Cadmium is a naturally occurring element that occurs in the earth’s crust and water and is released into the atmosphere through fossil fuel combustion, waste incineration and metal production. It is commonly found as a mineral combined with various elements such as chlorine, sulfur, and oxygen. Most rocks, soil, mineral and coal fertilizers contain cadmium. The element enters the environment through the action of rain and wind and mining operation. Volcanoes and forest fires release cadmium into the air. When humans consume cadmium, it can cause severe stomach irritation and be the cause of diarrhea and vomiting. Inhaling high levels of cadmium damages lungs and causes death, and is a cancer-causing agent. Humans are exposed to this element
From the data given of the measured amounts of cadmium given at each stations along Cruddy Creek, there were extremely higher concentration levels, 430 mg/kg dry weight total of cadmium from stations F, G, and H, upstream in comparison to a total combined amount of 315mg/kg dry weight of cadmium from stations A, B, C, D, E, and the reference sites. Thus, the following locations have been identified as potential sources responsible for the distribution of cadmium into Cruddy Creek; Atlas Batteries, Metal Plater, and Pacific Coal & Electric power plant due to their relevant histories and proximities to the increased amounts of cadmium.
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
Copper is another pollutant that at very high levels is toxic and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, loss of strength or, for serious exposure, cirrhosis of the liver (Pure Water Services). In order for copper to metabolized the heavy metal zinc is needed. Zinc helps with copper breakdown but too much zinc can cause a copper deficiency which can also cause problems such as anemia. While copper has some severe side effects there have not been any cases that are related to cancer. In most cases throughout the Silver Bow Creek copper is not thought to be a severe threat to the community.
Most people are surprised to learn that their bodies are contaminated with heavy metals. This is a little-known problem that has grown into a widespread issue. There are many different ways your body becomes contaminated with heavy metals, such as through the type of cookware you use, the tap water you drink and the fillings you have in your teeth. Fortunately, there are natural ways to cleanse your body of these harmful toxins, such as with chlorella. This is an algae found in nature and is oftentimes used in integrative medicine by naturopathic doctors in Arizona.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for safe exposure level to mercury are one-tenth of a microgram (mcg) per kilogram of body weight. Children received about 237 mcg of Thimerosal by two years old with the first 200 mcg administered before six months old. Thimerosal is an ethylmercury preservative (about 49.6 percent mercury by weight) used in vaccines to add shelf life to the vaccine. Thimerosal is about 50 times more toxic due to it being injected, there is no blood–brain barrier in infants, mercury clings to brain cells and nerves, and infants do not create bile therefore the mercury cannot be excreted. PDD-NOS are the largest group and are characterized by four other different disorders. The four disorders
There are many factors that contribute to Idaho’s pollution problem, but mining may be the biggest. Mining is a huge industry in Idaho, hence the nickname “The Gem State”. The biggest product from Idaho’s mines is silver. Silver mines are some of the largest polluters in the state. Bunker Hill, or Silver Valley, as the Coeur d’Alene region is known for its numerous mines, was recently named a Superfund site. A Superfund site is a site under protection for removal of toxic wastes by the EPA. Although that beautiful valley was also once known for its abundant wildlife, now the rivers are flooded with phosphorous, selenium, zinc, lead, silver, cadmium, and arsenic, all from tailings of several mines in the region. Lake Coeur d’Alene now contains over 70 million tons of toxic waste sediments in its bottom. This pollution has endangered people in the area for years. In Smelterville, where a smelter ran for nearly 100 years, a large number of people have been diagnosed with health complications caused by extremely high levels of lead and other toxins in their blood. These conditions, for most, have existed nearly all their lives. Many remember being ill for most of their childhood and on. In 1973, before the smelter was closed, the average lead toxin level per deciliter of blood in children tested was 70. A reading of 10 is considered high alert. Rocky Hill, who grew up in Smelterville and
There are three different chemical forms that mercury exists in and each has a specific effect on human health, however for the purpose of this paper only two will be talked about. The first is elemental mercury (Hg), which also called metallic mercury. In this form the primary health effect is when it is breathes as vapor where it can be absorbed through the lungs. Symptoms of this kind include tremors, emotional changes, insomnia, neuromuscular changes, headaches, disturbances in sensations, changes in nerve responses, and performance deficits on tests of cognitive functions. At higher doses there can be kidney effects, respiratory failure, and even death. In this form it is emitted into the air from coal-fired power plants, waste incinerators, smelting plants, which is by far the leading man-made source of mercury in the Great Lakes. It is released into the air and transported by air currents and will eventually fall and be deposited in soil or water. This is particularly important to the people living in Michigan because in Detroit the mercury found in rain has been
