Dear stovers and especially Nat, Thanks for usefull information and this is just in line what I have proposed as a quick win for the Working Group on Tcehnology and Fuels. The time is more than ready to create a digital library available on the webside to the GACC to bring this kind of information available to the Groups and the "public" as soon as possible. The same thing goes for pyrolysis and combustion in stoves as well. There is no need to invent the wheel again and again............
We will include the testing of emmission from toxic biomass, like jatroha at SINTEF in Norway, to prevent the eradication of low income households World Wide...........as Nataniel so corret is trying to say. Otto > From: Nat of WorldStove [[email protected]] > Sent: 2011-01-26 04:29:34 MET > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Stoves] Dangers of Jatropha and some good news > > > Dear Stovers, > > While I can appreciate the enthusiasm with which many arenow, at least > conceptually, tackling the use of Jatropha as a fuel for stoves,I feel > compelled to remind the group that, we as a community have as ourprimary > objective the safety and health of those who need clean cookstoves. To this > end, statements thattoxicity of Jatropha is eliminated by heat are > dangerously misleading andignore decades of evidence. > The source referred to (http://www.tnau.ac.in/tech/swc/evjatropha.pdf) > states that?. > > ?Like Castor oil, the Jatropha oil and cake contain tracesof > toxins. The components associated with toxicity can be > denatured or inactivated by heat. The toxic components in > Jatropha cake are curcin a phytotoxin similar to ricin in castor > and HCN in young Sorghum leaves andTapioca rind.? > > What is ricin? In1978, the Bulgariandissident Georgi Markov was assassinated > with a bit of ricin poked into him onthe tip of an umbrella. One milligramof > this toxin in the bloodstream constitutes a lethal dose. Ricin is currently > classified asa potential chemical weapon. Additionally,heat labile toxins > are not the only toxins present many varieties of Jatrophaalso may contain > hydrocyanic acid (CRC Critical Reviews in Toxicology 1977) > > > > TOXICITY OF JATROPHA > > Toxicity of Jatropha has been studied for far longer thanmost stove programs > have existed. With publications in peer reviewed journalsdating at least back > to 1976 (Alpin), and newer articles from the NationalAcademy of Science where > it is noted that ?the resultant seed cake and othervegetative tissues are > highly toxic.? > (http://www.tnau.ac.in/tech/swc/evjatropha.pdf;http://www.pnas.org/content/106/35/E92.full) > (Jongschaap,R. et al. 2009. The water footprint of bioenergy from Jatropha > curcas L PNAS : 106 no. 35 E92). Themost recent compendium being published > only last year. Even documents in favor of the use ofJatropha oils in stoves > make careful note of its toxicity. For example: > > http://www.snvworld.org/en/Documents/FACT_Foundation_Jatropha_Handbook_2010.pdf > > > > See also? > http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/plant/jcurc.htm#SectionTitle:3.3The > toxin(s) > > Although the introductory pdf quoted above > (http://www.tnau.ac.in/tech/swc/evjatropha.pdf ) claimsthat some toxins in > Jatropha can be destroyed ?by heat? This does NOT mean thematerial is safe to > burn. The oils inJatropha are highly volatile and would certainly be carried > in smoke emitted atthe beginning or the end of ignition. Here we can be > guided by warnings concerning another plant producingvolatile and toxic oils, > poison ivy, the literature is replete with warningsagainst burning this > plant. For example, http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-218.pdf That states, > ?NEVER burn poison ivy! The smoke from burning the plant containsparticles > that can cause serious injury to the eyes, skin, and respiratorytract.? And > toxicological studies would indicate that this cautionary statementshould be > applied to any toxic biomass where the toxins can vaporize. > > Clearly even the handling of Jatropha come withgreat risks, risks which can > be reduced with the use of protective suits andequipment, but to this day, in > my many travels, I have not seen anyfieldworkers in Jatropha fields provided > with even gloves > > > Risks > > The risks associated with the handling of Jatropha include but are not > limited to: > > 1. Dehydration and cardiovascular collapse > 2. Haemorrhagic gastro-enteritis. > 3. Central nervous system depression. > 4. Kidney failure > 5. Liver failure > 6. Blindness > 7. Cancer > > Christa correctly notes that Jatropha is being usedas a soil amendment but > please remember that because of the thermo-chemicaltransformation that occurs > during pyrolysis, without testing of biochar, it isnot safe to assume that > what is safe to place in soils as plant matter, willalso lead to the > production of safe biochar. Our tests, in fact, have indicatedthat oil rich > fuels such as karité and Jatropha can result in the production ofbiochar with > higher levels of polyaromatic hydrocarbons. So, as Otto noted ofemissions, I > would like to also note of biochar, that unless it is tested fortoxicity we > can not, and should not, assume it is safe. Otto?s point is particularly > well taken thatmost emissions protocols so far test for fine particles, and > CO and CO2 butalmost no test tests for toxicity of biomasses intended for use > in stoves. > > > > CANWE AS A COMMUNITY SUPPORT THE EVICTION OF NATIVE PEOPLE, THE ELIMINATION > OFBIODIVERSITY, AND GREATER DEMANDS ON WATER? > > WhileI only touched on this in my last email, let us take a step back and ask > wherethe supposed surplus of Jatropha