International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN (Online): 2319-7064
Index Copernicus Value (2015): 78.96 | Impact Factor (2015): 6.391
Accumulation of Heavy Metals in River Sirumugai
and the Affect in Human
P. Ranganayaki, Dr. Y. Thangam, Dr. M. Rabeeth
1
Chikkanna Arts and Science College, Department of Zoology, Tiruppur
2
Dt, J.K.K.Nataraja College of Arts and Science,
3
PG and research department of Zoology Kumarapalayam, Namakkal Dt. Tamilnadu, India
Abstract: Water plays an important role in life. With about 70% of the earth’s cover being water, it undeniably becomes one of our
greatest resources. Water is one of the major resistance in our body. Now a day’s water being more polluted due to the abuse of lakes,
ponds, oceans, rivers, reservoirs. Pollution of water occurs when a substance that modifies the water in negative fashion and are
discharged in it. This discharge of pollutants can be direct as well as indirect. Water pollution is an appalling problem, powerful enough
to lead the world on a path of destruction. Water pollutants include both organic and inorganic factors. Organic factors include volatile
organic compounds, fuels, waste from trees, plants. Inorganic factors include ammonia, chemical waste from factories, discarded
cosmetics. Sirumugai is a river and it is on the bank of river Bhavani. In this river many metals were accumulated, specific metals
especially, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Zinc, and Magnesium, were observed and the accumulation were evaluated.
Keywords: Sirumugai river, metals- Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, Mg, Accumulation, Bioaccumulation.
1. Introduction
Sirumugai is located at 11.33°N 77.02°E. It has an average
elevation of 292 meters (958 feet). It is situated in the
northern part of Coimbatore district, on the banks of
the Bhavani River. Sirumugai, a village located in
Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu, India, has a long legacy
that dates back from the period of Tippu Sultan - 18th
century ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. During the period
of the British in March 1819, John Sullivan the one
Englishmen destined to have the greatest cultural impact on
the Queen of Hills‟ made a bridle path up the hill from
Sirumugai to Kotagiri. This was the only transmit to the
Nilgris from Coimbatore for a long time. Sirumugai
industries, supposedly one of India‟s largest rayon
manufacturing company is located and was functional till the
last decade. Now this sketchy village is known for its handwoven sarees, marketed all over the world with the brand
name „Kora pattu‟. Initially from Tipu to Veerappan many
prominent men have flourished with the recourses of this
mighty little village. Geographically blessed is this land,
surrounded by the Western Ghats, and on the banks of the
river Bhavani. Sirumugai has some vital places of interest
which include the Bhavanisagar Dam. A news report
published on 4/9/2005 entitled “A closed chemical factory in
Tamil Nadu is waiting to be another Bhopal” mentions that
even a gas leak will adversely affect a 4-kilometer radius but
a gas explosion would flatten the entire village of Sirumugai.
Health Impact; Skin allergies, infertility, advanced maturity
in girls, menstrual irregularities, miscarriages, breast &
uterine cancer in women and congenital deformities in
newborns are some of the health effects ( NDT, 2016).
2. Accumulation of metals
1. Cadmium
2. Chromium
3. Copper
4. Iron
5. Lead
6. Zinc
7. Magnesium
Water is life, and indeed its right. With about 70% of the
earth‟s cover being water, it undeniably becomes one of our
greatest resources. Water is used in almost every important
human chores and processes. It is an important element in
both domestic as well as industrial purposes. However closer
inspections of our water resources today, give us a rude
shock. Infested with waste ranging from floating plastic bags
to chemical waste, our water bodies have turned into a pool
of poison. The contamination of water bodies in simplest
words means water pollution. Thereby the abuse of lakes,
ponds,
oceans,
rivers,
reservoirs
is
water
pollution. Pollution of water occurs when a substance that
modifies the water in negative fashion are discharged in it.
This discharge of pollutants can be direct as well as indirect.
