tailieunhanh - Drinking Water Contamination and Its Effects on Human Health

A heightened concern for the environment, combined with increasing sophistication in tracking and modelling air currents, has led to the realization that local air and water may be contaminated by pollutants emitted many miles away. Indeed, this realization has resulted in inter-regional and international tensions regarding air pollution. For example, much of the acid rain problem in the northeastern United States is a result of SOx emissions from coal-fired power plants in the Midwest. Similarly, the United States and Canada have a long-standing (and occasionally heated) debate over the issue of which country is exporting its acid rain to the other, while the Scandinavians have been making similar. | Drinking Water Contamination and Its Effects on Human Health Rabia Ahmed MPHP 429 Introduction to Environmental Health 1 BACKGROUND AND EXTENT OF PROBLEM Importance of Water to Human Health and Survival Water is essential for survival. 1 It has been stated that our existence is intimately connected with the quality of water available to us. 1 According to F. Batmanghelidj MD author of Your Body s Many Cries for Water 25 of the human body is made up of solid matter while the remaining 75 is water. 1 Therefore if our bodies are not continuously supplied with water our bodies become dehydrated and the vital organs will deteriorate until they are no longer viable for human life. 1 Water also acts as a purifier in our bodies. If enough water isn t consumed one is unable to properly flush out their kidneys and or liver and the colon is unable to expel bowels properly and completely thus keeping unhealthy toxins in the body. 2 The longer the waste remains in the body the more time the body has to reabsorb the toxins back into the bloodstream. 2 As a result the toxins are able to make its way through the human body causing poisoning and spreading infections. 2 How Safe is Our Drinking Water Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and therefore a basic human right. Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people. It is an affront to human dignity. -Kofi Annan UN Secretary-General According to medical experts an individual needs to consume at least 2 liters of water daily for basic survival. 3 The health and livelihood of Americans depends on the availability of a safe drinking water supply. 4 Unfortunately drinking water in the United States is susceptible to toxins. As the human population and development in modern technology increases the risk for water contamination also increases. 5 Examples of water contamination sources include animal and human waste chemicals disposed of improperly and landfills. 5 If not treated for