Week 13: How might we deal differently with environmental pollutants?

How about if we didn’t create them in the first place? And if they are created, why not practice some Green Chemistry approaches and have zero waste? There’s a concept for us. I mean really, did we have to create a let loose over 80,000 chemicals into the environment? Wasn’t anyone paying attention to the havoc we are wrecking on the earth’s atmosphere, waters and land and the health of all the species of life that inhabits it?

Last week the New York Times came out with an article that the leading scientists are now thinking that these 80,000 loose chemicals are what might be causing the huge upswing in various forms of cancers, degenerative diseases and autism. Really, it just occurred to them? And, then we have to consider what happens when those chemicals combine with one another…because it’s not like they aren’t combining and creating yet more deadly, hazardous combinations amongst themselves.

We need to go back to the premise that Paul Pitchford urged us to practice: don’t put anything on your body that you wouldn’t put in it! And that goes for the environment…if you wouldn’t let whatever the pollutant is loose on your own family and property, then don’t let it loose on the rest of creation, either!

Week 13: Do we rely to heavily on supplements to provide antioxidants?

Absolutely! The problem is that the most vital antioxidants are Vitamins C, A & E -which- disappear quickly from veggies and fruits within a half hour of them being picked. The reason we rely on supplements, if because of the state of our food supply. We regularly fly and truck foods from other states and countries, when they are under ripe, only to have them ripen en route to their destination. Any farmer can tell you this vastly under rates the effectiveness of the enzymes, vitamins and nutrition in the food you are eating. Until we make some radical changes in the way that we grow, deliver and eat our foods…we will have to rely on supplements to provide antioxidants. But, it is not in our best interest to do so. Our bodies then become accustomed to being provided the building blocks of life, instead of creating them themselves. Plus, there is the whole question of the purity of those ingredients as well.

So, for these reasons, we have to go back to doing what our Mom’s told us all along (with one caveat*): eat your fresh (organic*) fruits & veggies!

Week 11: Memory & Magic

There is an article in the most recent Scientific American that speaks to this very tendency to see what we believe to be true, not what is really there. We project meaning onto life and based on our perspective and perceptions, this colors our experience. Apparently, this is means to continue the species that we have developed over time. And who hasn’t seen a stick or rope in the road and at first glance thought it was as snake? Jumped back in fear, only to realize, sheepishly that it was just a ‘trick’ of our minds. After all, what do we really see? It’s not as if we have windows in the front of our heads. The perceptions that we call our sight, is the function of synapses and neurotransmitters and flashes of electrical activity deep in our brains where no light can even penetrate!

Small wonder that some enterprising humans have thought to use this tendency to create ‘slight of hand’ illusions that have mesmerized us for eons.

Week 11: “to live is to know” (Santiago Theory)

Personally, I whole heartedly agree with the Santiago Theory, because since “living systems are cognitive systems”, as Maturana states, this means that as such they are imbued with consciousness, the ground state of all being. It is because of this consciousness that cognition is possible. And indeed all that lives is conscious, alive and imbued with that same underlying spark of divine energy.

In fact, Descartes had it completely wrong…it is our thinking minds that take us out of the ‘present moment’ as Echhart Toley states in the “Power of Now”. The thinking mind is a construct of the ego, and necessary perspective and function of being in form and functioning in the world. However, neither our minds or our egos are who we truly are. Rather, they take us into the past (which we regret and fret about) -or- into the future (which we become anxious about based on past experiences, which we project there as happening again). Whereas, true being and life occur -only- in the present moment of the hear and now. The place where consciousness also resides.

Week 10 Spike’s Gallery

Wow, these images are sooooo beautiful! Even the tick, flea and worm! And the algae looks like miniature plants…so exquisite. But, then again, I am a fan of extreme close-up photography…which this is! Wow just amazing. And the lighting is just perfect. It reminds me of the time I had a chance to look through the electron microscope at the UCLA School of Public Health when I worked there. It’s amazing the life forms that are busy have lives all around us, that we’re never even aware of!