Water pollution is an appalling problem, powerful enough to
lead the world on a path of destruction. Water is an easy
solvent, enabling most pollutants to dissolve in it easily and
contaminate it. Water pollutants include both organic and
inorganic factors. Organic factors include volatile organic
compounds, fuels, waste from trees, plants. Inorganic
factors include ammonia, chemical waste from factories,
discarded cosmetics etc. The water that travels via fields is
usually contaminated with all forms of waste inclusive of
fertilizers that it swept along the way. This infected water
makes its way to our water bodies and sometimes to the seas
endangering the flora, fauna and humans that use it along its
path. The current scenario has led to a consciousness about
water preservation and efforts are being made on several
levels to redeem our water resources. Industries and factory
set-up‟s are restricted from contaminating the water bodies
and are advised to treat their contaminated waste through
filtration methods. People are investing in rain water
harvesting projects to collect rainwater and preserve it in
wells below ground level. Water Pollution is common, and
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is an area of high alert. Water needs to be preserved and
respected today, for us to live tomorrow (Chris wood, 2016).
Cadmium is an extremely toxic metal commonly found in
industrial workplaces. Due to its low permissible exposure
limit, over exposures may occur even in situations where
trace quantities of cadmium are found. Cadmium is used
extensively in electroplating, although the nature of the
operation does not generally lead to over exposures.
Cadmium is also found in some industrial paints and may
represent a hazard when sprayed. Operations involving
removal of cadmium paints by scraping or blasting may pose
a significant hazard. Cadmium is also present in the
manufacturing of some types of batteries. Cadmium levels in
the water, air, and soil has been occurring particularly in
industrial areas. Environmental exposure to cadmium has
been particularly problematic in Japan where many people
have consumed rice that was grown in cadmiumcontaminated irrigation water. This phenomenon is known
under the name itai-itai disease. Food is another source of
cadmium. Plants may only contain small or moderate
amounts in non-industrial areas, but high levels may be
found in the liver and kidneys of adult animals. The daily
intake of cadmium through food varies by geographic
region. Intake is reported to be approximately 8 to 30μg in
Europe and the United States versus 59 to 113 μg in various
areas of Japan. Cigarettes are also a significant source of
cadmium exposure. Although there is generally less
cadmium in tobacco than in food, the lungs absorb cadmium
more efficiently than the stomach (Godt, 2006).
Chromium is a chemical element with symbol Cr and atomic
number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steelygrey, lustrous, hard and brittle metal which takes a high
polish, resists tarnishing, and has a high melting point. The
name of the element is derived from the Greek word
χρῶμα, chrōma, meaning color, because many of the
compounds are intensely colored. Chromium metal is of
high value for its high corrosion resistance and hardness. A
major development was the discovery that steel could be
made highly resistant to corrosion and discoloration by
adding metallic chromium to form stainless steel. Stainless
steel and chrome plating (electroplating with chromium)
together comprise 85% of the commercial use. Hexavalent
chromium (Cr(VI)) is toxic and carcinogenic. Abandoned
chromium production sites often require environmental
cleanup (Costa and Klein, 2006).
Copper can enter the environment through the release of
mining of copper and other metals, and from factories that
make or use copper metal or copper compounds. Copper can
also enter the environment through waste dumps, domestic
waste water, combustion of fossil fuels and wastes, wood
production, phosphate fertilizer production, and natural
sources (for example, windblown dust, from native soils,
volcanoes, decaying vegetation, forest fires, and sea spray).
Therefore, copper is widespread in the environment. About
1,400,000,000 pounds (640,000,000,000 grams) of copper
were released into the environment by industries in 2000.
Copper is often found near mines, smelters, industrial
settings, landfills, and waste disposal sites (Carol Potera,
2004).
