Arsenic, a heavy metal with an unknown biological function, is widely acknowledged for its biological toxicity in human health. The occurrence of Arsenic in the immediate environment comes both as a result of natural (e.g. naturally contaminated groundwater) and artificial (e.g. percolation of water from mines) causes. Arsenic is a highly occurring contaminant in groundwater in many areas of the world. These include countries such as Cambodia, Argentina, Chile, Hungary, Mexico, Bangladesh and the USA etc., with the most widespread and most notorious groundwater pollution prevalent in Bangladesh.
The Bangladeshi arsenic contamination is described as “the biggest poisoning of a population in history, with millions of citizens exposed” (Smith
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These are considered first through geochemical triggers which release As from the aquifer solid phase into groundwater, followed by the stagnation of the released form in the groundwater. That is, the released metalloid is not flushed away but rather contained within the water system. Numerous possible geochemical triggers can be attributed to these key factors. These include: major changes to the pH, Eh, and the quality of water parameters, as well as changes to dissolved HCO3-. In affected aquifers, the main trigger is as a result of dissolution of As from oxide minerals, especially in iron oxides. Arsenic mobilisation cycle in Bangladesh can therefore be likened to the specific aquifer environment, the condition of the groundwater and the season of the month (wet and …show more content…
Arsenicosis is described as a chronic illness resulting from drinking water with significant levels of Arsenic, over an extended period of time. It is commonly referred to as As poisoning, and is thought to be the only known human carcinogen where there is evidence of toxicity through ingestion and inhalation. As many ionic (ionic states) forms of Arsenic exists, many different biochemical effects can be attributed to the heavy metal.
Dermal lesions and skin cancers
Dermal lesions are the most dominant effect of Arsenic contamination. The skin is known to possess an extensive amount of keratin that contains sulfhydryl groups to which As3+ binds. Studies show that arsenic-affected patients in West Bengal have severe skin distortions Genera.lly, citizens who were exposed to the high levels of the heavy metal from drinking water and/or food consumption for an extensive period of time fell victim to cancer.
Additionally, epidemiological evidences which have related the association of Arsenic with cancers of the skin also linked it with internal organ defects such as vascular diseases which in return contribute significantly to all sorts of tissue
White, R., Feldman, R., and Travers, P. Neurobehavioral Effects of Toxicity Due to Metals, Solvents, and Insecticides. Clinical Neuropharmacology, Vol. 13, No. 5, 1990, pp. 392-412.
Beryllium is a highly toxic metal and if exposed to it, at or above the threshold values, it can lead to a chronic beryllium disease (CBD) (i.e. berylliosis) or an acute beryllium disease. Toxic exposure to beryllium is most often thru an inhalation pathway. Beryllium has a variety of effects. Some beryllium combines with a protein and is deposited in the liver, spleen and kidneys, but the beryllium when bound with a biological protein, a hapten, can result in the chronic form of the disease which is believed to be a delayed hypersensitivity immune response. The major toxicological effects of beryllium are on the respiratory tract,specifically the lungs and their alveoli.
Studies have shown that “one of the chemicals being sprayed profusely in chemtrails, aluminum, causes all sorts of health problems” (Sarich). When the small particles of aluminum enter our body, they start to affect the brain and spinal cord, increasing the “list of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s dementia, Parkinson’s disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease” (Blaylock). According to Troy Phillipson, these aluminum particles can also lead to simple memory loss, loss of coordination, confusion, and disorientation. Dr. Ilya Sandra Perlingieri has stated that this is “not being addressed in any mainstream, corporate-controlled news, and it is affecting our very survival”. These chemicals are affecting our health because they are being kept a secret, leaving the population with no warnings or
The proposed research will identify gene expression traits of breast cancer cells chronically exposed to arsenic during different periods of exposure. These results will allow us to develop gene profiles and identify arsenic-associated genes. By identifying arsenic-associated genes, we can determine if these genes are involved in molecular functions and biological processes. This study can assist future studies of mammary tumors with elevated arsenic levels and will provide insight into breast cancer progression due to the accumulation of arsenic. Our proposed research will demonstrate the impact of arsenic on the estrogen receptor and on breast cancer carcinogenesis. We hope this study will highlight the importance of studying the effects of prolonged arsenic exposure on breast cancer.
of health implications that it has been linked to causing. According to Public Health Grand
Arsenic is the 20th most common element in the earth’s crust and can be found naturally in our environment. There is around 0.006 to 0.03 ppm or arsenic distributed in seawater, and 20 ppm of arsenic in soil (before pesticides). Every human will ingest about 0.5 to 1 mg of arsenic in a day from food and water, because arsenic is present in higher quantities in se...
