Household Toxins

Find products in your home or surroundings that contain the following substances: heavy metals, harmful solvents, volatile organic compounds or vapors, pesticides, and radiation. Be creative in your search; the products can be household items or those that you are exposed to on a daily basis. You must find a total of 10 contaminants. Include at least one contaminant from each category.

Use the Contaminant Scavenger Hunt Matrix to track the following information for each contaminant:

Classify the contaminant as a heavy metal, harmful solvent, volatile organic compound or vapor, pesticide, or radiation.

Identify the source or sources of the contaminant.

Describe how the contaminant affects plants and humans.

Identify how the contaminant is absorbed--routes of exposure--and distributed--transport.

Identify the toxic response, or symptoms.

Describe how the contaminant is eliminated, or detoxification.