™DEPARTMENTS
4 Open for Discussion: Can Smells Harm You?
By Brian Rohrig
Most of us try to avoid bad smells, but what if you had to stay in a
smelly room for a while (for a meeting or at a friend’s house)?
Could the bad smell make you sick?
19 As a Matter of Fact: The Flint Water Crisis
FEATURES
5 A Close-Up Look at the Quality of Indoor Air
By Brian Rohrig
Because many homes and buildings are poorly ventilated, the concentration of toxic gases and airborne irritants can rise to dangerous
levels. We take a look at three common indoor air pollutants that
could cause serious health problems.
8 Chemistry Helps Athlete Keep Moving
By Stuart Mason Dambrot
Chandler Smith, now a college student, has been wearing a prosthetic leg and foot since he was 18 months old. Thanks to chemistry,
the prosthetics he has been wearing over the years have allowed him
to follow his dream of becoming an athlete.
12 Frozen Fish Stick Blues
By Mary Alexandra Agner
Some fish contain relatively large amounts of mercury. Where does
this mercury come from, and why does it remain inside the fish that
ingest them?
14 Antioxidants Go the Extra Mile
By Andrew Porterfield
Fruits and vegetables contain chemicals called antioxidants, which
remove potentially damaging compounds present in our bodies and
may protect us from developing heart disease, eye cataracts, and
certain cancers.
16 Cellulosic Ethanol: A Fuel of the Future?
By Jonathan Sherwood
In the future, ethanol could be a cleaner and more sustainable
alternative to gasoline, especially if it is produced from agricultural
waste. The current challenge is to find an economical way to extract
ethanol from agricultural waste.
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Vol. 34, No. 2 APRIL/MAY 2016
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More information at: www.acs.org/chemmatters or by calling 1-800-333-9511.
On the cover: LOUIS LOPEZ, MODERN EXPOSURE
As a Matter of Fact:
The Flint
Water Crisis
p. 19
More On The Web!
Find your complete
Teacher’s Guide, videos, and
Spanish translations at:
www.acs.org/chemmatters
COVER STORY:
Chemistry Helps
Athlete Keep Moving
p. 8
Open for Discussion:
Could Bad Smells
Be Harmful to
Our Health?
p. 4
p. 14