Iron is an essential trace element in living organisms. The
data in this section are derived from studies in humans only;
laboratory animals are not acceptable models because they
have much higher intakes than humans and do not absorb
iron compounds in the same way. Most iron is absorbed in
the duodenum and upper jejunum. Absorption depends on
the individual's iron status and is regulated so that excessive
amounts of iron are not stored in the body. Total body iron
in adult males and females is usually about 50 and 34–42
mg/kg of body weight, respectively. The largest fraction is
present as haemoglobin, myoglobin, and haem-containing
enzymes. The other major fraction is stored in the body as
ferritin and haemosiderin, mainly in the spleen, liver, bone
marrow, and striate muscle. Daily losses of iron in adults are
small (1 mg/day) and due mainly to cell exfoliation. About
two-thirds of this loss occurs from the gastrointestinal tract
and most of the remainder from the skin. Iron losses in urine
and sweat are negligible. In adult females, there is an
additional iron loss of about 15–70 mg each month in
menstrual blood. (Abbaspour, 2014).
Lead is a toxic metal that is harmful to human health and
there is no safe level for lead exposure. The degree of
exposure depends on the concentration of lead, route of
exposure (air, water, food), current medical condition, and
age. It has been estimated that up to 20 % of the
total lead exposure in children can be attributed to a
waterborne route, i.e., consuming contaminated water. In
addition, infants, fetuses, and young children are particularly
vulnerable to lead poisoning. This is because they usually
consume more water and their bodies are actively
developing, which facilitates the bioaccumulation of lead.
High levels of lead contamination in a child can result in
convulsions, major neurological damage, organ failure,
coma, and ultimately death. Moderate to low levels of
exposure may result in hearing loss, inhibit growth, and
cause learning disabilities. There may be no signs of lead
poisoning or the signs could mimic flu or other
gastrointestinal disease. The symptoms may include:
cramps, irritability, fatigue, vomiting, constipation, sleep
disorder, poor appetite, and trouble sleeping. Unlike other
contaminants, lead will accumulate within the body over
time, i.e., bioaccumulate. Lead will tend to be stored in the
brain, bones, kidneys and other major organs. It can be
stored in child‟s blood for months and bones for many
decades. Some of the effects of lead poisoning cannot be
cured, but it is possible to reduce exposure to lead (NIH,
2016)
Zinc was not attributed a water hazard class, because it is not
considered a hazard. This however only concerns elementary
zinc. Some zinc compounds, such as zinc arsenate and zinc
cyanide, may be extremely hazardous. Zinc is a dietary
mineral for humans and animals. Still, overdoses may
negatively influence human and animal health and over a
certain boundary concentration, zinc may even be toxic.
Toxicity is low for humans and animals, but phytotoxicity
may not be underestimated. Sludge from wastewater
treatment is applied in agriculture, horticulture and forestry,
and zinc concentrations may therefore not exceed the 3g/
kgboundary. Ecotoxicological tests attributed a 50 μg/L
PNEC value to dissolved zinc. This means total
concentrations of 150-200 μg/L of zinc in water. This PNEC
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value represents the maximum concentration where no
environmental effect occurs. Industrial zinc emissions
decreased strongly in the past decades. Current zinc values
are not a very extensive environmental risk. Zinc
concentrations in the River Rhine have reached optimal
values. Unfortunately, locations of historical contamination
still exist. A total of five stable zinc isotopes occur naturally,
among which are 64Zn, 66Zn and 68Zn. 65Zn is present in
nuclear reactor cooling water, and is applied in medicine.
Zinc appears to accumulate in some organisms (WHO,
2017).
Of all the cardiovascular risk factors, magnesium now takes
first place as judged by the accumulation of epidemiological,
pathophysiological, clinical and experimental data, both
pharmacological and therapeutic. The "water story" began in
1957 when, after observing a geographical correlation
between stroke-associated mortality and river water acidity
Kobayashi inferred a possible relationship between the
composition of drinking water and cardiovascular diseases.
