Dear Ms. Scientist,
How do seasonal allergies work?
Ben L.
Springtime is here which means pollen is upon us. The fresh grass and leaves are causing many to sneeze and the local Walgreens to run out of Claritin. Allergies are an abnormal immune response to a foreign substance, like prescription drugs, foods or pollen. Essentially, the body overreacts to an interaction with a substance it does not like in defense. These substances are called allergens. The body’s response is to form an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). These antibodies release histamine and other chemicals into the bloodstream. These cause the symptoms that make up the allergic reaction. In the coming months, the best ways to overcome these nasty reactions are to keep carpeting clean or avoid using rugs, remove dust frequently and keep your windows shut.
Dear Ms. Scientist,
How does a plastic bottle decompose in a landfill?
Will B.
The snow melted and revealed tons of trash along the sidewalks. If no one picks up that empty Coke bottle, it could take a while to completely decompose; the average time is roughly 450 years. Plastic bottles are not immediately biodegradable. If they contain polyethylene terephthalate, they will never biodegrade. Biodegradation requires the bottle to be buried so that bacteria in the soil help to decompose them. Since plastic doesn’t completely biodegrade, another decomposition technique is photodegradation. UV rays hit the plastic and break the molecules that hold it together. If plastic sits in a landfill, it rarely sees sunlight. Often, plastic bottles end up in the ocean to solve this issue. However, when they photodegrade, the toxic chemicals end up in the water and harm the aquatic life. What’s next? Developing newer, more eco-friendly plastics is one option. Another is to avoid plastic bottles altogether.
Ask Ms. Scientist is written by Julie Spitzer. If you have a burning science question you want her to answer, email it to science@dailycardinal.com.
