Cadmium is dangerous because it can cause kidney failure. It travels in the blood toward the liver where it shares bonds with proteins. It then travels to the kidneys where it can gather.
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)
The lead was one of the first metals detected and used by humans. They figured out how to take advantage of it, by low melting points, which gave them the ability to form stable compounds that made it useful in the manufacture of hundreds of products. This commercial attractiveness has resulted in the processing of millions of tons of lead ore, leading to widespread dissemination of lead in the human environment. Despite its usefulness, the risks are more and worse than its benefits.
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.
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.
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
In some research conducted, it was seen that burning coal produces airborne compounds, known as fly ash and bottom ash (collectively referred to as coal ash), which can contain large quantities of heavy metals that settle or wash out of the atmosphere into oceans, streams, and land. Coal combustion releases mercury and When mercury is deposited on land or in water, microorganisms convert part of it to a highly toxic form called methylmercury. When fish and animals eat these microorganisms, the toxins accumulate and can
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
And while the EPA categorized coal ash as a non-toxic substance (so that it can be buried in solid waste landfills, capped in place, and used for building materials), nevertheless, coal ash contains a “variety of toxic elements like selenium, mercury, and lead”(Plumer), which are commonly known to cause many health problems. Even the EPA stated that “ If the coal ash was deposited in an unlined landfill or sand pit or quarry, some of these toxic elements could leach into the groundwater or migrate off-site.
Underground mining involves large scale movements of rock and vegetation, which creates potential risks of land and tunnel collapse. Furthermore, this process of mining can release toxic compounds into surrounding water bodies. As the water takes on harmful concentrations, it can pollute the region surrounding the mine, as well as neighbouring water bodies. This can affect the growth of vegetation, animals and humans living in the surrounding areas. This form of mining also has high demand for water, which can deplete supplies in the surrounding region (Web.mit.edu, 2017). When copper is mined, toxic compounds are released into the air. The dust released during the mining of copper can release a variety of impurities associated with common health problems. Mining is also dependent on fossil fuels, which when released have harmful effects on the atmosphere (Web.mit.edu, 2017).
* It can cause serious harmful problems effects on the body including: hearing, anemia, peripheral neuropathies, wrist/foot drop, encephalopathy, seizures, coma, and even death. It can also cause children to have lower IQ scores and behavioral issues.
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.
Lead is usually found in the form of minerals where it combines with other elements such as sulphur (PbS), (PbSO4) and oxygen (PbCO3) (Wuana & Okieimen, 2011). The major sources of lead are from coal burning, pesticides, and waste incineration. Lead accumulation in the body may affect the gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, kidneys, and even death (Marfo, 2014). Lead also causes impaired development and mental retardation in children. Lead poisoning frequently affects children between one and three years old in the United States and rarely affects adults. According to NORD (2006), statistics showed that in the last 20 years, the number of children with harmful blood lead levels in the United States has fallen 85%. The permissible
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.