Schroeder checked the validity of the Japanese data
statistically and then examined the implications of the
phenomenon in the USA. He suggested an inverse
relationship between various types of heart diseases and
drinking water hardness: drinking soft water increases
cardiovascular risk and this effect is reciprocally reduced by
hard water consumption. Numerous studies in all the
continents have been devoted to this negative correlation
with hardness, involving many statistical units of
observation (states, districts, towns), diversification of
causes of mortality (general, cardiac, vascular) and
multiplications of observed variables (climatic and
geographical factors, analytical data on water). This inverse
relationship has been confirmed in the majority of the
studies and in particular in those done on the largest
geographical scale. However, the variable relating to water
hardness cannot be considered a constant risk since in some
studies its effect may be completely absent, the statistical
significance of the other ecological variables involved in the
water story should not be underestimated, and other
confounding aetiological and atmospheric co-factors (ie
amount of rainfall, salt-consumption) which are associated
with hardness may play a role. However the most important
aim must be to define clearly the factors in drinking water
which may be involved in maintaining the cardiovascular
apparatus in satisfactory condition. It is therefore necessary
to have an accurate definition of hardness. Hardness is
defined by hydrotimetry, ie a measurement which
determines the presence of encrusting properties which
antagonize vegetable cooking and soap lathering. The bulk
of total hardness is made up by Ca and Mg compounds but
in some areas salts of other metals are also present in
significant amounts (Del Gobbo, 2013). The aim of this
research is to study about the accumulation of heavy metals
in the Sirumugai River.
3. Methods
For water sampling, polyethylene bottles were acid-washed
with 10% concentrated nitric acid HNO3 (v/v) and rinsed
thoroughly with distilled deionized water. All glassware and
equipment used were acid–washed. The bottles were rinsed
three times and immersed about 10 cm below the water
surface before sampling. Three 500 ml of water samples
were taken at each sampling point, and kept in ice while
been transported to laboratory. The samples were filtered
through 0.45 µm micropore membrane filter and acidified
with concentrated HNO3 (65%) to a pH less than 2. The
samples were kept at 4°C before treatment. Sample
preparation for water: About 9ml of concentrated HNO3
were added to filtered water sample and heated gently at
70°C until the solution become transparent. The solutions
were allowed to cool and filtered using 0.45µm micropore
membrane filter. The solutions were then added up with
ultra-pure of water to 100ml and analyzed for trace metal
concentration. Reagents: All reagents were of analytical
reagent grade. Ultra-pure water was used for all dilutions.
The element standard solutions from Perkin Elmer that were
used for the calibrations were prepared by diluting stock
solutions of mg/mL.
Heavy metal analysis: All samples were digested in
concentrated HNO3 and H2O2 in a beaker. The samples
were then diluted until 50 ml with ultra-pure water. After
filtration, the prepared samples were determined for Cd, Cr,
Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, Mg, by using atomic absorption
spectrophotometer (AAS). Heavy metals included in this
study are: Cd (Cadmium), Cr (Chromium), Cu (Copper), Fe
(Iron), Pb (Lead), Zn (Zinc), Mg (Magnesium), Element
standard solution from Perkin Elmer was prepared by
diluting stock solutions of 100mg/mL.
4. Result
The accumulation of heavy metals Cadmium, Chromuim,
Copper, Iron, Lead ,Zinc and magnesium in water were
observed and the values were evaluated. The metal Lead is
accumulated in water highly about 3.8% the next metal is
zinc 3.0%, Magnesium is 2.7%. Chromium 1.6%, Copper
1.2% and Cadmium is 1.1% was observed in river
Sirumugai.
Table 1: Sirunmugai River
S.No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Metals
Cd
Cr
Cu
Fe
Pb
Zn
Mg
Accumulation in water
1.1
1.6
1.2
1.0
3.8
3.0
2.7
5. Discussion
Pollution of one form or another, in the food we eat, the
water we drink and the air we breathe. Very often the actions
lead to pollution. The notes below explains how to
investigate pollution and advise on positive action to
improve the rivers.