Such is the condition of Texas waterways. The surging population in Texas, the numerous pharma, chemical and oil industries, landowners, farmers and other residents have been recklessly using water. Water is a limited resource and our best efforts in recycling, reusing and conserving water have not yielded the desired results. Climatic changes over the past few decades may have resulted in unpredictable rainfall in Texas. It is important to conserve water without polluting it. It is shocking to know that the drinking water has traces of arsenic, cyanide, nitrates, asbestos and mercury and lead. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Geological Survey after conducting studies have shown that water samples containing growth hormones, various antibiotics,birth control drugs, and many other chemicals end up in ground water. The Trinity River is highly polluted with bacteria from sewage. The high water pollution in Texas State by various sources causes environmental hazards and life threatening diseases like cancer and nerve damage; thus the government and community should intensify their efforts to reduce pollution and make drinking water safe.
Exposure to medications or drugs during pregnancy can result in abnormalities such as withdrawal symptom, respiratory problems, growth retardation, developmental retardation, congenital heart defects, caudal deficiency and CNS defects. Known prenatal birth defects resulting from environmental toxins such as Lead, mercury or PCB’s are miscarriage, CNS damage, spasticity, mental retardation, skin discoloration and low birth weight.
During recent years, numerous newspaper and magazine articles have suggested that humans may be at risk because small amounts of well known environmental contaminants, such as dioxin, PCBs and DDT, can affect hormone levels. Hormones are produced by the endocrine system as regulators of biological function in target organs. Because hormones play a critical role in early development, toxicological effects on the endocrine system often have an impact on the reproductive system. The term endocrine disruptor is used to describe chemicals that can mimic hormones and may either enhance or counteract their effects. It has been suggested that these hormone changes can, in turn, lead to a variety of health problems including cancer, decreased fertility, and abnormalities in newborns.
Water Drought and the Depletion of our Aquifers have lots to due with the human population growth in the World. The population is growing around 80 million people per year. Hence, we now need 64 billion cubic meters of water, per year for everyone in the World. With all the demand for water increases, we need to dig deeper into our wells. However, by digging deeper under the earth’s surface it is more likely to be contaminated with naturally occurring minerals, like radium that have been in contact with rock formations for hundreds of thousands of years with minerals that have dissolved into the water. Aquifers recharge so slowly soon wells will run dry, this is why we need to learn how to conserve water everyday.
However, when the pH levels reach a certain stage, the iron can then precipitate out, coating sediments with the characteristic yellow, red or orange colourings (D.E.P. 2, 2002; U.S.G.S. ; U.S.E.P.A., 2002). The rate that A.M.D. advances is also influenced by the presence of certain bacteria (Doyle; U.S.G.S). A.M.D. that has dissolved heavy metals such as copper, lead and mercury can contaminate ground and surface water.
Symptoms of lead poisoning include loss of appetite, weakness, anemia, vomiting, and convulsions, sometimes leading to permanent brain damage or death. Children who ingest chips of old, lead-containing paint or are exposed to dust from the deterioration of such paint may exhibit symptoms. Levels of environmental lead considered nontoxic may also be involved in increased hypertension in a significant number of persons, according to studies released in the mid-1980s. As a result, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in recent years have been revising downward the levels of environmental lead that it would consider safe.
In recent years it has become clear that some environmental chemicals can cause risks to the developing embryo and fetus. Evaluating the developmental toxicity of environmental chemicals is now a prominent public health concern. The suspected association between TCE and congenital cardiac malformations warrants special attention because TCE is a common drinking water contaminant that is detected in water supplies throughout the U.S. and the world. There is a lot of concern about the clean up of toxic pollutants from the environment.
The formation of the earth started off with making the bodies of water. Humans rely on water for survival. The human body is made up of seventy percent of water. It is reported that more than 1.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water; 2.6 billion has little or no sanitation, and millions of people die annually (3,900 children a day) from diseases transmitted through unsafe water or human excreta (Vasudevan, Subramanyan, and Mehmet). The consideration of water quality is often associated with the assessment of its possible use of drinking water source (Chen 5). Polluted waters contains bacteria that are harmful that causes diseases. Diseases that can cause serious sickness or death. According to J. H. Martin there was a study in Washington state university that shows that the environmental toxins exposure greatly impacts health. The effects can actually be pasted on to offspring for up to four generations. Increasing influxes of antrogenic chemicals into aquatic ecosystems has led to growing global concern surrounding human and ecosystem health (Luhman). Bacteria like Cholera, Amoebiasis, lead poising, etc. are diseases that come from water pollution, Cholrea and Amebiasis are the two most common. Cholrea is a small intestinal disease, and Amebiasis is an infection in the liver. The symptoms are vomiting,