Even in this day and age of ever-increasing technology, the quantity of water contaminants is still beyond the acceptable limitations defined by regulatory agencies in many nations across the world. Drinking water polluted with heavy metals, such as arsenic or nickel is a serious health issue for the general population and medical professionals.
This article aims to look at some of these effects and advise on the best way forward for ensuring the water remains safe for human consumption.
What are Heavy Metals?
Heavy metals are hazardous metallic elements with a greater density, specific gravity, or relative atomic. They are naturally prevalent in the earth’s crust, but owing to irresponsible human activity, their geochemistry, and biochemical equilibrium have been severely altered, and they have made their way into our drinking water supply.
Some important heavy metals that the body uses in tiny levels, such as cobalt, copper, zinc, and manganese, can be harmful to your health if consumed in excess. Several variables, such as the dose and kind of exposure, can influence how dangerous metal is.
Particular heavy metals, on the other hand, are of significant concern since they can damage several organs even at low levels of exposure.
Other toxic metals present in the water supply, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium, have no health benefits. Its buildup within the body might lead to serious health issues.
Heavy Metals Prevalence in Water
Heavy metal contamination is recognized to occur as a result of the use of these metals in different industrial processes and/or substances such as color pigments and alloys. The intake of polluted drinking water, on the other hand, is the most common source of quantifiable human exposure to toxic substances, and the ensuing health concerns could include cardiovascular diseases, neurological damage, and an increased risk of cancer and diabetes.
The general process involved in heavy metal-induced toxicity is known as the generation of reactive oxygen species, which results in oxidative stress and severe health consequences.
Heavy Metals and Their Effects
Because the human body is unable to expel these metals, they accumulate within the body.
It has no immediate effect on the body, but it can cause serious long-term difficulties, with the majority of them affecting the brain. It has the potential to impair mental and central nervous system function. It also harms the lungs, liver, kidneys, and other critical organs.
Heavy metals are again known as carcinogens, which are substances that can cause cancer.
Because their bodies are still developing, young children are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of heavy metals. The continual buildup of heavy metals in children’s bodies can damage their neurological system, resulting in learning problems, memory impairment, and behavioral disorders such as aggressiveness and hyperactivity. Some of the health consequences of these elements on the body are as follows:
Mercury
Comes into the eco-system through soil leaching as a result of acid rain, coal use, industrial, domestic, and mining waste. Mercury in drinking water can harm the neurological system and the kidneys.
Lead
Lead in the water supply is typically caused by corrosion of ancient pipes. The concentration of lead in drinking water can harm the kidneys, neurological system, and create learning issues.
Cadmium (Cd) Deposits
Cadmium deposits are often a supply of groundwater and surface water, particularly when in proximity to acidic water and low TDS. Cadmium, according to the Water Quality Association, can cause kidney, bone, liver, and blood damage if exposed at levels greater than the maximum contamination limit over an extended time.
Arsenic
Arsenic is the most often known cause of heavy metal poisoning in humans. Arsenic is released into the environment through the refining of copper, zinc, and lead, as well as during the manufacture of chemicals and glassware. Drinking water contaminated with arsenic may harm your skin, liver, and eyes, as well as cause cancer.
How to Remove Heavy Metal
Investing in the finest water filtration system is one of the greatest ways to eliminate heavy metal pollution in drinking water. Purification is one method that can effectively remove harmful heavy metals from drinking water. Water purifiers remove heavy metals from the water supply while still retaining their inherent vital minerals and providing you with pure drinking water. Bring one of the top water purifiers into your home to provide a safe atmosphere for your family.
One other way of removing these metals is by the use of molecular sieves in your water supply. Ammonium ions may be removed from drinking water using molecular sieves.
Heavy metals may also be present in trace levels in these streams. The zeolite’s ability to retain these cations is demonstrated. Molecular sieves are an essential substance for heavy metal removal from contaminated water and have the potential to be utilized as a water and wastewater purifier.
Investing in zeolite molecular sieves from jalonzeolite.com a well reputed OEM will not only assure removal of these heavy metals from your drinking water but also ensures you get the best return on investment due to their high-quality requirements.
Protect yourself from dangerous chemicals by purchasing and using personal protective equipment from a PPE supplier and manufacturer.
The Bottom Line
This article examined the global level of contamination with toxic substances to determine the health risks connected with consuming heavy metal-contaminated water. As previously noted, there are a variety of methods for removing these heavy metals from water.
With that information, you can now proceed to design a better drinking experience for yourself. Do purchase some glass bottles for storing your purified drinking water. All in all, good luck and remember to stay hydrated.
