Health Risks from Contaminants in Tap Water

Toxic Chemicals in Water Can be Harmful Even in Trace Amounts

Apr 27, 2009

Diabetes has been linked to arsenic; bone cancer can be caused by high amounts of radium; and ingesting neurotoxins like fluoride, lead, and aluminum cause brain damage.

Check the annual Drinking Water Report that a city provides to find out about what is in the water, and the levels of contaminants detected by the city.

Arsenic and Type 2 Diabetes

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, “low levels of exposure to inorganic arsenic in drinking water, a widespread exposure worldwide, may play a role in diabetes prevalence.” (Preliminary Communication, Arsenic Exposure and Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes in U.S. Adults, Vol. 300 No. 7, August 20, 2008 by Ana Navas-Acien, MD, PhD; Ellen K. Silbergeld, PhD; Roberto Pastor-Barriuso, PhD; Eliseo Guallar, MD, DrPH).

Radium and Bone Cancer

According to the U.S. E.P.A. (United States Environmental Protection Agency), there is a 1 in 10,000 chance in getting bone cancer from ingesting water that exceeds the legal limit or Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of radium over a period of time. The MCL for radium is currently 5.4 pCi/l. There is also an increased risk of liver and breast cancer from ingesting water with high levels of radium.

Rocket Fuel and Thyroid Dysfunction

Erica Werner in the Huffington Post article entitled “E.P.A. Won’t Remove Rocket Fuel From Drinking Water,” states, “the ingredient, perchlorate, been found in at least 395 sites in 35 states at levels high enough to interfere with thyroid function and pose developmental health risks, particularly for babies and fetuses, according to some scientists.” (Sept. 2, 2008)

Health Risks of Fluoride

Research on the dangers of fluoride has shown that high amounts of the toxic substance in water, beverages and food can cause brain damage, lower I.Q. in children, osteosarcoma (a rare form of bone cancer) in children, increased risk of bone fractures in the elderly, and hypothyroidism. Fluorosis can also be manifested as an aesthetic problem of mottling of the teeth with brown stains and pockmarks.

Since fluoride is a by-product of aluminum manufacturing plants, if aluminum is present in the water, fluoride will by nature chemically attach to the aluminum. Fluoride is also known to draw out lead in water pipes, such as lead in soldering or older lead plumbing, and chemically bond with the lead.

Lead, aluminum, and fluoride are all classified as neurotoxins, and known to cause brain damage.

Nitrates and Blue Baby Syndrome

Methemoglobinemia, or Blue Baby Syndrome, can be fatal if not treated at a hospital right away. High levels of nitrates, above 10 ppm, can cause a newborn to suffer from blue baby syndrome because infants under 6 months of age do not have fully formed digestive tracts.

Long-term ingestion of nitrates exceeding the MCL (10 ppm) can cause hemorrhaging of the spleen and diuresis in adults, as well.

Chlorine and Cancer

Chlorine is an effective way to kill microorganisms like bacteria, protozoa, and viruses in drinking water that cause fatal illnesses such as typhoid and cholera. However, according to a study by the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality, “Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine." (June, 1995)

Numerous studies have linked cancer to chlorinated water, specifically bladder cancer, rectal cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer.

Trihalomethanes (THM’s) and Haloacetic Acids (HAA’s) and Cancer

Both THM’s and HAA’s are disinfection by-products formed by chlorine reacting to organic matter such as decaying grass, leaves, or pharmaceuticals in water. Since these two are umbrella categories of carcinogenic toxins in the water, they are sometimes listed as TTHM’s (total trihalomethanes), and HAA5’s (for 5 different acids) on a Consumer Confidence Report.

If the Drinking Water Quality Report for a city lists other toxic substances not listed in this article, then check the ToxFAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions on Toxins) by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry for a comprehensive list of fact sheets for chemicals found in the environment including drinking water.

To remove these chemicals from contaminated tap water, consider a reverse osmosis filter system for the home instead of buying bottled water, which is problematic to the environment and more costly.

Resources

The copyright of the article Health Risks from Contaminants in Tap Water in Toxicology is owned by Angela Schnaubelt. Permission to republish Health Risks from Contaminants in Tap Water in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.