Health effects of arsenic in drinking water

What Is Arsenic?

Arsenic is said to be a natural component of the earth's crust which is in fact a deadly heavy metal. It is generally found in the drinking water supplies such as wells and exists in twp forms like pentavalent and trivalent or even a combination of both the forms. Even though both the forms are very harmful to the human health the most dangerous to human health is trivalent.

How Does Arsenic Get Into Water Supplies?

Drinking water is the only main source of exposure for human beings living near the sources of arsenic. Arsenic is one of the most toxic side-effect substances usually found in drinking water and is both odorless and tasteless. Arsenic normally enters drinking water from agricultural, industrial and natural usage which includes industrial releases, atmospheric deposition, pesticides, improperly disposed chemicals, natural leaching, natural erosion, mining tailings, leaching from dumps and mining. Health Concerns of Arsenic

Arsenic is the main reason for development of neurological, immune, respiratory disorders, nerve function, arteries, damage to internal organs and cancer. Arsenal also harms the peripheral and central nervous system, damages heart and blood vessels, causes serious skin problems and also harms cardiovascular systems. People who are in danger include pregnant women, children, those affected with AIDS or HIV, those with poor nutrition and those on chemotherapy.

Health Effects of Arsenic

As arsenic is present in drinking water it is being absorbed by the human body when they swallow it and get circulated by the bloodstream. Some of the highest levels of arsenic are being found in the hair and nails that build up arsenic over time. Through urine most the arsenic levels are reduced and smaller amounts are removed through the sweat, hair, nails and skin. Long term higher levels of arsenic in drinking water can cause diarrhea, nausea, numbness in the feet & hand, discoloration & thickening of the skin, decrease in the production of blood cells, blood vessel damage and abnormal heart rhythm. However short term arsenic in drinking water can cause muscular pain or cramping, skin rash, flushing & weakness of skin, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, numbness or tingling sensation or burning in the feet and hands, loss of sensory & movement responses and thickening of the skin on the soles of the feet & palms of the hands. How to Minimize the Risk

Efforts must be taken to keep arsenic levels in the drinking water as low as possible because it causes cancer and many diseases. There are effective and affordable solutions to solve the problem of Arsenic. If a person is living in the area which has many sources of arsenic then he should get the water tested by contacting the nearest public health office. You can also purchase drinking water purifier system or drinking water filter systems which can reduce large levels of arsenic.

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