Polluting the Rivers
Investigating River Pollution
Signs of Pollution
Credits
Polluting the Rivers
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Over 97% of all the water on Earth is salty and most of the
remaining 3% is frozen in the polar ice-caps. The
atmosphere, rivers, lakes and underground stores hold less
than 1% of all the fresh water and this tiny amount has to
provide the fresh water needed to support the Earth's
population. Fresh water is a precious resource and the
increasing pollution of our rivers and lakes is a cause for
alarm. Water sources (groundwater, lakes, streams and
rivers) can be polluted by heavy metals leaching from
industrial and consumer waste; acid rain can exacerbate this
process by releasing heavy metals trapped in soils. Plants are
exposed to heavy metals through the uptake of water;
animals eat these plants; ingestion of plant- and animalbased foods is the largest sources of heavy metals in
humans. Absorption through skin contact, for example from
contact with soil, is another potential source of heavy metal
contamination. Toxic heavy metals can bioaccumulate in
organisms as they are hard to metabolize. (Zoe
SCHLANGER, 2016).
6. Causes of Water Pollution
1. Industrial waste: Industries produce huge amount of
waste which contains toxic chemicals and pollutants which
can cause air pollution and damage to us and our
environment. They contain pollutants such as lead, mercury,
sulphur, asbestos, nitrates and many other harmful
chemicals. Many industries do not have proper waste
management system and drain the waste in the fresh water
which goes into rivers, canals and later in to sea. The toxic
chemicals have the capability to change the color of water,
increase the amount of minerals, also known as
Eutrophication, change the temperature of water and pose
serious hazard to water organisms.
2. Sewage and waste water: The sewage and waste water
that is produced by each household is chemically treated and
released in to sea with fresh water. The sewage water carries
harmful bacteria and chemicals that can cause serious health
problems. Pathogens are known as a common water
pollutant; The sewers of cities house several pathogens and
thereby diseases. Microorganisms in water are known to be
causes of some very deadly diseases and become the
breeding grounds for other creatures that act like carriers.
These carriers inflict these diseases via various forms of
contact onto an individual. A very common example of this
process would be Malaria.
3. Mining activities: Mining is the process of crushing the
rock and extracting coal and other minerals from
underground. These elements when extracted in the raw
form contain harmful chemicals and can increase the amount
of toxic elements when mixed up with water which may
result in health problems. Mining activities emit several
metal waste and sulphides from the rocks and is harmful for
the water.
4. Marine dumping: The garbage produce by each
household in the form of paper, aluminum, rubber, glass,
plastic, food if collected and deposited into the sea in some
countries. These items take from 2 weeks to 200 years to
decompose. When such items enter the sea, they not only
cause water pollution but also harm animals in the sea.
5. Accidental Oil leakage: Oil spill pose a huge concern as
large amount of oil enters into the sea and does not dissolve
with water; there by opens problem for local marine
wildlife such as fish, birds and sea otters. For e.g.: a ship
carrying large quantity of oil may spill oil if met with an
accident and can cause varying damage to species in the
ocean depending on the quantity of oil spill, size of ocean,
toxicity of pollutant.
6. Burning of fossil fuels: Fossil fuels like coal and oil
when burnt produce substantial amount of ash in the
atmosphere. The particles which contain toxic chemicals
when mixed with water vapor result in acid rain. Also,
carbon dioxide is released from burning of fossil fuels which
result in global warming.
7. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides: Chemical fertilizers
and pesticides are used by farmers to protect crops from
insects and bacterias. They are useful for the plants growth.
However, when these chemicals are mixed up with water
produce harmful for plants and animals. Also, when it rains,
the chemicals mixes up with rainwater and flow down into
rivers and canals which pose serious damages for aquatic
animals.
8. Leakage from sewer lines: A small leakage from the
sewer lines can contaminate the underground water and
make it unfit for the people to drink. Also, when not repaired
on time, the leaking water can come on to the surface and
become a breeding ground for insects and mosquitoes.
9. Global warming: An increase in earth‟s temperature due
to greenhouse effect results in global warming. It increases
the water temperature and result in death of aquatic animals
and marine species which later results in water pollution.
10. Radioactive waste: Nuclear energy is produced using
nuclear fission or fusion. The element that is used
in production of nuclear energy is Uranium which is highly
toxic chemical. The nuclear waste that is produced by
radioactive material needs to be disposed off to prevent any
nuclear accident. Nuclear waste can have serious
environmental hazards if not disposed off properly. Few
major accidents have already taken place in Russia and
Japan.