Week 10: Links on cells

It’s amazing how different the various cells are from life form to life form. Clearly, the animal cells are the most complex, followed by the plants -which- are strikingly similar. And I have heard that analogy made that the chlorophyll that runs in plants veins is very similar in structure and function to the blood that runs in animals. What really struck me was just how alien the virus cell make-up and structure is. Very chilling. Reminded me somewhat of the Borg’s on Star Trek…definitely another life form, and one you don’t want in your body!

Week 10: Examine your own immediate environment for diversity of species

We are lucky in that we live in the woods and as such have abundant wild life! Some of the species of birds that we see on a daily basis include: chickens, ravens, turkeys, crows, quail, robins (my favorite), humming birds, common wrens, palliated woodpeckers and stellar jays (blue birds)...and boy, are they noisy!!

In addition, we regularly see the following animals on our property: squirrels, raccoons, skunks, jack rabbits, deer, and our domesticated dogs and cats. Rarely, we will see black bear, mountain lion and bobcats (tyring to eat our chickens).

As far as the insects go, we have frogs (especially this time of year!), toads, praying mantis (I love them!), all kinds of butterflies and moths (the sphinx moth pollinators of the lavender are the coolest), bumble bees and honey bees, lady bugs, yellow jackets (booo!), worms of all kinds and various garden ‘pests’ (potato bugs, snails, leaf minors, aphids).

We also are blessed to have the following one-leggeds and green nations surrounding us: pines, oaks, redwoods, madrone, Manzanita, apple trees and lavender (22 varieties), yellow dock, dandelion, plantain, soap root, evening primrose, poison oak, to mention only a few!
Plus, we have a diverse human species in Laytonville: loggers, ranchers, hippies, rednecks, pot growers, back-to-the-landers, latinos, African-Americans, gay, straight, polyandrous individuals…in other words, a really eclectic group. So, I think we can say we have a pretty diverse environment in Mendocino County.

Week 9 Animations

I checked out the animations for various links, including Vitamin C, Folic Acid and DNA replication to name a few.

And while I liked the visuals, it would have been more helpful if there was descriptive audio as well…then the animations would have had more impact, the content would have had more meaning and it would make more of an impression to the student and be remembered longer.

Week 9: Definitions “Chemistry of Life”

It seems that like with most things, beliefs are based on the perceptions of whoever is doing the “seeing”. And taken in that spirit, all of the definitions apply, individually; and taken as a whole, collectively.

Personally, I like the very first one: Biochemistry is the chemistry of life. Simple, short, inclusive of all live forms and to the point!

Week 9: Ethics of Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is the “insertion of genes into an individual’s cells and tissues to treat a disease, and hereditary diseases in which a defective, mutant allele is replaced with a functional one.” That being said, the trouble is trying to get the gene in the right place. This technology has already been used with some success, as in the case we read about in class where a young girl was born with SCID, a rare genetic disease that essentially meant she lacked a healthy immune system. This therapy allowed this young woman to ultimately lead a relatively healthy life, which would have been impossible without this therapy (she would have been relegated to live life as another “bubble baby”).

However, since human gene therapy is in its infancy and very complex, there are many issues from various perspectives (legal, biological, medical, philosophical, and religious to name a few) that need to be taken into consideration moving forward.

Also, there are currently various methods for getting the gene into the right location…including inserting a normal gene into a nonspecific location (this is most common), swapping one specific gene for another, genes can be repaired through selective reverse mutation (whatever that is!) and through ‘regulation’ (turning the gene on or off)…all of these approaches will require further rigorous development and experimentation to fully develop the procedures.

Then, there is the issue of the vectors for getting genes into place. Viruses are one of the current methods used to insert genetic materials into their ‘host’; however, the problems with this approach are many…beginning with: how do we know that the virus takes the gene to the place it need to go? Then, there is the issue of preventing undesirable effects, and insuring that the new gene won’t disrupt any of the already existent genes in the genome.

And if those weren’t enough of a red flag for consideration of this technology, there is always the specter of abuse of the power this technology wields, be it for creating ‘designer babies’ -or- using it for less than beneficial purposes, such as a weapon for military purposes. In fact, it has been suggested, that it is just this sort of genetic tinkering that created Lyme’s disease (suspected to be a genetic distortion of Syphilis, with which it shares common etiology and symptoms).

