Biology/chicken eggshell permeability
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Question
I have foolishly assumed that eggshells were impermeable, not even thinking that it would have to be permeable to O2 and CO2 for the developing chick. So, if I write on an egg shell with a magic marker, those fumes will permeate the egg I am about to ingest, right? And that has implications for health when eating the egg...
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.
Dear Philip,
Yes, some of the fumes might enter the egg. But the amount would be negligible, and I really doubt you would suffer any lasting health effects from doing this a few times. You'd have to ingest an awful lot of that ink to get sick from it.
Now that you know about this, you'll probably want to stop marking the eggs with anything but non-toxic markers (a China marker/wax pencil will be safe). But I wouldn't worry if you haven't noticed anything at this point.
Dana
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Answers by Expert:
Dana Krempels, Ph.D.
Expertise
I can answer biology-related questions in the areas of evolution, zoology, botany, genetics, and ecology. But I don't answer homework questions or provide ideas for your science fair projects. So students please do your learning the right way by reading your text assignments and studying!
Experience
At the University of Miami, I teach Evolution and Biodiversity, Botany, Zoology, Genetics, Ecology, and a variety of seminars (e.g., the Biology and Evolution of Human Gender Roles).
Education/Credentials
I have a B.S. in Biology and an A.B. in English from the University of Southern California (1980).
I earned my Ph.D. in Biology in the area of evolutionary biology/visual physiology from the University of Miami in 1989.
Past/Present Clients
I am currently an "expert" in both the "Rabbits" and "Wild Animals" categories.
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