11. Urban development: As population has grown, so has
the demand for housing, food and cloth. As more cities and
towns are developed, they have resulted in increase use of
fertilizers to produce more food, soil erosion due
to deforestation, increase in construction activities,
inadequate sewer collection and treatment, landfills as more
garbage is produced, increase in chemicals from industries
to produce more materials.
12. Leakage from the landfills: Landfills are nothing but
huge pile of garbage that produces awful smell and can be
seen across the city. When it rains, the landfills may leak
and the leaking landfills can pollute the underground water
with large variety of contaminants.
13. Animal waste: The waste produce by animals is washed
away into the rivers when it rains. It gets mixed up with
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other harmful chemicals and causes various water borne
diseases like cholera, diarrhea, jaundice, dysentery and
typhoid.
14. Underground storage leakage: Transportation of coal
and other petroleum products through underground pipes is
well known. Accidentals leakage may happen anytime and
may cause damage to environment and result in soil erosion.
Heavy metals "can bind to vital cellular components, such
as structural proteins, enzymes, and nucleic acids, and
interfere with their functioning." Symptoms and effects can
vary according to the metal or metal compound, and the
dose involved. Broadly, long-term exposure to toxic heavy
metals can have carcinogenic, central and peripheral nervous
system and circulatory effects. For humans, typical
presentations associated with exposure to any of the
"classical" toxic heavy metals, or chromium (another toxic
heavy metal) or arsenic (a metalloid), are shown in the table
(Chris wood, 2016). Cadmium (Cd) is an extremely toxic
industrial and environmental pollutant classified as a human
carcinogen [Group 1 – according to International Agency for
Research on Cancer Group 2a – according to Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA); and 1B carcinogen classified
by European Chemical Agency .
Acute exposure to
cadmium fumes may cause flu-like symptoms including
chills, fever, and muscle ache sometimes referred to as "the
cadmium blues." Symptoms may resolve after a week if
there is no respiratory damage. More severe exposures can
cause
tracheo-bronchitis,
pneumonitis,
and
pulmonary edema. Symptoms of inflammation may start
hours after the exposure and include cough, dryness and
irritation of the nose and throat, headache, dizziness,
weakness, fever, chills, and chest pain (EPA, 2015).
Chromium does not occur freely in nature. The main
chromium mineral is chromite. As was mentioned earlier,
chromium compounds can be found in waters only in trace
amounts. The element and its compounds can be discharged
in surface water through various industries. It is applied for
example for metal surface refinery and in alloys. Stainless
steel consists of 12-15% chromium. Chromium metal is
applied worldwide in amounts of approximately 20,000 tons
per
year.
Chromium is a dietary requirement for a number of
organisms. This however only applies to trivalent chromium.
Hexavalent chromium is very toxic to flora and fauna.
Chromium water pollution is not regarded one of the main
and most severe environmental problems, although
discharging chromium polluted untreated wastewater in
rivers has caused environmental disasters in the past.
Chromium (III) oxides are only slightly water soluble;
therefore concentrations in natural waters are limited.
Cr3+ ions are rarely present at pH values over 5, because
hydrated chromium oxide (Cr(OH)3) is hardly water soluble.
Chromium (VI) compounds are stable under aerobic
conditions, but are reduced to chromium (III) compounds
under anaerobic conditions. The reverse process is another
possibility in an oxidizing environment. Chromium is
largely bound to floating particles in water. The human body
contains approximately 0.03 ppm of chromium. Daily intake
strongly depends upon feed levels, and is usually
approximately 15-200 μg, but may be as high as 1 mg.
Chromium uptake is 0.5-1%, in other words very small. The
placenta is the organ with the highest chromium amounts
(Stern, 2016).
The concentration of copper in lakes and rivers ranges from
0.5 to 1,000 ppb with an average concentration of 10 ppb.
