Arsenic Problem

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

While nitrates are one of the major contaminants in the area, San Joaquin Valley residents face drinking water pollution from many other sources including arsenic, coliform bacteria, and pesticides. Arsenic is a naturally occurring semi-metal element that is found in different types of rocks. While arsenic primarily occurs naturally, human activities impact the amount of arsenic in groundwater. Arsenic is not only toxic at high concentrations, but also harmful after prolonged exposure at moderately elevated levels. California recognizes arsenic as a human carcinogen and believes prolonged exposure to the element to be associated with various cancers, including skin, bladder, kidney, lung, and liver cancers. A study in Maine found a connection between water contaminated

illegal level of bacterial growth. This study also found high levels as high as 13 parts per billion of arsenic tap water is only allowed to have 5 parts per billion.

Groundwater pollution is a major problem that is growing in all over the world. Of course the united states America also facing this problem. People of Mississippi State are worried about groundwater pollution due to the several human activities. Groundwater is a main source of their water supply. Disposal of solid waste in landfills is an economic option for many municipalities in developing countries where alternatives like incineration and composting are costly. However, groundwater pollution from the leachate generated within the landfill and migrating through the bottom liner material into the underlying groundwater aquifers remains a major public health concern I studied chemical parameters of groundwater in Alcorn State University as a part of my project.

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.

Throughout the play, Arsenic and Old Lace, Teddy is characterized as being insane because he believes that he is President Roosevelt. A number of the characters are thought of as being insane, but Teddy differs greatly in that he is harmless. He would never do anything to hurt anyone. Teddy’s insanity shows when he tells Elaine that he is going to Panama, but it is actually the cellar. When Mortimer speaks to Teddy, he replies as if he were the president. He says “Bully, thank you. Just bully! What news have you brought me?” This demonstrates that Teddy truly thinks that Mortimer is bringing him information as president. When Teddy goes down to the cellar (Panama), he thinks that he is digging locks for the canal, but he is actually digging graves for his aunts’ “charity”. This shows how naive he is because he doesn’t realize that he is helping the charity by digging graves for the victims. He also

“Long-term exposure to low doses of arsenic may change the way cells communicate, and reduce their ability to function, according to researchers at Dartmouth University. It could play a role in the development of diabetes, cancer, vascular disease and lung disease. The Food and Drug Administration says that long-term exposure to high levels of arsenic is associated with higher rates of skin cancer, bladder cancer and lung cancer, as well as heart disease.” (https://www.livescience.com/23304-arsenic-rice-fda-health-effects.html). Arsenic goes into the human body through inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption.

Arsenic (As) is a metalloid in group 15, period 4 of the periodic table. It is associated with the atomic number 33 and maintains an atomic weight of 74.92 (Gagnon). As a solid at room temperature, it is most likely to be found as a shiny grey element; however, it may also appear as yellow or black. It is also known to be quite brittle in its solid state (PubChem). There are three different categories that arsenic compounds may be identified as: Inorganic Arsenic compounds (i.e., arsenic trioxide (As2O3), and lead arsenate (PbHAsO4) are some of the more common ones), Organic Arsenic compounds (i.e., Arsanilic Acid (C6H8AsNO3), and Methylarsonic Acid (CH5AsO3) are the more common ones), and Arsine gas (AsH3) (NCBI). All of the aforementioned states, categories, and compounds have various toxicities- the most toxic and severe symptoms tend to result for the entrance of inorganic arsenic and arsine gas into the body.

Since, arsenic in our environment is not only due to arsenic containing minerals in the earth, it is important to say that most of the arsenic problems we have today are result of human activity, such as the use of arsenic based products for industrial and agricultural purposes like use of arsenic containing pesticides on crops, insecticides, drugs fed to chicken and some other animals (for example Nitarsone).

To sum up, groundwater contamination can be related to waste disposal, land disposal of solid waste, and brine disposal from the petroleum industry. Over 50% of the United States population depends on ground water for drinking water. Water management needs to be in place to regulate what is going in water and where waste can be put to prevent contamination. Contamination of groundwater and population of surface water with waste are big problems affecting water supply. The problem associated with water pollution has the ability to disrupt life on our planet to a great

There is greater awareness of the issues and hazards of the dumping of chemical waste and there are laws restricting the dumping of this waste. Since many individuals rely on groundwater for drinking water, many of them are drinking contaminated water. Due to this, there are many health risks including, hepatitis, poisoning and cancer when exposed to polluted water. As well, the wildlife can be harmed from the contaminated ground water.

Arsenic is an invisible killer that many people may be drinking as I write this article. It was such a problem for the United States, that in 2001, the US Environmental Protection Agency had to lower the maximum level of arsenic allowed in drinking water from 50 micrograms per liter (ug/L) to 10 micrograms per liter (ug/Liter) (Ryker, 2001). Despite this change in policy, this issue of arsenic contamination continues, and is even more widespread in many more places outside of the United States. Unlike the U.S., underdeveloped countries like India, Cambodia, and Bangladesh cannot rely on the usual testing’s more developed countries are accustomed to. For example, a study in Bangladesh (2009) showed 13% (1,883) of their findings (14,492 samples) had an arsenic concentration that exceeded 50 ug/Liters (Rodrigues et al, 2016). The old maximum stated by EPA back in 2001. Information like this is then used, in hopes that it creates more of an importance

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

Most of it is salt water and now more than ever it is being contaminated with pollution from pesticides. The pollution of water comes from many forms. Radioactive wastes, nuclear explosions, domestic waste, and especially from chemical sprays. In Silent Spring, Carson discusses that people still did not know all the bad effects of chemicals in the environment, yet they continued to use them in massive quantities. The problem with the chemicals is increased when they are combined. Chemicals in rivers are mixing to such a degree that scientists can’t even analyze them properly to figure out what the multiple combinations have created. Some chemicals are put in water deliberately to destroy plants, organisms, and even unwanted fish. Some chemicals even seep into the rivers from forest spraying. Most are residues of all the millions of pounds of chemicals that are put on farmlands. These residues have gotten into the underground water streams and moved slowly to the rivers and into the ocean. However, the contamination of groundwater is by far the most significant threat when it comes to polluting water because nature doesn’t operate in closed and separate compartments, it’s not only the water that’s being contaminated. Thus, the pollution of groundwater is the pollution of the entire

Interactions between groundwater and surface water are complex. Consequently, groundwater pollution, sometimes referred to as groundwater contamination, is not as easily classified as surface water pollution.[7] By its very nature, groundwater aquifers are susceptible to contamination from sources that may not directly affect surface water bodies, and the distinction of point vs. non-point source may be irrelevant. A spill or ongoing releases of chemical or radionuclide contaminants into soil (located away from a surface water body) may not create point source or non-point source pollution, but can contaminate the aquifer below, defined as a toxin plume. The movement of the plume, a plume front, can be part of a Hydrological transport model or Groundwater model. Analysis of groundwater contamination may focus on the soil characteristics and site geology, hydrogeology, hydrology, and the nature of the contaminants.