Global Consumer Science

1. Global Consumer Science IJSO Training (Phase 2) Dr. Kendrew K. W. Mak Department of Chemistry The Chinese University of Hong Kong

2. Consumer Products are Used in Every Aspect of Our Daily Life Composed of an array of personal care and household products that are used for personal, family, or household purposes. Such as: IT and electronic products Personal care products Food and beverage (including packaging) Household cleaning products Furniture Fabrics and clothing etc......

3. Consumer Products • Ideal design of consumer products: • Fit to the designated purpose • Safe to the consumer • Safe to the environment • Minimize resource consumption in the production • Minimize waste production

4. Impacts of Consumer Products Health • Environmental pollution leading to health problems • Toxic ingredients • Problems related to inappropriate diet and nutrition. • Injuries resulted from using the badly designed products. Environmental • Air pollution • Noise pollution • Water pollution • Waste production • Non-degradable solid waste, toxic waste • Affecting the ecology

5. Impacts of Consumer Products to the Environment • Depleting the world’s (non-renewable-不可再生的) resources • e.g. use of petroleum for fuel and producing raw materials • mineral mining for producing metal products and fertilizers • Pollution • e.g. air pollution (airborne particle, acid rain, VOC…) • water pollution (heavy metal, nutrients, organic toxin) • ozone depletion (消耗臭氧) • Waste Disposal • e.g. non-degradable solid waste (plastic) • domestic hazardous waste (medication, paints, batteries…) non-degradable –不可降解的

6. Depleting the World’s (non-renewable) Resources Activities leading to resource depletion: • Farming – land/soil/nutrient depletion • Fishing – extinction of certain species • Mining – depletion of oil and mineral resources • Timber industry – depletion of woodland, desertification World oil consumption (1965 – 2005)

7. Air Pollution - VOCs Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that are easily vaporized under normal conditions and contaminate the atmosphere. Source of VOCs: Paint thinners (油漆稀釋液), dry cleaning solvents, petroleum fuels, aerosol sprays (噴霧劑), pesticides (農藥), air refreshers (空氣清新劑), perfumes (香水), etc. Soil and groundwater contamination (accidentally released) Escaped VOCs - cause air pollution Volatile organic compounds –揮發性的有機化合物

8. Water Pollution – Eutrophication(富養化作用) Eutrophication– The process by which a body of water become enriched in dissolved nutrients (usually phosphates or nitrogen containing compounds) that stimulate the growth of aquatic plant life. It causes depletion of dissolved oxygen in water. Sources of Pollutants Phosphorus (磷) and nitrogen (氮) runoff from detergents or fertilizers. Phosphates (磷酸鹽) were added to laundry detergents (洗衣粉)as builders (助潔劑) to enhance the surfactant effects (表面活化作用). Between 1940 and 1970 the amount of phosphates in city wastewater increased from 20,000 to 150,000 tons per year. Algal blooms grew on the excess phosphorus and consumed the oxygen in water, killing fish and plants.

9. Ozone Depletion – CFCs • Human immune system (人體免疫系統) • Skin • Ecology Increased damages to Trichlorofluoromethane (三氯氟甲烷)Freon-11, CFC-11 CFCs used in: Refrigerants (製冷劑) Propellants for aerosol spray (氣霧推進劑) Fire extinguisher (滅火劑) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) –氯氟碳化合物

10. CFC (Chlorofluorocarbons) as ideal refrigerants CCl2F2 Dichloro-difluoromethane (二氯二氟甲烷)(CFC-12) An almost ideal refrigerant: Stable and chemically inert Non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-corrosive Physical properties very suitable for the application Very inexpensive A chain radical reaction leading to the destruction of ozone.

