1001 Chemicals in Everyday Products

There is a virtual laboratory of chemicals in the food we eat and the products we encounter every dayat home, at school, and at work. What are these substances and how are they used? How are they helpful? Can they be harmful?

Here are fast, hands-on answers to these and other crucial questions about hundreds of chemical substances we come into contact with on a regular basis. From MSG in food to perchloroethylene in dry cleaning, this AZ guide provides clear, no-nonsense information on the use and health effects of hundreds of chemicals found in food, medicines, cosmetics, cleaning solutions, lawn and garden products, and more. Well-organized and easy-to-use, it gives you the help you need to make smarter choices about the products you choosefor yourself and your family. Inside 1,001 Chemicals in Everyday Products you'll find:

• Entries listing products, uses, precautions, and synonyms
• Direct answers to over 250 frequently asked questions on everyday chemicals
• Handy product and chemical synonym indexes
• A nationwide listing of Poison Control Centers

Wer möchte nicht mehr über die Inhaltsstoffe von Produkten wissen, mit denen er täglich umgeht - seien es Nahrungsmittel, Medikamente, Wasch- und Reinigungsmittel oder Kosmetika? Dieses Buch listet detailliert auf, wozu diese Stoffe verwendet werden und welche Auswirkungen sie auf die Gesundheit haben können. Jeder Eintrag enthält Angaben über die chemische Bezeichnung der betreffenden Substanz, eine Auflistung von Produkten, in denen sie enthalten ist, übliche Verwendungszwecke sowie synonyme Bezeichnungen für Produkte und Chemikalien. Dieses übersichtliche Nachschlagewerk enthält Fachinformationen für den Verbraucher, und zwar auf einem auch für Nichtchemiker verständlichen Niveau. (01/99)

Preface ix

Consumer's Chemical Questions 1

Food Additives 1

Cosmetics 19

Cleaning Products 23

Miscellaneous Questions 26

Chemicals 33

Appendix 1 United States Poison Control Centers 295

Canadian Poison Control Centers 306

Index 309

GRACE ROSS LEWIS is cofounder and Vice President of Lewis Information Systems, Inc., in Cincinnati, Ohio.

What everyone should know about hundreds of chemicals used in today's products . . .

Olestra in fat-free snacks, aldicarb on potatoes, PCBs in electrical components . . .

There is a virtual laboratory of chemicals in the food we eat and the products we encounter every day—at home, at school, and at work. What are these substances and how are they used? How are they helpful? Can they be harmful?

Here are fast, hands-on answers to these and other crucial questions about hundreds of chemical substances we come into contact with on a regular basis. From MSG in food to perchloroethylene in dry cleaning, this A - Z guide provides clear, no-nonsense information on the use and health effects of hundreds of chemicals found in food, medicines, cosmetics, cleaning solutions, lawn and garden products, and more. Well-organized and easy-to-use, it gives you the help you need to make smarter choices about the products you choose—for yourself and your family.

Inside you'll find:

• Entries listing products, uses, precautions, and synonyms
• Direct answers to over 250 frequently asked questions on everyday chemicals
• Handy product and chemical synonym indexes
• A nationwide listing of Poison Control Centers