Introducing ‘acrolein’

When I first came across the term “acrolein,” the sound bites impressed positively. I thought of it as something beneficial to the human being like the words “calcium” or “organic.” It was perhaps even better than the acerbic sounding “ascorbic acid,” which is less pleasant sounding than vitamin C.

Apparently though, good sound bites can be entirely misleading if no further checking is performed. Acrolein historically means “odor” in Latin. And, what an odor it emits! Scientific literature describes it as pungent smelling, which is essentially an irritating smell. Thus, it is neither an essential vitamin nor an essential mineral.

Instead it is toxic, belonging to the aldehyde family of chemicals, which brought us the cadaver preserving formaldehyde and formalin (formaldehyde + water). Thus, it is also referred to as an acrylaldehyde. In fact, it is chemically a pesticide.

Acrolein is formed from the burning of fats, wood and tobacco. Thus, you overheat your cooking oils, you are creating acrolein. And the next time you use those same oils in another frying session, you are actually putting acrolein on your table and in your family members’ mouths. Thus, never re-use your cooking oil after using it twice.

Your vehicle exhaust is rich in acrolein. Take note that your fuel, a petroleum, is a derivative of oil, which is chemically a fat. It can be smelled in the air as a burnt, sweet, pungent odor, but only when the concentration reaches 0.25 parts per million air parts.

How about fats in food such as raw cocoa beans, chocolate liquor, fried potatoes and onions, roasted coffee and heated animal fats and vegetable oils? The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry listed it, while the Environmental Protection Agency included it in its National Priorities List for federal cleanup objectives.

Interestingly, acrolein is deactivated by chemicals in the soil. Thus, the country is still fortunate with its large open un-concreted land area. However, that does not mean this advantage will last very long with the increasing vehicular volume in Cebu City alone. Increasing urbanization will shorten it.

We can control at least two factors. First, we avoid creating more acrolein at home by avoiding overusing cooking oil or minimizing roasted coffee, for instance. Second, protect as many forested areas in our island as possible. They are the only cure to the environmental ailments our cities are dispensing.

In 1985, famous actor-director Robert Redford was quoted saying during the dedication of the Yosemite National Park: “I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend?”