Ethylene Gas: Helpful Friend Or Deadly Foe?
Ethylene is a plant hormone that differs from other plant hormones because it is a gas. Like Abscisic acid, it is the only member of its class. Of all the known plant growth substances, Ethylene has the simplest structure (Internet Source #5.) Ethylene gas (C2H4) is an odorless, colorless gas that exists in nature and can also be created by man (Internet Source #3.) Ethylene is a naturally occurring ripening gas but it is not easily detectable and it exists mainly where produce is stored. In nature, the largest producers are plants and plant products (such as flowers, vegetables and fruits) which produce ethylene gas within their tissues and release it into the air (Internet Source #2.) As some fruits and vegetables mature, they produce Ethylene gas, which continues the ripening process naturally. Without Ethylene gas, some items such as bananas would never ripen (Internet Source 4#.) Ethylene is also a by-product of man-made processes, such as combustion (Internet Source #2.)As many great discoveries begin, Ethylene and its effects on produce were discovered quite by accident. Lemon growers would store freshly harvested green lemons in sheds. These lemons were kept warm by kerosene heaters until they turned yellow and
But all the effects of Ethylene gas are not of the positive kind. Unfortunately, Ethylene gas possesses several physical and health hazards that deserve special attention. Ethylene gas is both flammable and highly reactive. Acute exposures to Ethylene gas may result in respiratory irritation and lung injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and cyanosis. Also chronic exposure has been associated with the occurrence of cancer, reproductive effects, mutagenic changes, neurotoxicity, and sensitization. Also Ethylene is explosive at high concentrations (Internet Source #7.) Some Ethylene producers are: apples, apricots, atemoya, avocados, bananas, cantaloupe, cherimoya, figs, guava, honeydew, kiwifruit, mamey sapote, mango, nectarines, papaya, passion fruit, peaches, pears, persimmons, plantains, plums, quince, tomato, and white sapote. And some fruits and vegetables that are sensitive to Ethylene and will age more quickly if exposed to it are: apples, asparagus (ethylene can cause toughness), bananas, broccoli (ethylene can cause yellowing), cucumbers (ethylene can cause yellowing), cut flowers, eggplant, green beans, leafy greens (ethylene can cause color loss), lettuce varieties (ethylene can cause spots), potatoes, soft-shell s
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Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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