11. Newer Refrigerants DifluoromethaneHFC-32, R-32 ChlorodifluoromethaneHCFC-22, R-22 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethaneHFC-134a, R-134a Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) The environmental effects are only about 10% of the CFCs Even more environmental friendly

12. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Municipal solid waste (都市固體廢物) is a waste type that includes predominantly household waste (domestic waste –家居廢物) with sometimes the addition of commercial wastes collected by a municipality. They are in either solid or semisolid form and generally exclude industrial hazardous wastes. Consumer packaging 消費品包裝 The packaging of goods sold to consumers. (shopping bags, packaging bags, boxes and gift wraps, bottles, Tetrapak paper packages……) Industrial packaging 工業產品包裝 For protection and transportation purposes. (PS foam, air-bubble sheets, cartons…..) Packaging wastes contribute to about 20% of the solid waste.

13. Solid Waste Management (固體廢物之管理/處理) Source Reduction (減少廢物產生) Altering the design, manufacture processes, or materials used to reduce the amount and toxicity of what gets thrown away. Recycling (回收 / 循環再造) Divert items, such as paper and plastics, from the wastestream. These materials are sorted, collected, and processed and then manufactured, sold, and used as new products. Composting (堆肥) Decompose organic waste, such as food scraps and yard trimmings with microorganisms (bacteria and fungi), producing a humus-like substance. Combustion (焚化) Burning of municipal solid waste to reduce the quantity of waste that needed to be disposed of in landfills. Land filling (堆田) Waste is dumped into the land

14. Reduce and Reuse (減少及重用) • Purchasing durable, long-lasting goods • Seeking products and packaging that do not contain toxic substances • Redesigning products that use less raw material in production, have a longer life, or can be used repeatedly. Examples • Use non-disposable tableware and cutlery • Use rechargeable batteries • Reduce the use of shopping bags • Use refillable items (pens, household/body care liquid products……)

15. Recycling (循環再造) Examples of Recyclable Materials • Batteries • Plastic • Biodegradable wastes (food waste) • Printer ink cartridges and toners • Metals • Paper

16. Recycling of Plastics Most plastics can be recycled, but they have to be separated into different types according to the Resin Identification Code (塑膠分類標誌). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resin_identification_code

17. Recycling of Metals Aluminium soft-drink cans (汽水鋁罐) • Most soft-drink cans are made of aluminium. • An aluminium can is 100% recyclable. • Aluminium is cut into small pieces and melted to produce molten aluminium for further processing. • Hugh amount of energy is required to extract aluminium from ore. • Recycled aluminium is indistinguishable from those obtained from ore.

18. Composting of Biodegradable Substances Biodegradable waste (可被生物降解之廢物) can be recycled into useful material by biological decomposition (生物降解作用). Composting is the process of producing compost through aerobic decomposition of biodegradable organic matter. http://hk.news.yahoo.com/070618/12/29rbv.html

19. Avoid Using Non-biodegradable Materials Modern technologies turned many natural substances into new materials which cannot be easily broken down by microorganisms (微生物)and enzymes (酶). Example: Petroleum can undergo biodegradation slowly, but most plastic (which are made from petroleum) cannot. Conventional, non-biodegradable polymers Poly(vinyl chloride) (聚氯乙烯)(PVC) Polystyrene (PS) Polyethylene (PE)

20. Degradable Plastics • - Photochemical decomposition (光化學分解) • Hydrolysis • Oxidation • Biochemical degradation Degradable Polymer Degradation (降解) Faster Degradation Smaller Polymer Fractions (Increased Surface Area) CO2 and H2O as final products

21. Examples of Biodegradable Plastics Polyethene incorporated with starch - mixed with 6 - 40% of starch. Starch content higher than 9% - degrade within 1 year under favorable conditions. Useful for making biodegradable grocery bags.

22. Renewable Resources – Biodiesel Biodiesel is a type of fuel made from vegetable oil that can be used in unmodified diesel engine. (甘油部份) (脂肪酸部份) Triglycerides (三酸甘油酯) (Esters of glycerol with long-chain fatty acids)

23. Renewable Resources – Biodiesel (甲醇、氫氧化鈉溶液) (轉酯化反應) (甲基油酸)

24. Ethanol as Car Fuel Biomass as Renewable Sources of Useful Chemicals CO2 Recycling Wayman, M.; Parekh, S. R. Biotechnology of Biomass Conversion, Open University Press, Milton Keynes, 1990.

