Melamine powder is a compound that has received widespread attention due to its widespread application in various industries. Melamine is commonly used to produce plastics, adhesives, and kitchenware and is closely related to our daily lives. Therefore, the dangers of melamine has also received widespread attention.
Melamine chemical formula: C3H6N6
Melamine is a pure white monoclinic crystal, odorless, density 1.573g/cm3 (16℃).
Melting point 354℃ at normal pressure (decomposition); sublimation temperature 300℃ with rapid heating.
Soluble in hot water, slightly soluble in cold water, very slightly soluble in hot ethanol. Low toxicity.
It is stable under normal conditions but may decompose and release cyanide at high temperatures.
We will discuss the dangers of melamine from the following three aspects:
Melamine is currently considered to be mildly toxic, with an oral LD50 of >3 g/kg body weight in rats.
An experiment in 1945 reported that no significant toxicity was observed in rats, rabbits, and dogs after feeding large doses of melamine to them. Prolonged ingestion of melamine by animals can cause reproductive and urinary damage, bladder and kidney stones, and can further induce bladder cancer.
1994 International Manual of Chemical Safety (IMCS) Volume III and International Chemical Safety Card (ICSC), co-edited by the International Organization for Standardization (IOS) of the United Nations International Programme on Chemical Safety (UN/IPCS) and the European Commission (EC), only state that prolonged or repeated ingestion of large quantities of melamine may affect the kidneys and the bladder and result in the production of stones.
However, the preliminary findings of the pet food contamination incident in the United States in 2007 concluded that wheat protein powder adulterated with ≤6.6% melamine was the cause of poisoning in pet food, putting a question mark on the above conclusion of mild toxicity.
For safety reasons, eating utensils made with melamine are usually labeled “not for use in microwave ovens.”
Melamine is a low-toxicity chemical. Animal studies show that it is metabolized quickly and does not remain in the body of animals, mainly affecting the urinary system.
There is a clear dosage-effect relationship between melamine doses and clinical disease. The maximum tolerable level of melamine in infants is 15 milligrams per kilogram of milk powder. An expert risk assessment of contaminated infant formula showed that for a 7 kg infant, assuming a daily intake of 150 g of formula, the safe prevalence, i.e., the maximum tolerable level, was 15 mg/kg.
The tolerable daily intake (TDI) for melamine, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standard, is 0.63 mg/kg body weight per day.
Milk powder is toxic because it contains melamine, which may be added directly to the milk powder or raw milk.
Melamine is mainly added to milk and powder because it can be passed off as protein. Milk powder requires protein content. If there is not enough protein, the milk has been blended with too much water, which means that there is too much powder of something else in the milk powder.
However, protein is too difficult to detect, so biochemists came up with a lazy way: because protein is nitrogenous, as long as the nitrogen content of the food is measured, it can be deduced from the protein content.
So, they would add melamine to powdered milk to increase the nitrogen content of the powdered milk so that the protein content of the powdered milk would meet the standard.
Melamine is a valuable material with many advantages, including durability and versatility. However, its potential dangers, particularly those related to health and environmental impacts, require careful consideration.
By understanding these factors, consumers and manufacturers can make informed decisions about melamine’s safe use and disposal.
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