Features: Sorrow behind the glory of space mission and fireworks – Contamination by Perchlorate (rocket fuel)

Posted : Jun, 2007

Sorrow behind the glory of space mission and fireworks
- Contamination of water, soil and food by Perchlorate (rocket fuel)

Perchlorate typically makes up nearly 70% of the solid fuel aboard the space shuttle, and over 65% of missile fuel. Widespread perchlorate contamination occurs in the soil, water, crops and other foods.

Thyroid hormones play important roles of regulating the body's metabolism and physical growth. Perchlorate interferes with the production of thyroid hormones, resulting in mental retardation in infants, and many disorders in adults.

Missile testing and usage of munitions are two other major sources of perchlorate contamination.

Quarry limestone blasting with explosives results in perchlorate contamination

Regular usage of explosives in mine blasting and construction contributes to perchlorate contamination in the environment.

In 1969, man hailed the first successful space mission of landing on the moon. Less than 40 years later, a large number of water sources in the US have been contaminated with perchlorate, a key component in solid rocket fuel. Other uses of perchlorate include missiles, explosives and fireworks.

Perchlorate contamination has also been found in soil, crops, dairy milk and breast milk. Perchlorate affects the normal production of thyroid hormones, which regulate the body's metabolism. This would hinder the mental growth of infants, and harm the health of adults in many aspects.

What is Perchlorate

Perchlorate is a salt derived from perchloric acid (HClO4). This chemical is used as an oxidizing agent to facilitate combustion of rocket and missile fuel, explosives, fireworks, and road flares. Perchlorate is also used in air-bag inflation systems, lubricating oils, and the manufacture of paints and many industrial goods. In addition, perchlorate occurs naturally in certain Chilean fertilizers.

Since the 1950s, over 870 million pounds of perchlorate have been manufactured in the US (Source: memo of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USA, May 1, 1998). Around 20 million pounds of it is produced each year. The usage of perchlorate is approximately as follows: (Source)

	Over 90% : used by the aerospace and defense industry for rocket and missile fuel, munitions etc.

	7% : for explosive use in mining and demolition of buildings etc.

	1% : for pyrotechnics - e.g. fireworks, smoke pots, smoke grenades, road flares / marine safety flares

	Others : the charges that deploy airbags, lubricating oils, paints etc.

Harmful Effects of Perchlorate: hinder the normal production of thyroid hormones

The thyroid gland is situated at the front of the neck. It uses iodine to produce thyroid hormones. These hormones play an essential role in regulating the body's metabolism and physical growth. They help control the energy level, temperature, weight, mood, and mental performance etc. Any notable imbalance in thyroid hormones can significantly impair all of these functions.

Perchlorate, even at low level, would inhibit the ability of the thyroid gland to absorb iodine from the blood stream, hence affect the normal production of thyroid hormones. For adults, upset of the body's metabolism from insufficient thyroid hormones may result in various illnesses and even thyroid tumours.

For fetuses, infants and children, deficiency in thyroid hormones will hinder their mental development, potentially leading to mental retardation, loss of hearing and speech, and motor skill deficits. Pregnant women with low levels of iodine have higher risks of miscarriage. (Related web page on the harmful effects of perchlorate)

The major ways through which perchlorate gets into the water sources and soil

Perchlorate is a very stable chemical that can persist for many years in the environment. It is not easily degraded. It can move through soil, leach into water, and concentrate in food. And it is very difficult to remove perchlorate with standard water treatment processes.

The widespread contamination of drinking water and soil in the US is mostly due to man-made sources, in particular the defense and aerospace activities. These include:

	Waste water from factories that manufacture rocket fuel, missiles, munitions, fireworks, and air bags. For example, high-pressure water jets are used to remove any residual rocket fuel, so that the rocket motor hardware can be reused. This generates large amount of water contaminated with low concentrations of ammonium perchlorate, and it is very difficult and expensive to treat such waste water.

	Incomplete combustion of the rocket fuel during take-off of rockets and space shuttles :the unburned perchlorate becomes dispersed in the atmosphere and then settles on the land or in water.

	Testing of rockets, missiles or other weapons, as well as actual military operations.

