Arsenic Case

The impending crisis in India would be a good opportunity to study the effects of the poison and perhaps show the rest of the world the importance of awareness and spark them into action. Arsenic is a destructive element that must be contained and controlled. Up until now, few individuals know much about the impacts of arsenic. This is shocking since it is a element that will undoubtedly influence the lives of many individuals on this planet in the following couple of

7. The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 established the basic framework for protecting the drinking water of the United States. Most ground water used for drinking water occurs near the earth’s surface and is easily contaminated .The major concern is the potential contamination of underground sources of the drinking water by any of the hundreds or thousands of subsurface wastewater disposal .Waste disposal wells dispose of approximately more than 11% of the nation’s toxic fluid waste. The injection wells can be good or bad and cause a major problem. Some of the wells are used many different ways like for a aquifer recharge and the production of oil, gas, or minerals. Also for improper usage as disposal of toxic and hazardous waste. The EPA

There is a higher likelihood of being exposed to arsenic via food ingestion compared to inhaling arsenic-contaminated air or drinking arsenic-contaminated water. Once the arsenic has been absorbed through the lungs or gastrointestinal tract, the arsenic is distributed through the body via the bloodstream. For metabolism, in the blood stream, the arsenic becomes attached to the red cells, white cells, and cells that can convert arsenate to arsenite. Some of those arsenites are taken to the liver, where they are methylated by the enzymatic transfer of the methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and the arsenite are converted into methyl arsonate (MMA V) and dimethyl arsenate (DMA V). Those metabolites, methyl arsonate and dimethyl arsenate, are then ready to be excreted. If the liver is at its limit of methylation, excess arsenites are stored in the body’s soft tissues. Arsenic and its many variations (ie. MMA V, DMA V, arsenate, and arsenite) are excreted through the kidneys. There is a possibility that two to four weeks after being exposed to arsenic, some of the arsenic can still be found in the human’s hair, nails, skin, and bones and teeth (ATSDR,

You may well know that aluminium, along with a number of other contaminants, can be found in your drinking water but did you know why it’s in your drinking water? More importantly, do you know if it’s even safe? Aluminium is already present in our soil and as a result will be found in untreated sources of drinking water such as wells. On top of this, aluminium compounds are also used to help remove any impurities at water treatment works. Aluminium happens to be very useful in the battle against cloudiness and bacterial content before the water enters the final stages of disinfection and treatment however, as a result of its use a residual amount remains in the water supply. The legal standard for

This chemical tends to occur naturally in soil, so sometimes it can make its way into your well. If you drink too much water contaminated with arsenic, you will be susceptible to an array of harsh side effects such as vomiting and a burning feeling. If your water supply is never checked and you drink arsenic-laced water regularly over time, your risk factor for developing several kinds of cancer will increase substantially.

There is an estimated societal costs in the billions, lead poisoning has a inordinate impact on low income children. When it comes down to irreversible, life-altering, and contrasting effects of lead exposure, the ability to prevent the contamination is necessary to eliminate exposure. Lead was later removed from gasoline and paint in 1978 to reduce the incident of childhood lead poisoning which has decreased the likelihood of other means of lead poisoning significantly. However, lead contamination of drinking water may be increasing because of lead-contained water infrastructures, a change in water sources, and a change in water treatment. Lead being a soluble metal, seeps into drinking water through lead particles or lead plumbing that erode from aging (Hanna-Attisha, LaChance, Casey Sadler, & Champney Schnepp

Test your water. If your home is not on a public water system, have your water tested for arsenic and lead. To find a certified lab, contact your local health

Additionally, it has been proven that when ingested; arsenic can lead to invasive squamous cell carcinoma, Bowen illness, basal cell skin carcinoma, and liver, kidney, lung, and bladder

negotiations on what opportunities are available for various programs initiated by concerned departments to provide capital or funds to address the crisis. The department of Environmental Quality should embrace the alliance with existing federal agencies, both state and county.