And yet, if we were that young girl, living in a bubble, who wouldn’t leap at the chance for a relatively ‘normal’ life…regardless of the potential cost? This therapy is too young at present and needs much more oversight and contemplation moving forward.

Week 8: Semiconductor- Silicon

Name: Silicon
Symbol: Si
Atomic number: 14
Atomic weight: 28.0855 (3)
Standard state: solid at 298 K
Group in periodic table: 14
Group name: None
Period in periodic table: 3
Block in periodic table: p-block
Color: Dark grey with bluish tinge
Classification: Semi-metallic

Silicon is present in the sun and stars and is a principal component of a class of meteorites known as aerolites. Silicon makes up 25.7% of the earth's crust by weight, and is the second most abundant element, exceeded only by oxygen. It is found largely as silicon oxides such as sand (silica), quartz, rock crystal, amethyst, agate, flint, jasper and opal. Silicon is found also in minerals such as asbestos, feldspar, clay and mica.

Silicon is important in plant and animal life. Diatoms in both fresh and salt water extract silica from the water to use as a component of their cell walls. Silicon is an important ingredient in steel. Silicon carbide is one of the most important abrasives. Workers in environments where silicaceous dust is breathed may develop a serious lung disease known as silicosis.

Both silicon and (in certain aspects) carbon are semiconductors, readily either donating or sharing their four outer electrons allowing many different forms of chemical bonding.
Measured by mass, silicon makes up 25.7% of the Earth's crust and is the second most abundant element in the crust, after oxygen. As the second most abundant element in the earth's crust, silicon is vital to the construction industry as a principal constituent of natural stone, glass, concrete and cement. Silicon's greatest impact on the modern world's economy and lifestyle has resulted from silicon wafers used as substrates in the manufacture of discrete electronic devices such as power transistors, and in the development of integrated circuits such as computer chips.

Week 7: What is a mole?

According to this article, “the mole was determined by experiments, where the standard temperature chosen is 25 degrees C. and the pressure on the gas is chosen as one atmosphere or 760 millimeters of mercury. While there is nothing special about these values, the temperature is about average room temperature and the pressure is average atmospheric pressure at sea level. It is only important that everyone doing the experiments uses the same temperature and the same pressure (or makes appropriate corrections). It was eventually shown that a Gram Molecular Weight of a gas, at standard temperature and pressure, would occupy 22.4 liters of volume. Or saying it the other way, 22.4 liters of a gas at standard temperature and pressure contains the number of molecules that weigh as much as the molecular weight of the gas expressed in grams.”

The next logical question to ask is: "What is that number of molecules that weighs in grams what the molecule weighs in relative atomic weight units?" The number, named after Avogadro, is 6.0221367 x 10 exp23, is a very large number, indeed. This is the number of molecules in 22.4 liters of gas at standard temperature and pressure, but it is also the number of molecules in a sample of any material that weighs as much as the molecular weight of the substance expressed in grams. A Gram Molecular Weight of any substance contains Avogadro's number of molecules.
The idea of a MOLE is a very useful concept, since it allows you to relate the weight of the material to the number of molecules in that weight. The mole idea also allows you to combine equal amounts (numbers of molecules in each) of two compounds. If you have a gram molecular weight of one compound and a gram molecular weight of another compound, there are equal numbers of molecules in the two weights. If you wanted the two compounds to combine so there was one molecule of each material available to combine with every molecule of the other compound, then mixing the two gram molecular weights would create this result.

"The mole is the amount of substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kilograms of carbon 12." As so defined, the mole became a key unit (fundamental unit) of the International System of Weights and Measures (aka Metric System) adopted worldwide. As such the mole is technical unit used mainly by chemists, chemical engineers, ceramic engineers, and potters…for potters, the mole is an essential notion of glaze technology, a division of applied chemistry, or chemical engineering, ceramics branch. Who knew!