	Improper disposal of rocket fuel cartridge by open burning or open detonation operations

	Incomplete combustion of firework displays

	Open blasting in mines and demolition of buildings using explosives

	Usage of Chilean fertilizers that contain perchlorate : Around 75,000 tons of Chilean fertilizers are imported to the US each year, mainly for growing tobacco, citrus fruit, cotton and some vegetable crops. (Source : Section 3-2)

Perchlorate has contaminated much of the lower Colorado River, which is the main water source for 20 million people across the Southwest in the US.

Perchlorate may concentrate in the leaves of lettuce seedlings by factors of 100 times or more. Even low levels of perchlorate in irrigation water may result in high doses in the contaminated crops.

Dairy milk is contaminated with perchlorate

The perchlorate ingested by cows in their water and feed is passed along in milk. Perchlorate was found in almost all dairy milk samples from 11 states in the US.

Perchlorate can be passed through breast milk, affecting human beings and other mammals alike.

Perchlorate Contamination in the United States

Perchlorate is almost ubiquitous in the environment of the US. Perchlorate is found even in areas of the country that are not related to perchlorate production, rocket fuel or missile factories, or rocket launches. Cleanup work, if possible at all, would require billions of US dollars. Around 36% of US women in a research study have low iodine levels. (Source: Oct 6, 2006)

As of 2005, the Government Accountability Office of the US identified over 400 sites in 35 states with perchlorate levels ranging from four parts per billion (ppb) to more than 3.7 million parts per billion. (Source: Page 2)

In California, high perchlorate levels of up to 260 ppb were detected in wells near weapons manufacturing facilities in Sacramento and Los Angeles counties, and levels of up to 150 ppb were found in locations such as a former munitions plant in Santa Clarita and a research facility in Pasadena. (Source)

Highlight of some recent news on the extent of perchlorate contamination in the US:

1. Water sources

	Perchlorate has contaminated much of the lower Colorado River. This river is the main water source for 20 million people across the Southwest, including much of Arizona, southern California and southern Nevada. Hundreds of wells in California are contaminated with perchlorate. In addition, millions of people in the US and overseas consume agricultural produce from these states. (Related News: Jan 5, 2003)

2. Crops and Farm Animals

	Many crops and feed plants concentrate perchlorate in their tissues when grown with contaminated water. These include lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, spinach, alfalfa, fruits, and grains (oatmeal, cornmeal, whole wheat flour) etc. The perchlorate ingested by cows in their water and feed is passed along in milk. Other food samples with perchlorate include catfish, salmon and shrimp. (Source)

	Tests on several vegetable samples from a perchlorate-contaminated farm in Redlands found the plants concentrated perchlorate from local irrigation water by an average factor of 65. In a 1999 study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the US, perchlorate was accumulated in the leaves of lettuce seedlings by factors of 100 times or more. Therefore, vegetables irrigated by water with even low levels of perchlorate could deliver large doses of the toxin to consumers. (Related web page: Dec 2002)

3. Breast milk and dairy milk

	In a research conducted by the Texas Tech University in the US, perchlorate was found in each of the 36 samples of breast milk taken from 18 states. This chemical was also found in all but one of 47 dairy milk samples from 11 states. The average level of perchlorate was 10.5 micrograms per litre for breast milk, and 2.0 micrograms per litre for dairy milk. As the safety limit of perchlorate intake for babies is around 4 micrograms per litre, the perchlorate level found in breast milk was extremely high. (Related News: Feb 23, 2005)

	In another study conducted by the California Department of Food and Agribulture (CDFA), perchlorate was found in all 34 samples of dairy milk from Alameda, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties of California. The average level of perchlorate in the samples was 5.8 parts per billion (ppb), just below the state's public health goal of 6 ppb. (Related News: Jun 22, 2004)

	However, if we add up the total daily perchlorate intake in water, milk and other food items, it is likely that a lot of people in the US are consuming more perchlorate than the safety level set by the government.

In order to explore whether the desolate outer planets are inhabitable, we have contaminated the fertile land and precious water sources on earth with perchlorate. (Photo: Surface of Mars)

The existence of stars in the Universe is for us to appreciate the wonder of creation, but not for us to reach.

The Himalayan glaciers are retreating at an alarming rate of 33 - 49 feet per year. Global warming is the biggest enemy of mankind, not our fellow neighbours.

Firework displays result in perchlorate contamination

Glory at a glimpse will not last. But the price we have to pay for firework displays is huge and long lasting - perchlorate contamination of the soil, water and food.