Aquifers are suffering from declining water levels, saltwater intrusion, and inadequately replenished fresh groundwater. In some areas, demand for potable water exceeds available resources. Fresh water supplies are being compromised by the ever-increasing demands of energy production, agriculture, and industry. In turn, these essential activities are threatened by decreasing water supplies. Globalization is eroding the U.S. lead in supplying water technologies and international competitors are making significant inroads into the U.S. marketplace. The traditionally low cost of water (and low profitability for the private sector) coupled with the perceived risks of investing in new and unproven technologies are preventing the commercialization of world-leading research and innovative technologies. Threats to America's Water Supply The water supply of the United States, as well as the entire world, is currently facing a number of different threats. They in turn threaten the health and economic well-being of the citizens. These threats to the water supply include: increased demand by energy production, agricultural run-offs, leaching of radioactive materials and heavy metal, depletion of aquifers, contamination of

Previous research has pointed out that the mechanism by which arsenic exerts its toxic effect is through impairment of cellular respiration by the inhibition of various mitochondrial enzymes, and the uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. Most toxicity of arsenic results from its ability to interact with sulphydryl groups of proteins and enzymes, and to substitute phosphorous in a variety of biochemical reactions

The primary sources for arsenic in the general population include contaminated water, food, and soil. The two forms of inorganic arsenic include: trivalent arsenic (As III) and pentavalent arsenic (As V). The most common inorganic form of arsenic in the environment is pentavalent arsenic. When comparing toxicity, trivalent arsenic is approximately 2-10 times more toxic pentavalent arsenic. Arsenic poisoning produces effects on multiple body systems with the inorganic forms being highly toxic. Both trivalent arsenic and pentavalent arsenic have different mechanisms of action, which determines the effects they have on cells.

Lastly, in 2011, the water authority in Brick Township, N.J. tested tap water in a small sample of homes for lead.It discovered two homes in which the level exceeded the limit of 15 parts per billion. Three years later, it found that 16 of 34 homes exceeded the limit. The growing use of road salt in recent winters raised chloride levels in the river from which Brick drew its water. The chloride corroded aged lead pipes running to older homes, seeping lead into tap water. The town has since added an anti-corrosion agent to its water however, this doesn’t protect the drinking water from being tainted by unknown substances that scientists and officials haven’t studied or regulated. Situations like the one in Brick have been becoming more common

The issue of drinking water safety is not new, however many citizens do not appreciate the work and money that goes into providing this water. There are many steps that must take place, and several systems that clean the water and deliver it to them. The most pressing issues surrounding this are lead contamination from different pipes and sources, and contamination from the introduction of chemicals to the water before and after treatment centers

Source apportionment, distribution and mobilization of arsenic (As) in groundwater are hot topic that have received a significant attention among the scientific communities in the last two decades as a consequence of the human health risk associated with ingestion of As-containing water in the Ganges delta region (Welch and Stollenwerk 2003; Reza and Jean 2012; Joseph et al. 2015). Geochemical process of As in groundwater is increasing with time, which aggravates anxiety due to its toxic effects for the human. It is reported that 35 million of the residents in Bangladesh and West Bengal of India are exposed to the potential health risk of As poisoning (Chowdhury et al. 1999; BGS and DPHE 2001). High concentrations of As are mainly limited to sedimentary strata of Holocene age in Bangladesh and West Bengal of India (Bhattacharya et al. 1997; Ahmed et al. 2004). Unfortunately, most of the environmental problems associated with As are the results of mobilization from geogenic sources under natural reducing condition (Nickson 1998; Reza et al. 2013). Arsenic can be released into groundwater by reductive dissolution of Fe(III) oxy- hydroxides (Bhattacharya et al. 1997; Nickson et al. 2000; Harvey et al. 2002). Furthermore, several studies have stated that chemical fertilizers and organic wastes may enhance As into groundwater by ionic reaction with phosphorus resultant from fertilizers (Chowdhury et al. 1999; Anawar et al. 2006).