What Are the Signs of an Allergic Reaction to Sulfites?

Sodium sulfite is the most common form of sulfite and is an excellent reducing agent used to scavenge oxygen. Because it is harmful to humans, the concentration of sulfite in boilers and process water must be monitored regularly, so that additional treatment can be avoided. If a sewage treatment plant uses sulfur dioxide to remove residual chlorine, then it must be detected The amount of salt.

Use of sulfite

Sulfite is a kind of food additive widely used in the world very early. It can be used as food bleaching agent and preservative. It can inhibit non-enzymatic browning and enzymatic browning, prevent food browning, and prevent fruits from becoming dark. Change, can also prevent the formation of dark spots in fresh shrimp; in acidic media, it is still a very effective antibacterial agent.

For the human body in the human body, the sulfite ion is originally a product of the sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism process. Therefore, there is a sulfite oxidase that can oxidize the body. The sulfite oxidase is the most in the liver. Various other organs, such as It is also distributed in the heart and lungs, and also in the mitochondria of the cells, and is an essential enzyme for the human body. Sulfite oxidase is not induced by sulfite ingested in vitro. This enzyme must contain active molybdenum, which enters the body's sulfite. It is catalyzed by sulfite oxidase and combines with oxygen to form non-toxic SO ₄ ^2- .

Sulfites include Na ₂ SO _3, K ₂ SO _3, NaHSO _3, CaSO _3, KHSO _3, Na ₂ S ₂ O _3, Na ₂ S ₂ O _5, KHS ₂ O ₅ and so on. The values (in terms of SO ₂ ) are all 0 to 0.7 mg / kg · bw. In addition, sulfur can also be used as a bleaching agent, but it is limited to fumigation. In fact, syrup secondary sulfur smoking is a traditional process in the sugar industry and a necessary control process for quality control. According to national standards, the residual amount of sulfite (sulfur) in white sugar (as SO ₂ ) must not exceed 0.05g / kg.

Sulfite Hazard

Experiments have shown that rats were fed with NaHSO ₃ 0.1% feed for 2 years, and their development was inhibited; rats were fed with Na ₂ SO ₃ 0.1% feed for 2 years, and rats had neuritis and bone marrow atrophy.

A person ingesting 1g of sulfite a day will not cause significant harm. Ingesting 4-6g can cause gastrointestinal disorders and cause severe diarrhea. Chronic poisoning can cause headaches, kidney problems, decreased red blood cells and hemoglobin. In addition, because sulfur contains lead, arsenic, thallium, etc., these toxic substances can enter food during fumigation. The table below shows the LD50 or LD of several sulfites.

After the sulfite enters the body, it is easy to form a sulfur trioxide anion radical (SO _3- ) through one-electron oxidation. SO ₃ ^- can react with O ₂ to form a superoxide anion radical O _2- .

Recent studies have shown that sulfite can cause damage to chromosomes and DNA. Sodium bisulfite and sodium sulfite (1: 3) biological test solution can induce a significant increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations (CA) in Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (CHL), with a clear dose-response relationship. At low concentrations, chromatid aberrations are mainly induced, and at high concentrations, both chromatid aberrations and chromosome aberrations can be induced. The study also found that the longer the cells were treated, the lower the minimum concentration required to cause genetic damage to the cells. When treated with CHL cells for 24 hours, CA can be induced to increase significantly at a concentration of 5mmol / L; if treated for 48h, a concentration of 1mmol / L can induce a significant increase in CA.

At the same time, when mice were injected with sodium bisulfite and sodium sulfite (1: 3) biological test solution intraperitoneally, it was found that the DNA of hippocampal neuron cells was damaged. When the concentration was 1.000 g / kg · bw, the injured cells of male mice reached 99.33%, and the cell DNA migration length reached 29.13 m, while the female mice's hippocampal neuronal cell DNA damage reached 95.33%. The DNA migration length also reached 20.94 m. Even at lower concentrations (0.125 g / kg · bw), the cellular DNA migration length increased significantly.

In addition, research indicates that sodium bisulfite can increase the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus (MN) rate of human blood lymphocytes, delay the mitotic cycle of lymphocytes, and reduce the cell division index. There is a significant dose-response relationship.

The mechanism of these genetic effects is unclear and needs further study, but people have a new understanding of the harm of sulfite (SO ₃ ). ^[3]