Posted by Curtis Forbes
To reduce air pollution, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change reported increased carbon dioxide levels due to greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, resulting in potential global warming. In response, China’s Clean Development Mechanism plan aimed to promote the transition to cleaner energy sources and explore more environmentally friendly energy routes. This initiative contributed to China banning the sale of gasoline engines. Thus, electric bikes are becoming more popular in China due to their lightweight, petite frames and lithium-ion batteries. The advantages of LIBs are their high specific energy density, stable cycle performance, and long life.
With people in China riding electric bikes daily and the traffic, the internal and external short-circuit due to overcharging, external heating, and or fire due to mechanical abuse. This can result in a thermal runaway caused by the battery’s exothermic reactions, eventually resulting in a fire or explosion. This contributed to 419 patients being admitted to burning intensive care from lithium-ion batteries catching fire; for some patients, it happened while riding their bikes, and for others, the bike was stationary. The chemicals they release when they catch fire make these lithium-ion battery burns dangerous. The toxicity of HF, a derivative hydrofluoric acid, is well known. These chemicals are hazardous, causing visible tissue destruction, ulceration, and necrosis, followed by intense pain from activating underlying pain receptors, with lower contractions of hydrofluoric acid.
The primary function of the integumentary system is to protect us with stratified squamous cells. The three primary barriers of the integumentary system are the chemical barrier, which secretes many chemicals, such as sweat, which contains antimicrobial proteins, sebum, and defensins, which kill bacteria. Cells also secrete antimicrobial defenses. The acid mantle has a low skin pH regarding bacterial production, and melanin provides a chemical barrier against UV radiation. The second barrier is the physical barrier, which contains flat, dead keratinized stratum corneum cells surrounded by glycolipids that block most water and water-soluble substances. Some chemicals have limited penetration of the skin. The third barrier is the biological layer, which contains the epidermis with phagocytic cells. The epidermis’s dendritic cells engulf foreign antigens and present to white blood cells, activating the immune response. The dermis contains macrophages, activating the immune system by presenting foreign antigens to white blood cells. DNA can absorb harmful UV radiation, converting it to harmless heat.
When the separator of a lithium-ion battery is damaged, the batteries have the potential to short-circuit causing it to explode or catch fire. Three classifications of burns affect the integumentary system: first-degree burns, which only affect the epidermis or the outer layer of skin. The burn site is red, painful, dry, and without blisters. Mild sunburn is an example. Long-term tissue damage is rare and usually involves increasing or decreasing skin color. Second-degree burns involve the epidermis and part of the dermis layer of the skin, and the burn appears red, blistered, and swollen. Third-degree full-thickness burns. Third-degree burns destroy the epidermis and dermis. Third-degree burns may also damage the underlying bones, muscles, and tendons. When bones, muscles, or tendons are also burned.
Lithium-ion batteries contain toxic chemicals, such as metals like copper, nickel, lead, and organic chemicals, that can be very harmful. When copper comes into contact with a burn, it can irritate the skin or cause further damage if it reacts with body fluids or tissues, and when nickel comes in contact with a burn, it can increase irritation and pain. Lead poisoning can affect many systems in the body, including the nervous system, kidneys, and blood, and organic chemicals may dissolve the skin or lead to further cellular damage by disrupting cellular membranes.
In conclusion, China moved toward green energy, leading to the ban on gasoline and people buying electric bikes with lithium-ion batteries. The problem with these batteries is that they can cause a thermal runaway caused by the battery’s exothermic reactions, eventually resulting in a fire or explosion. This led to 419 patients being admitted to burning intensive care from lithium-ion batteries catching fire. These burns affected the integumentary system that protects us with stratified squamous cells. These burns were typically second to third-degree burns. Lithium-ion batteries contain toxic chemicals, such as metals like copper, nickel, lead, and organic chemicals, that can be very harmful when burned.
References
burns and wounds overview. (2024). Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/burns
Cordero, J. J., Sam, A.-P., Collier, Z. J., Johnson, M. B., Landman, M. P., Tholpady, S. S., Yenikomshian, H. A., Gillenwater, T. J., & Chu, M. W. (2024). Trends in pediatric electronic device-related burns: An investigation of 21,962 cases. Journal of Surgical Research, 302, 897-905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2024.08.004
Hu, X.-H., Yu, L., Chen, Z., Yu, B., Ma, C.-H., Hou, Y.-S., Hu, Y.-G., Zhao, P.-L., Zheng, J.-F., Zhao, X.-C., Cheng, L., Zhang, H.-J., Li, M., Yin, K., Dai, Q., Cao, T.-Y., Du, W.-L., & Shen, Y.-M. (2024). A novel causative factor of injury: Severe burns related to fires and explosions of lithium-ion batteries of electric motorcycles. Injury, 55(9), 111724. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2024.111724
Larsson, F., Andersson, P., Blomqvist, P., & Mellander, B.-E. (2017). Toxic fluoride gas emissions from lithium-ion battery fires. Scientific Reports, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-09784-z
In an attempt to fight climate change, China’s Clean Development Mechanism plan banned the sale of gasoline engines. This led to an increase in electric bikes, which use lithium-ion batteries. Electric bikes are more efficient than regular bikes, so they became extremely popular. Lithium-ion batteries are very combustible, especially after a lot of use. They can be dangerous even when they are not in use, as many people experienced fires or explosions while the bike was stationary. With the rise in electric bikes, more lithium-ion batteries were overheating and causing injuries. These injuries led to 419 people needing medical care. The fumes from the burning batteries are also extremely harmful. The integumentary system uses three barriers to protect the body. There is the chemical barrier, the physical barrier, and the biological layer. The chemical barrier kills bacteria, the physical barrier blocks most substances from entering the skin, and the biological layer protects the body by activating the immune system. There are three different stages of burn damage to the skin: First-degree burns, second-degree burns, and third-degree burns. First-degree burns only affect the top layer of the skin (the epidermis) and usually heal without long-term damage. Second-degree burns affect the epidermis and dermis (first and second layers of skin). Third-degree burns destroy the epidermis and dermis, also sometimes causing damage to the rest of the tissues underneath. Lithium-ion batteries have harmful effects on the skin when they come in contact. They can cause lead poisoning, which causes damage to many organs in the body.