seed cake would be coming from.. To > provide atheoretical use for its byproduct is seen as a justification, by > some, for theelimination of local biodiversity in the name of big oil. Even > if Jatropha were not toxic, can we as acommunity allow our stoves to be used > as an excuse for deforestation? But do not take my word for it, ask thosewho > are having Jatropha plantations forced on them who eloquently make thepoint > in this video: > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiqMS6iglNQ > > > OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS. > > As a final note, I now see many requests for shipments ofseedcakes to be sent > to the United States for testing. The import of plantmatter cannot generally > be done without USDA import permits. This restriction was created to avoid > newplant species epidemics such as those which caused the loss of the > AmericanChestnut when one small tree was brought to a New York botanical show > in 1904,and the loss to the American Elm because of a shipment of logs from > France inthe 1930s. Permit applications can be found here: > > http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/plantproducts.shtml > > The process is not immediate nor is it guaranteed. For this reason we > conduct our tests duringlocal pilot programs and work closely with local > universities. A practice I ampleased to have seen now emulated by other stove > programs. > > IN CONCLUSION > > I am neither stating that we should or should not explorethe use of Jatropha > or any other available waste biomass. However, to begin a study without > firsttesting for the risks from the resulting emissions and safety of the > resultantbiochar would seem to go against all that this community and this > list standsfor. As a positive final thought, noneed to reinvent the wheel. > There are any number of organizations who havededicated decades to > determining toxicity of plants. If you are designing a newstove for a > specific biomass or tuning an existing one to be optimized for usewith a > specific biomass, why not, first of all, check out any number oforganizations > like IPCS (International Program on Chemical Safety) > > http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/plant/jcurc.htm#SectionTitle:3.3The > toxin(s) > > This way we will never loose sight of the needs of thepeople we are trying to > help, no matter how temping a newly available feedstockmay be. > > Cordially yours > > Nathaniel Mulcahy > www.WorldStove.com > > > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Heat destroys Jatropha toxins Re: jatropha, stoves, and > biochar. (Paul S. Anderson) > > > > Stovers, > > The cautionary notes given by Nat M. and Otto F. should be taken > seriously. However, they also need to provide scientific evidence to > support their statements. > > Evidence implying the OPPOSITE of what was stated is the following: > > from http://www.tnau.ac.in/tech/swc/evjatropha.pdf > > Like Castor oil, the Jatropha oil and cake contain traces of > toxins. The components associated with toxicity can be > denatured or inactivated by heat. The toxic components in > Jatropha cake are curcin a phytotoxin similar to ricin in castor > and HCN in young Sorghum leaves and Tapioca rind and > purgative oil as in castor and croton oil. Heat treatment or the > combination of heat and chemical (NaOH and NaOCl) > treatments can inactivate the above toxic components. > > **** Apparently heat destroys the toxins. Good news that has been out > of sight. Publication date is not evident. > > -- > Paul S. Anderson, PhD > Known to some as: Dr. TLUD Doc Professor > Phone (USA): 309-452-7072 SKYPE: paultlud Email: [email protected] > > > > Quoting Nat of WorldStove <[email protected]>: > > > > > Dear All > > Today's jatropha thread has been a grand discussion. I would like to > > express some concerns however regarding jatropha. > > There are many jatropha genotypes. The primary reason people are > > planting Jatropha is because it can be used to > > produce a high quality fuel oil. While I will not address my > > concerns regarding the introduction of non native species into certain > > ecosytems , other concernes are more pertinent to this list and > > should be mentioned. It should be noted that many jatropha > > genotypes are highly toxic. Short term,exposure to these toxins can > > cause death and blindness, and the long term > > carcinogenic effects of phorbol esters found in many genotypes of > > jatropha have been documented for years. While there > > are some less toxic varieties of jatorpha (native to Mexico) they do > > not have the same crop yields as their more toxic relatives > > and so it is safe to assume that much of the available waste will be > > of the more toxic variety. > > > > In the cases where jatropha is being considered not only as a fuel > > for cooking, but also to produce biochar it should be noted > > that the resultant content of PAH?s in some of the biochar produced > > with jatropha is well beyond what is considered safe for > > humans and should not be used in soils intended for food production. > > > > I am all in favor of using agricultural residues and waste but would > > like to echo Otto?s wise advice to test before we promote > > the use of new fuels. After all plastics also work very well in > > gasifieing stoves but I would certainly not advise using them. While > > there has been talk of setting up stove test centers I would also > > recommend centers to test for the safety of fuels intended > > for cooking and fuels intended for biochar production. > > > > Cautiously yours, > > > > Nat of WorldStove > > > > >
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