25. Ethanol as Car Fuel • In 2004, 44% of the vehicle fuel used in Brazil was ethanol. • Between 1983-1988, over 90% cars sold were ethanol-only cars. • 80% of the cars produced in Brazil in 2005 were dual-fuel. • Bagasse (the fibrous material left over from pressing) are used to provide electricity for the distillery

26. How Foods (Crops) Are Improved In the past – Selective Breeding (~ 10 Years) In the past, farmers improved crops and domestic animals by breeding for desirable traits. This process is often uncertain and very time consuming. Now – By Genetic Engineering (~ 1 Years) Now scientists can use the tools of modern molecular biology to introduce genes from desired traits into plants and animals. The resulting organisms are called transgenic organisms because they contain genes from another species.

27. Genetically Modified (GM) Foods Genetically Modified (GM) foods (基因改造食物) are produced from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) To produce a genetically modified organism, DNA that has been taken from another organism and modified in the laboratory is inserted to the organism to produce new and useful traits. Examples of GM Foods • Tomato (Flavr Savr, delayed ripening) • Soybeans (Roundup Ready, herbicide-tolerant) • Maize (insect-protected, herbicide-tolerant) • Rice (Golden rice, produce beta-carotene) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_food#Abundance_of_GM_crops

28. Flavr Savr Tomato The first commercial grown genetically engineered food for human consumption. The tomato was made more resistant to rotting. Flavr Savr Tomato Ripe and increased Flavor Ripens on the vine, resulting in fuller flavor. Traditional Spray with ethylene after shipping to induce ripening Ripe but decreased Flavor Harvest while green and firm, easier for transportation

29. Insect-Protected Maize • Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a bacterium that produces proteins which are toxic to corn pest. • Inserting the gene that responsible for producing Bt proteins into corn’s DNA. • The GM corn can produce Bt proteins, so becomes resistant to the pest.

30. Rice (Golden-rice) Golden rice is a kind of rice produced through genetic engineering that contains the precursor of beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A) in the edible part of rice. Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) Affected 124 million people 118 countries (Africa / South-East Asia) Annually: 1-2 million death 500,000 irreversible blindness

31. Genetically Modified Food Controversies The GM food controversy is a dispute over the advantages and disadvantages of genetically modified food crops. Some advantages of introducing GM foods • Increase crop yield – feed more people and reduce famine. • Reduce the use of synthetic insecticides – protect farmers, consumers, and the environment. • Producing food with higher nutrition values (protein-enriched potatoes, golden rice), particularly helpful to developing countries. • Herbicide-resistant crops (Round-up Ready crops) – better protection for crops’ quality and quantity

32. Genetically Modified Food Controversies Worries about GM foods • Trigger allergic reactions • Create new, potential harmful foods / substances • Disturb the balance of ecosystems, biodiversity. (Pollen from Bt corn may have adverse effects on beneficial insects) • Development of pesticide-resisting, super pests • Increased use of herbicides – fewer weeds – impact on the wildlife.

33. Consumer Product Testing (消費品測試) - the evaluation of goods sold in the retail marketplace Why do consumer products need testing? Safety Quality

34. Consumer Product Testing News: (safety) News from Internet and newspaper about the safety of consumer products such as toys, batteries for portable computers, cars … etc.

