Everything Is Toxic, Nothing Is Toxic

The Greater Chicago manganese scare was much ado about nothing. Nothing is inherently toxic. Only dosages and routes of exposure generate toxicity.
Everything Is Toxic, Nothing Is Toxic
Manganese ore at the Tambao mine, 220 miles northeast of the capital of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on April 5, 2015. Ahmed Ouoba/AFP/Getty Images
Richard Trzupek
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Commentary
A few years ago, the city of Chicago was in a state of panic over the supposed public health dangers related to potential exposure to the element manganese. The local media, politicians, and community groups jumped on the exponentially expanding anti-manganese bandwagon with the sort of self-righteous enthusiasm that professor Harold Hill used to combat the evils associated with playing pool.
Richard Trzupek
Richard Trzupek
Author
Rich Trzupek is a chemist, author and nationally recognized air quality expert. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.
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