In today's fast-paced world, many people use their commute or ride on public transportation to read newspapers, magazines, and other publications to stay updated on recent news events and pass the time. However, when flipping through newspapers and magazines, it's easy to get ink on your hands. If you don't wash your hands after reading and then touch food, the ink can end up in your stomach, which can potentially lead to poisoning.
Some people like to use old newspapers as a tablecloth while eating, and some even wrap their food in newspapers. For example, during winter, many people in the northern regions buy a large amount of cabbage to eat during the winter. To keep the cabbage clean, they wrap it in old newspapers. However, these newspapers and magazines are actually a major source of pollution. High-circulation publications are often contaminated with various bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Gram-positive bacteria, Salmonella, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Furthermore, these publications are printed with colored ink, which adds to the ink pollution problem. The main cause of ink pollution is the pigments used in the ink.
These pigment particles are extremely fine and have strong adsorption capabilities. They contain toxic heavy metal elements such as lead, chromium, cadmium, and mercury. These factors make newspapers and magazines more likely to spread diseases and harm people's health. The ink also contains a toxic substance called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which has a similar chemical structure to pesticides. If food is wrapped in newspapers, the PCBs can seep into the food and enter the human body when consumed. When the amount of PCBs in the body reaches 0.5-2.0 grams, it can cause poisoning.
Although our hands may appear clean, they often come into contact with many things (such as newspapers and coins), so they can harbor invisible bacteria and potential pathogens.
Therefore, when reading or flipping through newspapers, it's important not to lick your fingers to turn the pages. Develop good reading and newspaper-viewing habits and avoid eating while reading the newspaper. Always remember to wash your hands after reading. Dispose of old newspapers properly and in a timely manner; do not use them as general-purpose packaging materials. Similarly, after touching pets, it is essential to wash your hands because pets can carry a large number of zoonotic pathogens and parasites that people are often unaware of. Once infected, these pathogens can seriously jeopardize people's physical and mental health. Therefore, it is crucial to wash hands, especially for children, after touching pets.
Reminder:
Hand-washing plays a vital role in preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses. However, some people have an excessive fear of dirt and repeatedly wash their hands, fearing that they will come into contact with bacteria. This is known as "obsessive cleanliness" and is a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is a psychological disorder characterized by the repetition of unnecessary behaviors, such as repeatedly washing hands or checking things. For those who suffer from "obsessive cleanliness," it is advisable to seek help from a mental health professional as early as possible.