Week 7: Avogadro’s number…

Avogadro had an interest in math and physics and combined those interests when he became the first chair of mathematical physics at the University of Turin.
In 1811 Avogadro published an article that proposed his famous hypothesis, and drew the distinction between the molecule and the atom, which pointed out that Dalton had confused the two. In what is now known as Avogadro’s Principle, he hypothesized that equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain equal numbers of molecules.

In the example shown in the link testing Avogadro’s hypothesis, we see that there are two volumes of Hydrogen and one volume of Oxygen, which produce 2 volumes of water molecules. Further, we notice that each container has the same number of molecules in it to begin with. So, we can conclude that the ratio is 2 hydrogen to 1 oxygen and we end up with 2 volumes of water molecules, and nothing left over.

Week 7: Alkali Earth Metal - Beryllium

Name: Berrylium
Symbol: Be
Atomic number: 4
Atomic weight: 9.012182(3)
Group in periodic table: 2
Group name: Alkali Earth Metal
Period in periodic table: 2
Block in periodic table: s
Color: white-grey metallic

Beryllium is found naturally only combined with other elements in minerals. Notable gemstones which contain beryllium include beryl (aquamarine, emerald) and chrysoberyl. The free element is a steel-gray, strong, lightweight brittle alkaline earth metal. It is primarily used as a hardening agent in alloys, notably beryllium copper.

The name beryllium comes from the Greek which means to "to become pale," in reference to the pale semiprecious gemstone beryl. Beryllium is a constituent of about 100 out of about 4000 known minerals and precious forms of beryl are aquamarine, bixbite and emerald.

Because of its low atomic number and very low absorption for X-rays, the oldest and still one of the most important applications of beryllium is in radiation windows for X-ray tubes. Also, due to its low atomic number, beryllium is almost transparent to energetic particles. Therefore it is used to build the beam pipe around the collision region in collider particle physics experiments. Notably all four main detector experiments at the Large Hadron Collider accelerator use a beryllium beam-pipe.

Beryllium has one of the highest melting points of the light metals. Because of its stiffness, light weight, and dimensional stability over a wide temperature range, beryllium metal is used for lightweight structural components in the defense and aerospace industries in high-speed aircraft, missiles, space vehicles and communication satellites. Several liquid-fuel rockets use nozzles of pure beryllium.

Commercial use of beryllium metal presents technical challenges due to the toxicity (especially by inhalation) of beryllium-containing dusts. Beryllium produces a direct corrosive effect to tissue, and can cause a chronic life-threatening allergic disease called berylliosis in susceptible persons.

Beryllium is a relatively rare element in both the Earth and the universe. The element is not known to be necessary or useful for either plant or animal life.

Week 6: Halogen of the Week- Fluorine

Name: Fluorine
Symbol: F
Atomic number: 9
Atomic weight: 18.998.4032
Group in periodic table: 17
Group name: Transition non-metal
Period in periodic table: 2
Block in periodic table: p
Color: pale yellow or brown gas
Classification: Halogen

F2 is a supremely reactive, poisonous, pale, yellowish brown gas. Elemental fluorine is the most chemically reactive and electronegative of all the elements and it will readily "burn" hydrocarbons at room temperature, making molecular fluorine is highly dangerous, more so than other halogens such as the poisonous chlorine gas.

Fluorine's highest electro-negativity, so it readily forms compounds with most other elements, and its small atomic radius gives unique properties to many of its compounds. For example, the carbon–fluorine bond is one of the strongest bonds in organic chemistry. Drugs are often fluorinated, to prevent their metabolism and prolong their half-lives.

F2 is a corrosive pale yellow or brown gas that is a powerful oxidizing agent. Fluorine combines with the noble gases argon, krypton, xenon, and radon. Even in dark, cool conditions, fluorine reacts explosively with hydrogen. Fluorides are compounds that combine fluorine with some positively charged counterpart. They often consist of crystalline ionic salts. Fluorine compounds with metals are among the most stable of salts.

The mineral fluorspar (also called fluorite), consisting mainly of calcium fluoride, was described in 1530 by Georgius Agricola for its use as a flux which is used to promote the fusion of metals or minerals. The name Fluorine comes from the Latin: fluere, meaning "to flow".

