Good day fellow bloggers! 2 weeks ago i sat infront of our television set and heard the most talked about topic around the world, the melamine scare!. Though we are not that affected here in Saudi Arabia maybe because of our misinformation about the global concern, but we were all worried about our family back home. To understand fully what is melamine, I decided to write this article for the concern of every filipino working in Saudi Arabia.
Firstly, we have to understand what is melamine and its composition and how does it spoof the protein levels in baby milk formula?
Melamine is an organic compounds, a base with chemical formula C3H6N6. Officially it is 1,3,5-triazine -2,4,6-triamine in the IUPAC nomenclature system(CAS # 108-78-1). It is has a molecular mass of just over 126, forms a white, crystalline powder, and is only slightly soluble in water. It is used in fire retardants in polymers resin because its high nitrogen content released as a flame-stifling nitrogen gas when the compound is burned or charred.
Indeed, it is this high nitrogen level 66 % nitrogen by mass in melamine that gives it the analytical characteristics of protein molecules. Melamine can also be described as a cyanamide units joined in a ring. It is described as being harmful according to its MSDS sheet:"Harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Chronic exposure may cause cancer or reproductive damage. Eye, skin and respiratory irritant." Not something you would want in your infant's milk. However, that said, the toxic dose is rather high, on a par with common table salt with an LD50 of more than 3 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Previously, melamine was found in exported pet food last year and blamed for killing thousands of cats and dogs in the U.S. Bloomberg also reports that analysis of samples of ice cream produced by Yili have also revealed the presence of melamine. Melamine also plays a role in a range of flame resistant materials. These include textile used in upholstery and the uniform worn by firemen. Thermal liners, heat resistant gloves and aprons to protect from flashback of hot substance are made using melamine.
Today, we learn that several thousand babies in china are seriously ill, having suffered acute kidney failure, with several fatalities, among those given milk formula contaminated with industrial 
melamine.
Whenever melamine ingested, melamine will remain inside the kidney and will form a stone blocking the tubes. Pain will be eminent and the person having kidney stone will be having hard time to pee. kidney swelling will follow. Although surgery can remove the stones, but it will still cause irreversible kidney damage. It can lead to loss of kidney function and will acquire kidney dialysis or lead to death of uremia.
What is dialysis? In fact, it should be called "blood Washing", filtering the blood using the high technology device. The whole process takes 4 hours and it is necessary to undergo dialysis once for every 3 days for the rest of your life.
Dialysis Center found in China.
Photos show the sub dialysis catheter where the tube inserted during the process of dialysis. Well, this type of thing seems to becoming the norm rather than the exception. People who knowingly do this kind of things to children need to be punished. I dont care if they are from China, U.S, Europe or whatever. The companies who are poisoning babies with melamine chemical need to be punished and let them pay the damage (pinapainit nyo ulo ko, hehehehe!)
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