The average copper concentration in groundwater (5 ppb) is
similar to that in lakes and rivers; however, monitoring data
indicate that some groundwater contains levels of copper (up
to 2,783 ppb) that are well above the standard of 1,300 ppb
for drinking water. This copper is generally bound to
particles in the water. Lakes and reservoirs recently treated
with copper compounds to control algae or receive cooling
water from a power plant can have high concentrations of
dissolved copper. Once in natural water, much of this copper
soon attaches to particles or convert to other forms that can
settle into sediments. This can limit exposure to copper
unless the sediments are stirred; for example, by the
resuspension and swallowing of sediments by swimmers in
recreational waters (Wapnir,. 1998).
The median iron concentration in rivers has been reported to
be 0.7 mg/litre. In anaerobic groundwater where iron is in
the form of iron(II), concentrations will usually be 0.5–10
mg/litre, but concentrations up to 50 mg/litre can sometimes
be found (6). Concentrations of iron in drinking-water are
normally less than 0.3 mg/litre but may be higher in
countries where various iron salts are used as coagulating
agents in water-treatment plants and where cast iron, steel,
and galvanized iron pipes are used for water distribution.
Anaerobic groundwater‟s may contain iron(II) at
concentrations up to several milligrams per litre without
discoloration or turbidity in the water when directly pumped
from a well. Taste is not usually noticeable at iron
concentrations below 0.3 mg/litre, although turbidity and
colour may develop in piped systems at levels above 0.05–
0.1 mg/litre. Laundry and sanitary ware will stain at iron
concentrations above 0.3 mg/litre. Iron is an essential
element in human nutrition. Estimates of the minimum daily
requirement for iron depend on age, sex, physiological
status, and iron bioavailability and range from about 10 to
50 mg/day. 4 As a precaution against storage.
The Lead Source- One Source Drinking Water: Drinking
water is only one of the possible routes of exposure to lead
contamination, but it is one of the easiest routes of
contamination to reduce. The primary route for lead
poisoning in drinking water is not old contamination of the
water by leaded fuels, old batteries or some hazardous waste
site, the primary route is the distribution system used to
carry water to your home and more importantly the
plumbing within your home. That is right: Household
plumbing may be the cause for lead in your drinking water.
In older homes, lead was used to make the piping and/or
solder. In homes, built prior to 1930‟s water pipes were
primarily made from lead. These pipes can be identified
because the piping tends to have a dull gray color, can be
scratched with a key, and a magnet will not stick to the
piping. In buildings built between the 1930‟s and early
1980‟s, copper pipes were often used, but the solder
contained elevated levels of lead. This does not mean that a
newer home is safe from lead contamination; in fact, the
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available data suggests that buildings less than 5 years old
can have high levels of lead. In fact, buildings built prior to
1986 likely contain some lead plumbing.
Prior to 2014, the legal definition for "lead free" was
plumbing fixtures with a lead content of less than 8 %. In
2014, the term was redefined to include only fixtures with a
lead content of 0.25% and newly installed fixtures must use
the "lead free" materials, but this did not apply to fixtures
currently in use. In 2013, the World Health
Organization estimated that lead poisoning resulted in
143,000 deaths, and "contribute[d] to 600,000 new cases of
children with intellectual disabilities", each year. In the U.S.
city of Flint, Michigan, lead contamination in drinking water
has been an issue since 2014. The source of the
contamination has been attributed to "corrosion in the lead
and iron pipes that distribute water to city residents". In
2015, drinking water lead levels in north-eastern Tasmania,
Australia, were reported to reach over 50 time‟s national
drinking water guidelines. The source of the contamination
was attributed to “a combination of dilapidated drinking
water infrastructure, including lead jointed pipelines, end-oflife polyvinylchloride pipes and household plumbing (EPA,
2016). Zinc is naturally present in water. The average zinc
concentration in water is 0.6-5ppb. Rivers generally contain
between 5 and 10 ppb zinc. Algae contain 20-700 ppm,sea
fish and shells contain 3-25 ppm, oysters contain 100-900
ppm and lobstercontain7-50 ppm. The World Health
Organization stated a legal limit of 5 mg Zn2+/L.
