How Bad Is Heavy Metal Contaminated Water For The Human Body?

is heavy metal contaminated water bad for health

With rapid industrialization comes immense pollution. Although there have been attempts to minimize this pollution, the progression of climate change is rendering these efforts futile.

As a result, water contamination is also a huge issue.

Therefore, there is a possibility of heavy metals and other impurities being prevalent in your drinking water. These metals can have detrimental effects on your body, even leading to cancer at times.

Well, how to mitigate this issue? Introduce an alkaline water filter to your routine. But first, let’s understand these various heavy metals and their effect on our bodies.

 

What are heavy metals?

Heavy metals are essentially toxic and high-density metal elements present in the Earth’s crust. These metals also entail a high atomic weight and specific gravity.

These metals have received colossal attention from environmental chemists owing to their toxic nature.

But how do these make their way into the water stream? Well, the ongoing pollution and collective careless human behavior have significantly altered their biochemical and geochemical balance, allowing these metals to seep into the groundwater and infect it.

These metals, upon entering your bloodstream, can severely damage certain organs, based on dosage and means of exposure.

 

How do heavy metals harm your body?

Heavy metals are capable of having detrimental effects on the functionality of your body. The major issue that arises with ingesting heavy metals is that your body is not capable of discharging them.

Therefore, they continue to percolate after every ingestion, paving the road for some deadly long-term effects.

They won’t show up instantly, but they hold the capability to even affect your central nervous system (CNS). Certain metals are carcinogens, meaning they can cause cancer.

Here are some widespread impacts these metals can have on your body.

 

1. Lead

Lead is capable of severely damaging your nervous system and kidney and leads to learning difficulties. The main source of lead in water is the runoff from corroded old pipes.

With a developing body absorbing around 50% of the lead they have been exposed to, it can really lead to some ugly issues in the future.

 

2. Mercury

Mercury is going to attack your nervous system and kidneys once ingested into the body. The main source of Mercury in groundwater is coal consumption, acid rain, mining waste, etc.

 

3. Cadmium

Increased exposure to Cadmium can cause severe damage to your bones, liver, kidney, and eyes. This metal is essentially found buried in groundwater, with high acidity and low TDS.

 

4. Arsenic

The leading reason for heavy metal poisoning in adults, Arsenic makes its way into the environment through metal refinement procedures for lead, zinc, and copper. Another source of arsenic is the manufacturing of glass and chemicals.

These metals can cause exceeding damage to your liver, eyes, and skin, making life difficult. Moreover, Arsenic is also a carcinogen and stands a chance of causing cancer down the line.

Also read: 5 Biggest Reasons to Avoid Using Plastic Water Bottles

 

How do you get rid of heavy metals in water?

The most effective way of getting rid of all your water-purification woes is to opt for an alkaline water filter. These filters can successfully remove all toxins and metals present in your drinking water, eliminating the risk of metal poisoning.

Gauge your requirements and cop a good quality water filter to get rid of all your drinking water purification woes!

 

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abhishek shankhwar

Hello reader, I'm Abhishek Shankhwar, a health & wellness enthusiast and a digital marketing specialist by profession. As a passionate health and wellness writer, I feel obligated to inform, inspire, and reach out to so many people. In the meantime, you'll always find me reading books, writing inspiring content, and cooking delicious food. Connect with me on LinkedIn.

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