McKenna Moore’s article, “High Lead Poisoning Rates Among Children in Syracuse”, focuses on how the poor people of color residing in Syracuse, New York are affected by lead poisoning. The article mentions a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, that states that around 3% of children are diagnosed with lead poisoning nationally. However, in Onondaga County, New York, where Syracuse is located, around 6% of the children who were tested have elevated blood lead levels. In Syracuse alone, around 12% of the children tested had elevated blood lead levels. While lead poisoning can affect anyone, regardless of color or socioeconomic status, poor people of color are more likely to be affected. According to data gathered by The Century Foundation, the highest concentration of poverty in Syracuse is amongst black people and Hispanics. This makes them the most vulnerable to being exposed to lead in
Lead, a naturally occurring metal and can be used in almost everything. It can cause serious health issues if it is exposed for a long time, particularly in children as they are more susceptible to absorbing and retaining lead in their bodies. Each year, in the United States 310,000 of 1- to 5-year age group are found to have unsafe levels of lead in their blood, which can cause a wide range of symptoms. (1)
Several metals have been tested for their role in fly ash toxicity. Although universally high toxicity has been attributed to vanadium [Bhatnagar, 2004 and Liu et al., 2005], nickel is generally not far behind [Salnikow et al., 2004 and Kurowska & Bal, 2010]. Nickel is a primary contributor to the inhalation cancer risk because of its relative high concentration in fly ash and the known carcinogenic potency of its sub-sulfide forms (Ni3S2) [Dreher et al., 1997]. Huang et al. (2015) suggest, that oil fly ash surface metals (like vanadium) may be the key determinants in the induction and/or amplification of allergic responses.
Currently, I am working on an independent research project with Dr. Barbara Fishel regarding the possibility of reducing the toxicity levels of certain widespread chemicals that lead to deadly cancers and diseases. I am trying to replicate the effects on Cadmium on the human body by using Zinc on fruit flies and looking at effects on reproduction and behavior. Once I understand the effects of Zinc as well as how that is similar and different to the effects of Cadmium, I plan to find ways to reduce the toxicity of Cadmium. This independent study has instilled a lot of beneficial qualities in me. One of the most important would have to be focusing on the process rather than the goal. In the classroom, my primary focus is the goal partly due to
It also is a alkali metal and has a relatively low melting point which is 28.5 C. Cesium can be found in some types of food and some types of water and is radioactive. Its rare that people can have health risks from just Cesium itself, but when combined with radioactive Cesium which isn’t common it can be very harmful. If those two combine people could experience cell damage caused by radiation from the Cesium particles. Symptoms such as Bleeding, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can all happen, and if you're exposed to it long enough you may have a como or even
Many scientific researchers have said that our environment has been filled with toxic chemicals, which us humans have had a part of. There are many different issues that should concern us surrounding these toxic chemicals. The major concern is that many of these toxic chemicals have been claimed to be causing damage to the health of humans and even other life forms. Another concern is that most of the theses toxic chemicals have just recently been produced; and by our environment changing everyday there is no telling what effects these toxic chemicals may have in the long run on the public 's health. Just about all of these toxic chemicals exist in the way they do because of humans. As humans we practice a lot of different activities that cause toxic chemicals to pollute our environment such as, agriculture, industrial, and many domestic activities as well. Many of the toxic chemicals that we produce and use don 't get used in a effective way, which causes them to be wasted, left abandoned, and disposed of. When toxic chemicals are not disposed of properly they effect the environment and the public 's health in a negative way.
The health hazards for humans who come in contact with contaminants from exposure to polluted water can have long term effects on the body causing possible organ failure and death. Contaminants and chemicals such lead and mercury can bring about many minor illnesses ranging from nausea, lung irritation, skin rash, vomiting, and dizziness, to the major diseases that include cancer, liver and kidney damage, disorders of the nervous system, damage to the immune system, birth defects and even death.
People can come in contact with mercury in a number of ways. There is increased risk of mercury exposure in the dental, health and chemical industries. People are also at risk of consuming an unsafe amount of mercury if they eat certain things in excess amounts, such as more than 6 ounces of albacore tuna per week, or over 12 ounces of fish like shrimp, canned tuna, salmon, pollock or catfish. Exposure to mercury can cause brain damage, kidney damage, lung damage and various digestive system problems (McCoy). Perhaps the person most vulnerable to mercury poisoning is the pregnant woman and her unborn fetus. Trauma caused to infants and children as a result of