A recent study by Environmental Health shows that toxic air caused by quinolone and trichloroethylene, two hazardous air pollutants, can increase the risk spina bifida, a well-known birth defect.
Spina bifida, sometimes called split spine, is a condition in which the spinal cord fails to develop properly, often including the exposure of part of the spinal cord. Our country sees about 20,000 to 200,000 cases per year, according to the Mayo Clinic.
This new research now plants quinolone and trichloroethylene with other known airborne dangers to newborns, such as pesticides, carbon monoxide and more.
What Are Quinolone and Trichloroethylene?
Quinolone and trichloroethylene are two air pollutants that can also damage the water supply. The following are some of the similarities and differences between these two dangerous contaminants:
- The principal source of commercial quinolone is coal tar. It is often used to manufacture dyes and as a solvent for resins and terpenes. It is occasionally reported as an environmental contaminate. Water contamination is a problem with quinolone.
- Trichloroethylene is an industrial solvent, which has been banned in some industries since the 1970s, such as the food and pharmaceutical industries. Groundwater contamination has been another issue with trichloroethylene. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed trichloroethylene as a carcinogen.
Clearly, quinolone and trichloroethylene are dangerous. The research now shows that they are also hazardous when airborne, especially for unborn children. Anyone living in an area that has known chemical air pollutants should research the dangers of living within range of the contaminants.
If an environmental hazard is at fault for your child’s birth defect, then you should not have to pay for the lifetime health costs for your little boy or girl. A birth injury attorney can help you prove if prenatal exposure to environmental teratogens or airborne chemicals at your workplace are the cause for your child’s condition. It is also possible that other children in the area were affected as well. If this is the situation, then joining a class action lawsuit could be an option to strengthen your case.
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Farrell & Patel – Birth Injury Lawyers
