Toxins in Your Drinking Water
Fluoride
The practice of adding fluoride to drinking water started in the 1940s to combat tooth decay. While it might seem beneficial, fluoride is actually a neurotoxin and an endocrine disruptor. It can damage the thyroid gland and calcify the pineal gland. Because of its toxicity, several countries have banned water fluoridation, and even some U.S. cities have begun to reject this process.
Chlorine
Chlorine is widely known for its disinfectant properties, making it useful for cleaning products and swimming pools. It’s also used to sanitize sewage and industrial waste. Chlorine is added to drinking water for purification purposes, but it’s not completely safe. When chlorine reacts with water, including the water in your gut, it forms poisonous hydrochloric acid. This can lead to respiratory issues and cell damage. Long-term exposure may result in memory loss and impaired balance.
Lead
Lead contamination has been a major issue, notably in Flint, Michigan, where corroded pipes have released up to ten times the allowable amount of lead into the water. Lead is extremely toxic and affects nearly every organ, with children being particularly vulnerable. Exposure can cause developmental issues, stunted growth, deafness, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and brain damage. During pregnancy, lead ingestion can result in premature birth. It’s also linked to autism, prostate cancer, and reproductive issues for both men and women. Additionally, lead can damage the cardiovascular system and kidneys.
Mercury
Mercury, despite being a naturally occurring element, is highly toxic. It can lead to brain damage, blindness, nerve damage, cognitive disabilities, impaired motor functions, headaches, weakness, muscle atrophy, tremors, mood swings, memory loss, and skin rashes. As a byproduct of mining and industrial activities, mercury vapor can travel long distances through the atmosphere.
PCBs
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used in various industrial applications like insulation, machinery, oil, paints, adhesives, electronics, and fluorescent lights. Although banned in 1979, PCBs persist in landfills and continue to pose environmental risks. They break down slowly and can be found in snow and seawater far from their original source. Animal studies have shown that PCBs can cause cancer and negatively impact the immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems.
Arsenic
Arsenic is used in many industrial processes despite its poisonous nature. Environmental contamination can occur from improper waste disposal or poorly planned wells that tap into natural sources. Arsenic poisoning may cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and even death in severe cases. Long-term exposure is linked to skin cancer, lung cancer, and bladder cancer. In Taiwan, arsenic exposure has led to “blackfoot disease,” a gangrene that causes blood vessels to die and rot.
Perchlorate
Perchlorates, found in rocket fuel and explosives, easily dissolve and contaminate groundwater near military and industrial sites. Much of the Colorado River is believed to be affected by perchlorates. Nearly everyone tests positive for these chemicals, which can damage the thyroid.
Dioxins
Dioxins are produced during combustion processes like burning hazardous waste, forest fires, cigarette smoke, and burning oil and coal. These toxins settle in the environment and contaminate water sources. Short-term exposure can cause lesions and respiratory problems, while long-term exposure can affect the immune, nervous, endocrine, and reproductive systems. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified dioxins as carcinogenic. In developing fetuses, dioxin exposure can cause birth defects or stillbirth.
DDT (Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane)
DDT was an insecticide used in the 1940s to control diseases like malaria and typhus. It was widely used in agriculture until its ban in the U.S. in 1972 due to environmental concerns. Despite the ban, DDT remains in use in other parts of the world and continues to pose health risks. DDT molecules are persistent and can travel long distances through the atmosphere. Animal studies have shown that DDT can cause reproductive issues and liver damage. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has identified DDT as a cancer risk.
HCB
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was used as a pesticide until 1965. Although its production is banned, HCB is still produced as a byproduct in other chemical processes. High doses can be fatal, while smaller doses can cause liver disease and skin lesions. The EPA classifies HCB as a probable carcinogen. In the late 1950s, HCB poisoning in Anatolia, Turkey, resulted in over 4,500 people suffering from exposure, with more than 500 deaths. Decades later, follow-up studies found that breast milk in the area still contained high levels of HCB.
Dacthal
Dacthal (dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, or DCPA) is an herbicide that contaminates soil and water sources. Unlike HCB and DDT, Dacthal is still in use today. Animal studies have shown that Dacthal can damage the adrenal glands, kidneys, liver, thyroid, and spleen.
MtBE
Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MtBE) is a gasoline additive that can make large quantities of groundwater undrinkable. In 1996, Santa Monica, California, experienced this problem, leading the city to shut down half of its water supply and source replacement water. The health effects of MtBE are not fully understood, but animal studies have linked it to kidney damage, seizures, and fetal development issues.
Further Concerns and Safety
It’s important to dispel a common myth: boiling water does not remove toxic chemicals, compounds, salts, or metals. Boiling only kills harmful organisms. This list is not exhaustive, so stay informed about water quality issues in your area. If you’re concerned about poor-quality tap water, consider investing in a high-quality water filter or using glass-bottled distilled water.