35. Consumer Product Testing • Benefits to Manufacturer • Products comply to applicable regulations • Products look and function as intended • Assess the performance of products against a competitor’s products • Enhance risk management and protect the company’s brand • Determine whether the products will be damaged during transport Benefits to Consumer - Faith and safe to use

36. Consumer Product Testing Who are going to do the consumer product testing? Commercial Testing Laboratories Manufacturers Government Bodies Consumers

37. Consumer Product Testing Manufacturers (生產商) Quality Control Laboratory (品質控制實驗室) - check regularly the quality of the products

38. Consumer Product Testing Government Bodies (Local) - regularly checking on the products to see whether they are safe to use. Government Laboratory (政府化驗所) Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (食物環境衛生署) Consumer Council (消費者委員會)

39. Consumer Product Testing Commercial Testing Laboratories - independent third party testing services CMA Testing and Certification Laboratories ITS Intertek Testing Services It the laboratory is accredited, some of their tests will be recognized internationally. No duplicate testing!

40. Consumer Product Testing Consumers Can you do your own consumer product testing? Story about the Ribena with which in 2004 two high school students from New Zealand conducted a science experiment to determine the Vitamin C levels of their favourite fruit drinks.

41. Consumer Product Testing Example: Lighter Safety Test BS EN ISO 9994:2006 “Lighters-Safety Specification” - define the quality, reliability and safety of lighters with test procedures Functional Requirements • Flame generation • Flame heights • Flame height adjustment • Resistance to spitting or sputtering and flaring • Flame extinction

42. Consumer Product Testing Structural Integrity Requirements • External finish • Compatibility with fuel • Resistance to fuel loss • Resistance to dropping • Resistance to elevated temperature • Resistance to internal pressure • Burning behaviour • Resistance to cyclic burning • Resistance to continuous burning

43. Consumer Product Testing Example: Quality of Honey Conducted by Consumer Council (HK) & the Consumers Korea CODEX Standard: internationally use Sucrose content: <5% (Food & Drugs (Composition & Labeling) Regulations) HMF level (an indicator of freshness): <40mg/kg (Hydroxymethylfurfural) Moisture Content: <20% http://www.consumer.org.hk/website/ws_en/news/press_releases/p35903.html

44. Consumer Product Testing (抽濕機) Example: Comparative Test of Dehumidifiers: by the Consumer Council 10 models claim to have capacity ranging from 20L to 25L moisture a day. Conditions for rating: 8 models 30oC 80% (RH) 2 models 32oC 80% (RH) More realistic measurement: Test condition: 26.7oC 60% (US Association of Home Appliance Manufactures standard)

45. Consumer Product Testing Similar test condition: 27oC 60% Standards use in Japan, China, Europe and Taiwan Results of 10 models: - ranging from 5.61L to 13.24L per day. In Hong Kong, no mandatory standard test conditions for rating dehumidifying capacity of household portable dehumidifiers at present. http://www.consumer.org.hk/website/ws_en/news/press_releases/p34101.html

46. Consumer Product Testing Toy Testing: (玩具測試) Different countries or regions have different standards. Europe: EN71, … USA: ASTM F963, ….. Australia: AS1674, ….. Canada: Canada Hazardous Products (Toys) Regulations & Act

47. Consumer Product Testing EN71: Part 1: Physical & Mechanical Tests • Torque and tension • Drop Test • Impact Test • Compression Test (扭力-拉力測試) (跌落測試) (撞擊測試) (壓力測試)

48. Consumer Product Testing EN71: Part 2: Flammability Test (易燃性測試) Photos on Flammability Test

49. Consumer Product Testing EN71: (有毒物質測試) Part 3: Toxic Elements Test Antimony (Sb), Barium (Ba), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Selenium (Se) and Arsenic (As) - migration of elements from samples in the experimental environment similar to human digestion system. Sample cut into very small size and put into container with 0.25% HCl. Shake 1 hour and stand for 1 hour before analysis of the heavy metals. (Prepare one sample for one color)

50. Consumer Product Testing EN71: Part 4: Experimental Set for Chemistry Part 5: Chemistry Toys (Sets) Other than Experimental Sets Part 6: Graphical Symbol for Age Warning Labeling Part 7: Finger Paints EN50088 –Electric Toy Safety Test EMC Directive 89/336/EEC: EMI and EMS testing Remote Control Toys: Radio (RF) + EMC + LVD testing Electromagnetic Compatibility Low Voltage Directive