Toxic Chemical Lurking in Our Homes: How a Cleaning Product Is Related to Parkinson’s Disease

When considering the risk of acquiring diseases, the least place that we might think of avoiding is our home. Yet our house is also home to various chemicals that can cause serious health problems. Ironically, some household products are meant to clean but contain harmful toxins. This was confirmed in epidemiology research that studies the link between exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE) and the chances of developing Parkinson's disease.

Toxic Chemical Lurking in Our Homes

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) examined the medical records of Marine Corps and Navy veteran soldiers who underwent training at various locations, such as Camp Lejeune or Camp Pendleton, for at least three months between 1975 and 1985. This population-based cohort study used 340 489 military service members as participants.

The International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes for Parkinson's were searched from Veterans Health Administration and Medicare databases. The medical record review confirms the diagnosis of this brain disorder.

Further data analysis also reveals that the water supplies at Camp Lejeune were heavily contaminated with several volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Then the researchers connected this to compare the risk of Parkinson's disease in former residents of the two camps.

The records reveal that the veterans exposed to water contaminated with TCE and other VOCs in the Marine Corps base developed a 70% higher chance of acquiring Parkinson's disease than their comrades who trained in other stations. Aside from the Marine Corps base, the chemical was also found to contaminate 15 sites in California's Silicon Valley and up to one-third of groundwater sources in the U.S. On a global scale, millions of people have been and continue to be exposed to this toxic contaminant.

Threats from Trichloroethylene

Trichloroethylene is a colorless liquid chemical that is synthetically created for various purposes. It was first developed in 1864 and became commercially available in the 1920s. Its primary use is to make refrigerants and as decreasing solvents for metal devices. The unique properties of TCE also allow it to be applied in the military and medicine.

TCE quickly evaporates and does not cause shrinkage of fabrics, making it useful in dry cleaning since the 1930s. It is used in cleaning wipes, spray adhesives, and spot removers in ordinary households.

TCE can be found in air, water, and soil and stays in the environment for a long time. As it passes through the ground, it can easily accumulate in groundwater. Aside from household exposure, a person can also get in contact with TCE by inhaling it or eating foods that have been washed with TCE-contaminated water. People who work in the industry can absorb TCE through their skin.

The link between TCE and Parkinson's disease was first discovered in case studies involving mice. Research on this animal reveals that TCE can easily enter the brain and tissues of the body. When exposed at high doses, the solvent damages the part of the cell that produces energy known as mitochondria. The selective loss of nerve cells in rats that produce dopamine is a hallmark of the disease in humans.