Fluorine is incorporated into compounds with biological activity. And while Fluorine is not an essential nutrient, it had been thought that it had an important role to play in preventing tooth decay. However, according to Paul Pitchford (Healing With Whole Foods), that is a total misinformation. In fact, according to Paul, Flourine is a by-product of the alluminum industry which used to be very costly to dispose of. Then, someone had the bright idea of using it in drinking water and toothpaste supposedly as a preventative of tooth decay. While the exterior of the teeth may be protected, frequently, the inner core of the teeth are rotten. Also, because Fluorine and the other halogens have lighter molecular weights than iodine, they can offset and displace it in the body, causing a host of problems with the endocrine system and related glands that rely on iodine for their proper functioning.

Week 8 General Chemistry: Balancing Equations

I like the way they set-up this tutorial; it was really easy to see how many atoms of each element were on each side of the equation in this example. But, I wish that there was more than just one example. Because when I went back to the previous Chem Balancer equations and Brain Boggle, and tried to apply what I had learned, I still couldn't balance #7 from the first test series -or- the Brain Boggle question. There just didn't seem to be any way to balance them out...

Week 8: Chem Balancer

It seemed so easy in class, when Larry did it. And, indeed the first 6 Chem Balancer questions were pretty easy. But, when we get into the more complicated compound formulas (starting with #7), then I was totally stumped! I just could not figure it out. I tried the trial and error method and wrote it down on paper as well as using the on-line application, but I just didn’t get it.
And when I went on to the Brain Boggle Chem Balancer, I couldn’t even figure out the first one. This requires more review and practice.

Week 6: Alchemy - Science, magic, art?

Back in the 17th century “Alchemy” and Chemistry were synonymous, and both referred to “the study of matter by analysis, synthesis, and transmutation”. Then in the 18th century, the term alchemy started to be used to refer to attempts to turn base metals such as lead into gold. By the 20th century, the meaning of the term alchemy came to be used in yet a different manner, referring primarily to psychic or spiritual transformation.

I would venture to say that alchemy can be considered all three: science, art and magic. The science part is easy, due to the common heritage of today’s chemistry from the soil of alchemy. And, indeed, today there is a new type of alchemy developing in chemistry with the development and future use of super atoms which can combine into super molecules, with the potential for becoming new materials…the chemistry of which might be able to be harnessed to make more efficient fuels. Another possibility, is that these super atoms might provide new types of materials, like expanded crystals, with superconducting capabilities. These, in turn, might be able to be used to bond with other conducting polymers, in order to create new, unique molecules with improved conductivity. And another use of such materials would be as a fuel additive to boost the reactivity and produce more energy from a given fuel. This application is pure science; yet, there is also an aspect of art inherent in this process of discovery and creation of new materials.

On the other hand, alchemy can be considered a magical process, especially as it relates to the human psyche and the healing arts. The alchemical process of healing is inherently one of transformation: with the use of acupuncture and herbs, from illness and imbalance comes health and balance. Certainly the use of the needles and herbs induce changes in the body that invoke changes in the body’s chemistry. To go from a state of sickness to health, due to the body’s own healing mechanism, is nothing short of pure magic!

Week 4: Green Chemistry As a Social Movement

I think that one of the testimonials to how the Green Chemistry Social Movement is doing, is the fact that prior to attending this class, I had never heard about such a concept. Not that I am at the pinnacle of the Green Movement in America -but- I would have thought I would have at least heard about this concept.

That being said, after reading the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, I can see that there are several of these principles that are embodied in the environmental changes that people the world over are adopting in the face of global warming. Hopefully, it isn’t too late.

And I can also see that on other levels policies are also changing. Take for examples the Presidential Green Chemistry Awards that have been in effect since 1995. Many of the companies who have won the award since the programs inception, are those chemical corporations that we might have identified as the biggest offenders to the environment. Companies such as Dow Chemical, Cargill Dow and Shaw Industries are winning this award because of the cutting edge green chemistry programs they are enacting to reduce toxins, use safer solvents and eliminate waste in their production processes.