Hong Kong is clouded by dense smog throughout most of the year. The annual fireworks in Chinese New Year and the daily fireworks in Disneyland will soon contaminate all the water sources and soil in Hong Kong with perchlorate.

The South China Sea is constantly covered by a thick layer of smog from pollution, seriously affecting the health of a huge population.

Lessons learnt from the perchlorate contamination in the US

1. Do we need space missions?

	In the modern culture of education, we have been taught to think the impossible, and make your dreams come true. This motivates people to invent technologies to breakthrough the barrier of gravity, and realise the dream of landing on the moon.

	This ideology also nurtures the ambition of man to conquer the outer space and be the master of other planets. An astronomical amount of money and resources have been put into aerospace research and space missions in the past few decades.

	However, to overcome the rule of Nature in reaching the outer space, we have to pay a high cost - contamination of the land and water with rocket fuel. In order to explore whether the desolate moon, the Mars or other planets are inhabitable, we damage the fertile land and precious water sources we enjoy on earth.

	Despite the fact that the chance of living in other planets is almost zero, we still continue to put a lot of efforts and resources into these space missions. Today, the earth is plagued with very serious pollution, and the problem of global warming is threatening the survival of mankind as a whole.

	The Himalayan glaciers are retreating fast and may disappear within the next 50 years. (Related News: Jun 4, 2007). Global warming will melt most Andean glaciers in the next 30 years. According to a report by the United Nations, rising sea levels, flooding and water shortages triggered by global warming may impact as many as 40 percent of the world's population (Related news: Jun 7, 2007).

	It is time for us to review our priorities and face the harsh realities of impending catastrophes, instead of keep building castles in the air. We need to act quickly before it is too late. If we redeploy the resources originally designated for space missions to tackle global warming instead, the resulting benefits would be hundreds of thousands times more.

2. Do we need missiles and munitions?

	The biggest enemies of all of us are serious pollution and global warming, not our fellow neighbours. It is time for us to put down our weapons and join hands in concerted efforts to tackle these life-threatening issues. The manufacturing, testing and actual usage of missiles and munitions contribute to significant pollution and emissions of heat-trapping gases.

	The most irrational behaviour of mankind is war - everyone is a loser. Not only do we lose valuable human lives and properties in wars, but also we lose our conscience, peace, harmony, and a sustainable ecology.

3. Do we need fireworks?

	Firework displays have been hosted by many cities during special occasions like the New Year, Christmas or National Day. Glory at a glimpse will not last. But the price that we have to pay is huge and long lasting - contamination of the soil, water, food and air.

	Firework display is a quick and potent means to disperse harmful pollutants from combustion of the explosives throughout the atmosphere of densely populated urban areas. These include perchlorate, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, chromium, sulphur, and other harmful gases. (More info on pollution and health hazard by firework displays)

	In a study conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in the US, it was found that 10 years of "community-type" annual firework displays in the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMD) campus had resulted in perchlorate contamination in the soil and groundwater nearby. (Related report: Aug 2005)

	In another study by the US Environmental Protection Agency, it was found that the firework displays on the National Day (July 4) could deposit a significant amount of perchlorate into the nearby lakes or water bodies. Within 14 hours after the fireworks near an Oklahoma lake, the perchlorate levels in the lake water rose 24 to 1,028 times above background levels. The levels peaked about 24 hours after the display, and then decreased to the pre-fireworks background levels within 20-80 days. (Related News: May 28, 2007)

	In Hong Kong, firework displays during the Chinese New Year and July 1st have been conducted amidst dense smog from heavy pollution in recent years. These firework displays made the pollution even worse. In addition, since the opening of the Disneyland in Hong Kong in September 2005, fireworks have been displayed each night in the theme park.

	If the situation continues, it would not take too long before all the water sources and land in Hong Kong become contaminated with perchlorate and other harmful heavy metals. Health is priceless - it's time for an end to our traditions of firework displays.

	According to a report by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, China overtook the U.S. as the world's top producer of carbon dioxide emission in 2006 by about 8 percent. Carbon dioxide emission is one of the biggest man-made contributors to global warming. (Related News: Jun 20, 2007)

	Most of the South China Sea is constantly covered by a thick layer of haze from pollution. To restore clean air, non-essential activities such as firework displays should be among the top list of items to be banned.