Groundwater pollution is one of the most serious problems that must be dealt with especially if there are factories that reside near an area where there are many residential homes. As such, proper guidelines must be strictly adhered to by the administrators as well as the working personnel of a factory or industrial site. In such a scenario, questions might be asked that include, “How long does it take for a certain pollutant or toxic material to get dissolved by nature?”
The properties of chemicals such as boiling/melting point and solubility highly matter because they can determine how fast those chemicals can migrate into the environment and how they can affect humans, as well as plants and animals. In dealing with this issue, a question like this could be asked, “what existing procedures in chemistry or in technology, in general, could be used to diminish the risks given by chemicals that are important to people’s livelihood?”
How We're Contributing To The Problem
The 2 most common ways humans have disrupted the natural carbon cycle are the burning of fossil fuels like gasoline and diesel as their fumes mix through the air. Another is when carbon wastes are dumped into the oceans. This can be evident when there are oil spills that happen in the seas. Some carbon emissions may also mix into the clouds and get poured into the seas as rain.
The presence of non-biodegradable chemicals can lead to major disruptions in processes of livelihood such as farming. When such chemicals get accumulated into the soil, they can make it highly acidic which can harm its fertility.
The disruption of soil fertility could be naturally caused by erosion. When it happens, basic ions like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium are washed away, which can lead to soil acidity. Another means by which it can happen is when the carbon dioxide of decaying organic matter gets absorbed in the roots of plants.
A Risk-Free Solution Is Unlikely
While it could be an excellent achievement to have, it is very unlikely that a totally “risk-free” solution to an environmental problem such as carbon pollution can be fully achieved. This is because the act of burning fuels will always be a necessity. If other cleaner alternatives like nuclear fuel get implemented, the fear and stigma that people will have towards it will be very huge to the point that some other social aspects will be damaged as well.
Because people are so accustomed to using fossil fuels, the machines and vehicles that propagate man’s ways of living are mostly designed to consume them. Thus, the implementation of newer fuels would also require the creation of new machines.
Chlorine And Methanol Disinfectants
The 2 chemicals that people have been adding to the carbon cycle more often are free chlorine and methanol. Free chlorine is really helpful in disinfecting water so it can be safe to drink or bathe with. It is one of the most important commodities for establishments with swimming pools and those who wish to provide safe and potable water for the people. Methanol, or simply known as “non-drinking alcohol” is mostly known for disinfecting solid surfaces, medical equipment, and parts of the human skin.
The functional group of free chlorine is the Halogen Group. This group can be translated in simple language as “salt-producing chemicals.” When they are bonded with certain metals, they produce some salts which include the typical table salt, silver bromide, and potassium iodide. Methanol on the other hand belongs to the Primary Alcohol Group. Methanol is known to be found in healthy human bodies that’s why it is categorized as belonging to that primary group.
Chlorine’s Chemical Reaction
The fact that free chlorine belongs to the Halogen Group transforms it from gas into a liquid at a temperature of -34.05°C and from liquid to solid at a temperature of -101.00°C. Free chlorine works that way and that is how its reactivity gets manifested in water or into the air. With methanol, its reactivity with water is based on the “opposites attract” concept. Since the oxygen of methanol is basically a polar molecule, meaning negative, and the hydrogen in water is positive, they could bond because of those properties.
When methanol comes in contact with human skin on high levels such as 15.8–474 g/person, it is very lethal. It could be absorbed through the skin pores and which could lead to poisoning, blindness, or even death. As for its effect on the environment, it can affect animals, birds, and fish, and could lead to their death. However, it can be a safer alternative for gasoline or diesel. Chlorine’s effects on the human body include breathing difficulties, eye irritation, sore throat, and tightness of the chest. For the environment, it can, of course, purify water making it safer to drink.
Understanding Chemical Synthesis
As a clear, almost water-like liquid in appearance, methanol or CH3OH is highly soluble in water. Because it is a highly polar substance, it is infinitely soluble. It is also known for its strong ability to form a hydrogen bond with H2O. Methanol’s vapor pressure is 13.02 kPa which makes it a lot higher compared to its closest cousin, ethanol. Such properties make it easier for methanol to migrate itself to the environment.
Among the green chemistry principles, the “less hazardous chemical synthesis” has the greatest possibility of minimizing the impact of free and combined chlorine on humans, especially for methanol. Since it is used more often directly by humans nowadays, the ill effects of it could be worsened if the poor production quality is practiced just to have it mass-produced so people can use it more often.
But when the less hazardous chemical synthesis principle is applied in producing it, the damage it inflicts on human skin, mostly for infants, could be greatly minimized. As with free chlorine, its goodness as a water disinfectant could still be enhanced by that same principle. By purifying it further into liquid form, its solubility or PH level could still be improved so it will be less irritating to human skin or other body parts.
