I solution and dilute it to 1 litre.

To prepare a

0.02

m.oll-1 solution, measure

20.0 ml of 1 mol I-I solution and dilute it to 1 litre.

So, approximately in class of 30 students 16.6*

30*= 498 ml of solution is being prepared in each

practical's class in a school.

Moreover the seriousity of the chemical

hazards the schools generate are quite affecting to

the normal sewage disposal

too.

The biological

waste consists of dangerous algae and fungus which

are just being disposed ofin the drains.

Deepti Kavathekar

The simple yeast which is found in the

laboratories.

Many of the teachers still do not understand

the waste generated is harmful for the decomposing

bacteria which are helpful in the degradation of the

waste matter. As a teachers duty they perform the

task and they leave everything for the nature to

take care off. In many colleges that were explored

the same disposal techniques were followed making

no an special differences than the school.

Initiative Taken by Educational Bodies

This is the most important part of the paper

since all the problems always have one or the other

solutions. The educational boards in India, NCERT

have taken intiative to work in this direction. They

have come out with the Microscale chemistry

experiments using small quantity of chemicals and

simple equipment. The concept was first introduced

by D: W. Mayo, S. S. Butcheret. al. at Bowdoin

College in Brunswick about 30 years ago. In India,

this technique has been developed and introduced

in the school system by Prof. H. 0. Gupta, NCERT

with some innovative laboratory apparatus known

as Microscale chemistry laboratory kit. This

microscale chemistry laboratory kit enables the

students to perform experiments in an environ-

mentally safe pollution free atmosphere using small

quantities of chemicals without compromising the

quality and standard of experiments.

Conclusion

Literally hundreds of types of wastes are

generated that must be handled properly and must

be figured into a school's operational and

management budgets. The educational institute~,

should give the equipments that are very much

essential for the safety of the students. In the UK,

USA etc. the students are using mask, spectacles,

gloves while performing the experiments in

laboratories, which is totally lacking in Indian

schools and many of the colleges.

As the students are the Nation's Future it's

the ethical consideration of the authorities.

Bibliography

Documentation of theThreshold Limit Values and

Biological Exposure Indices (7th ed.).

2001)

American Conference of Government

Industrial Hygienists. Cincinnati

Franks, S. J. 2005). A mathematical model for the

absorption and metabolism of formal

dehydevapour by humans. Toxicological

Applied Pharmacolgy. 206, 309-320.

Kulle, T. J. (1993). Acute odor and irritation

response in healthy nonsmokers with formal

Volume2014-15. Number 1 . April2014

Desired

HCI

H2SO4

HNOg

strength mol }-l)

6 mol I-I

500

333.3

380

1 mol }-l

83

55.5

63.3

0.5 mol }-l

8.3

5.6 6.3

8/10/2019 Practically Polluting Laboratories in Educational Settings

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dehyde exposure. lnhal Toxicol 5: 323-332

Paustenbach, D., Alarie, Y., Kulle, T., Schachter,

N., Smith, R., Swenberg, J., et al. (1997).A

recommended occupational exposure limit for

formaldehyde based on irritation. Journal of .

Toxicological Environmental Health 50: 217-

263.

Neuss, S., Holzmann, K., & Speit, G. (2010).Gene

expression changes in primary human

nasalepithelial cells exposed to formaldehyde

in vitro. Toxicological Letter,198(2), 289-295.

Speit, G., Schutz, P., Weber, I., Ma-Hock, L.,

Kaufmann, W., Gelbke, H.P., & Durrer, S.

(2011). Analysis of micronuclei, histopatho-

logical changes and cell proliferation in nasal

epitheliumcells of rats after exposure to

Deepti Kavathekar

formaldehyde. by inhalation. Mutation

Research, 721, 127-135.

World Health Organization. Formaldehyde.(2003).

A CICAD (Concise International Chemical

Assessment Document) No. 40. International

Programme on Chemical Safety (lPSC).

Wolkoff, P., & Nielsen, G.D.(2010). Non-cancer

effects of formaldehyde and relevance for

setting an indoor air guideline. Environment

International, 36(7), 788-799.

Zhang, D.Z., Zhang, F.L., Jin, S.Y., & Liu, Y.H.

(1999). Investigation on the health of workers

occupationally exposed to low level of

formaldehyde. Chinese Journal of Industrial

Hygien Occupation Disorder, 17(5), 13-14.

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