In 2006, the University of California, Berkeley, published a report on potential chemicals policy for the California Legislature entitled, Green Chemistry in California: A Framework for Leadership in Chemicals Policy and Innovation (http://coeh.berkeley.edu/greenchemistry/). The report finds that “long-standing weaknesses in the U.S. chemical management program, have produced a chemicals market in the U.S. that discounts the hazardous properties of chemicals relative to their function, price, and performance. The report concludes that these market conditions represent a key barrier to the scientific, technical, and commercial success of green chemistry in the U.S., and that fundamental policy changes are needed to correct these weaknesses.”

In 2007, Europe enacted legislation that requires companies to prove that their products are safe. Unfortunately, as of yet, the U.S. has not yet brought any similar legislation into effect. Need I say more?

Week 3: onal Metal of the Week: Manganese

Name: Manganese
Symbol: Mn
Atomic number: 25
Atomic weight: 54.938045 (5)
Standard state: solid at 298 K
Group in periodic table: 7
Group name: Transition Metals
Period in periodic table: 4
Block in periodic table: d block
Color: silvery-grey metal
Classification: Metallic

Manganese, whose name is a derivation from the Greek word for magic, is a silvery-gray metal resembling iron. It is part of the iron group of elements, which are thought to be synthesized in large stars shortly before their supernova explosion. Manganese is hard and very brittle, difficult to fuse, but easy to oxidize.

According to John Emsley, author of Nature’s Building Blocks: A-Z Guide to the Elements, “Manganese makes up about 1000 ppm (0.1%) of the Earth's crust, making it the 12th most abundant element there Abundance of elements in the universe.” Sources of this commonly occurring element are thought to be the sun, meteorites, the Earth's crust, the oceans (manganese is present in quantity in the ocean’s floor), as well as rivers and streams.

The Linus Pauling Institute states that “Manganese is a required trace mineral for all known living organisms and may be essential for utilization of vitamin B. As such, it plays an important role in a number of physiologic processes; as a constituent of some enzymes and an activator of other enzymes. Low dietary manganese and low levels of manganese in blood or tissue have been associated with several chronic diseases such as: Osteoporosis, Diabetes mellitus and Epilepsy”. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/manganese/

The human body contains about 10 mg of manganese, which is stored mainly in the liver and kidneys; and it’s also an important component in the process of photosynthesis for plants.
Several oxides of manganese, for example manganese dioxide, are abundant in nature and due to color these oxides have been used as since the Stone Age. The cave paintings in Gargas contain manganese as pigments and these cave paintings are 30,000 to 24,000 years old.
Manganese compounds were used by Egyptian and Roman glassmakers, to either remove color from glass or add color to it.

Manganese is essential to iron and steel production, since by its virtue it makes iron and steel hard, but not brittle. Steelmaking, and iron making, have accounted for most 80-90% of the manganese demand. Manganese phosphating is used as a preventative treatment against rust and corrosion on steel. The second largest application for manganese is as an alloying agent for aluminum. Among a variety of other uses, manganese is a key component of low-cost stainless steel formulations. It is also used for its sulfur-fixing, deoxidizing, and alloying properties. Manganese ions have various colors, depending on their oxidation state, and are used industrially as pigments.

Manganese oxidizes easily and forms halides, oxides, sulfides, hydrides, and complexes. In the 20th century, manganese dioxide has been widely used in commercial applications as material for commercial disposable dry cells and dry batteries.

While, manganese compounds are less toxic than those of other widespread metals such as nickel and copper; in larger amounts, and apparently with far greater activity by inhalation, manganese can be toxic in mammals, including causing neurological damage which is sometimes irreversible. Excesses of Manganese build up in the Liver and Kidneys, the organs of elimination, and are difficult to remove from the body. Manganese poisoning has been linked to impaired motor skills and cognitive disorders and all manganese compounds should be regarded as highly toxic as well as possibly carcinogenic and teratogenic (causes birth defects).

According to Science Daily, “Manganism, or manganese poisoning, is prevalent in such occupations as mining, welding, and steel manufacturing. It is caused by exposure to excessive levels of the metal manganese, which attacks the central nervous system, producing motor and dementia symptoms that resemble Parkinson's disease.” http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090201141559.htm