Chasing Molecules: Poisonous Products, Human Health, and the Promise of Green Chemistry

by Elizabeth Grossman

Each day, headlines warn that baby bottles are leaching dangerous chemicals, nonstick pans are causing infertility, and plastic containers are making us fat. What if green chemistry could change all that? What if rather than toxics, our economy ran on harmless, environmentally-friendly materials?
 
Elizabeth Grossman, an acclaimed journalist who brought national attention to the contaminants hidden in computers and other high tech electronics, now tackles the hazards of ordinary consumer products. She shows that for the sake of convenience, efficiency, and short-term safety, we have created synthetic chemicals that fundamentally change, at a molecular level, the way our bodies work. The consequences range from diabetes to cancer, reproductive and neurological disorders.
 
Yet it’s hard to imagine life without the creature comforts current materials provide—and Grossman argues we do not have to. A scientific revolution is introducing products that are “benign by design,” developing manufacturing processes that consider health impacts at every stage, and is creating new compounds that mimic rather than disrupt natural systems. Through interviews with leading researchers, Grossman gives us a first look at this radical transformation.
 
Green chemistry is just getting underway, but it offers hope that we can indeed create products that benefit health, the environment, and industry.

Genres: Science, Health, Nonfiction, Environment, Chemistry

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Isabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elizabeth Grossman did not manage to write such compelling and ageless book as Rachel Carson did. Far from it. While the topic is as important, the book is rather boring and hard to keep one’s attention on. I was happy to read it for some mentions of Paul Anastas and John Warner. Otherwise it is, unlike Silent Spring, outdated. I did not learn much from it.
Still, it shows a good overview of the political and economic aspects of the early bisphenol A (BPA) hazards findings. The same for phthalates. Still, it is good to find a book on such an important topic. I am surprised there are not more of these!

[Coralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really lovely walk through the chemistries going on behind the scene. I very much appreciated some frank perspective on this topic when all it seems that we get are one of two poles about any environmental issues. We need more real information like this about many of the modern marvels which are causing our systems stress - fracking, GMOs, etc.

[Jimena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am going to start by explaining my rating. The content and the message of this book is really really deserving 6 stars if it were possible. The problem I had with this book, as other reviewers have written, is that there is a noticeable lack of editing: it is very often quite repetitive and there are a handful of mistakes here and there, so that lowered my grade for the book.

So, about the content, I think this book is a truly eye-opener to what the world really is right now (or 12 years ago), chemically, industrially and environmentally speaking. It does go into very technical details now and then, so it may be difficult to follow for someone who doesn’t study or work in something related to chemistry. The anecdotes accompany the more scientific aspects quite well.

As I read on and on, I couldn’t help but look all around me and imagine how many and how much of the molecules listed in the book are already in my body and surrounding me and my family. I felt a knot in my throat tightening with each new chapter and, although it is uncomfortable to read such things, it is extremely necessary for we are on the brink of an ecological and human health catastrophe, because both go hand in hand.

We often hear about contamination and pollution as a visible thing, in the macro-scale, but, as Elizabeth Grossman narrates in this book, the problem is actually quite worse: not only do we have the large scale contamination, but we also have molecular contamination that has gotten into every single corner of the Earth and into every single living being on the planet, even those who have not been born yet.

I consider the topic of this book one of the most important topics to write about and read about in this day and age. I would truly like if the author did a part two, 12 years later, and analyzed how well and how bad we have done since this book. How much has the future of our planet and of future generations changed as to that of 2009?

[luv4pez · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is nearly 10 years old, so a lot of the information is outdated. However, the basic premise is still important. We are being exposed to toxins we're not aware of and the ridiculous governmental policies in place make it difficult to know what we're exposed to, but to also demand change.

I would love to see a different author take on this topic. Grossman tended to wander without any cohesiveness throughout the 200 pages. There are so many errors that it's obvious this was never given to a copyeditor. Spellcheck is not infallible. It seems as if this book was rushed to be published.

[Camille McCarthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book many more people should read because it is written for laypersons and it involves the chemicals we are exposed to every day of our lives as a result of manufacturing, agricultural pesticides, and just from everyday products. It also presents Green Chemistry as a solution to the toxic nature of most of the chemicals used today. Green Chemistry is the practice of designing chemicals in order to make them compatible with the human body and the environment, in order to ensure they do not produce harmful effects in any stages of their processing, use, or when they degrade after they are used for their purpose. It presents a number of different chemicals and their harmful effects, including Bisphenol-A, PVC, and nanoparticles, and gives some examples of companies and people working to eliminate these harmful chemicals and replace them with benign substances.
The book had a lot of good information but I feel that a lot of the writing was a bit awkward and repetitive. It probably could have used more editing. It did get its point across, but at times it was repeating information that was just said in the previous chapter, and it could get tiresome to hear the same things over and over.
The best chapters in my opinion were "Nanotechnology," about the benefits and risks of nanoparticles, and "Material Consequences," about different innovative technologies which are being used to replace toxic substances. I liked these chapters most because they gave concrete examples and they were much less repetitive than the earlier chapters.
The number of chemicals we are all exposed to every day is shocking and I fear if this doesn't change we will have engineered our own downfall. However this book does give a sense of hope, and points us in the direction of redesigning our world to use fewer chemicals and have a safer environment, so it isn't all doom and gloom.

[Josh B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Grossman, a journalist who brought national attention to the contaminants hidden in computers and other high tech electronics, now takes down the hazards of ordinary consumer products. She shows that for the sake of convenience, efficiency, and short-term safety, we have created synthetic chemicals that fundamentally change the way our bodies work. The after effects range from diabetes to cancer, reproductive and neurological problems. The book Chasing Molecules- Poisonous Products, Human Health, and the Promise of Green Chemistry explains the cause and effects of chemicals in factories and how green chemistry can resolve this rapidly growing issue.

I personally liked reading this book, and would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in toxicology, or wants to become a scientist. If someone likes reading about molecules and other life studies, then they should read this book. Some things in this book that would interest a potential reader are the use of fixes to everyday problems. There are ideas on how a reader can reduce pollution to themselves and the environment, which just that alone would make me want to read. If you like science, or like helping save the Earth and yourself then Elizabeth Grossman´s book Chasing Molecules is a read you would enjoy.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started off a little slow, but became much more interesting the more I read. I knew about some of the issues that are highlighted in this book, but the author opened my eyes to others. I found myself intensely engrossed by the end, slightly outraged, and inspired to drop current endeavors to pursue solutions. This book reminded me of why I first became interested in green chemistry. It's good to have these reminders.

[Pam Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

fascinating book which explores substances which are hazardous to human health that interfere with biological mechanisms and that have changed the worlds chemistry of this planet. How widely used synthetic chemicals affect healthy living cells migrating from industrial waste sites to finished products which we use everyday, furniture textiles, electronic toys, personal use, mobile phones all made up of molecules.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and clearly explained book on the hazards of chemicals in the environment...it's basically a better version of my dissertation introductory chapters :)

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I'd read this as college freshmen I would have majored in chemistry. FASCINATING.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this!