The human body contains approximately 2.3 g zinc, and zinc
has a dietary value as a trace element. Its functions involve
mainly enzymatic processes and DNA replication. The
human hormone insulin contains zinc, and it plays an
important role in sexual development. Minimum daily intake
is 2-3 g, this prevents deficiencies. The human body only
absorbs 20-40% of zinc present in food; consequently many
people drink mineral water rich in zinc. Symptoms of zinc
deficiencies are tastelessness and loss of appetite. Children's
immune systems and enzyme systems may be affected.
Higher zinc application appears to protect people
from cadmium poisoning.
Zinc
may
also
decrease lead absorption. The relation copper : zinc in the
human body is an important characteristic.
of CT, a hormone with protective properties for the
cardiovascular system. In addition, MD induces other
neurohormonal or metabolic disturbances which may have
deleterious consequences, for example increased production
of renin and aldosterone, calcinosis, dyslipidaemias and
alterations in haemostasis. An adequate intake of water Mg
may in particular palliate "absolute" marginal MD with a
critical supply over the marginal intake, and/or qualitatively
palliate a "relative" MD by supplying Mg of high bioavailability. Among the numerous variables involved in the
"water story" Mg appears preeminant. Its importance is both
quantitative and qualitative. The critical quantitative intake
of water Mg may palliate an "absolute" Mg deficit and its
multiple
consequences
particularly
on
the
nephrocardiovascular apparatus. Even in the case of a
balanced daily Mg intake, water Mg may qualitatively act on
the nephrocardiovascular apparatus by palliating a
genuine "qualitative" Mg deficit due to a deficient amount of
highly bioavailable Mg. It reduces the activation of the
neuroendocrine regulatory mechanisms of Mg homeostasis
which also control the metabolisms of water, Cl, Na, K, P
and Ca and the regulation of vasomotortone. Corrosivity is
the other main factor of the "water story". Mg appears as a
competitive inhibitor of the two main noxious polluting
agents: Pb and Cd. It is advisable to have 30 mg/litre of Mg
in drinking water. If the water is not corrosive, it is not
advisable to enrich it with Mg in the course of the
processing since its corrosivity index would also increase. A
Mg salt can only be added after the water has been collected.
If the water is corrosive, it will be filtered in processing
stations through an anticorrosive filter with optimum Mg/Ca
ratio to ensure the highest Mg/Ca ratio in tap water with the
best anticorrosive power (Witkowski, 2011).In this research
we come to know that the accumulation of different metals
in water and their effect. Increase in metal causes many
diseases and decrease in metals causes many side affects in
human body.
References
[1]
[2]
One may also absorb zinc overdoses. This does not occur
very regularly. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting,
dizziness, colics, fevers and diarrhoea and mostly occur after
intake of 4-8 g of zinc. Intakes of 2 g of zinc sulphate at
once cause acute toxicity leading to stomach aches and
vomiting.
[3]
[4]
Strikingly, zinc belongs to the same elemental group in the
periodic chart as cadmium and mercury, which are both
toxic. Examples of zinc-related health effects also include
mucous membrane infection from zinc chloride (lethal dose
3-5 g), and zinc vitriol poisoning (lethal dose 5 g)
(Nordqvist, 2016).
"Absolute" and "relative" magnesium deficit (MD) induces
increased secretion of several neurohormones which are
pathogenic for the cardiovascular system, ie adrenaline,
insulin and PTH, and it also induces a decrease in secretion
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and its importance for human health. J Res Med Sci.
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NIH ,National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.Review on lead. 2016.
WHO. World Health Organization.Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention technical consultation on the
assessment of iron status at the population level; p.
108. 2017.
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Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: 25031705
1134
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN (Online): 2319-7064
Index Copernicus Value (2015): 78.96 | Impact Factor (2015): 6.391
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DelGobboLC, ImamuraF, WuJHY, OttoMCdO,
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systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective
studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 98:160-73. 2013.
ZoeS. Lead-tainted water in Flint, Michigan to the
plume of methane still spewing into LA's air supply.
Tech & Science. 2016.
EPA, Environmental protection agency. Review of
cadmium and its effect. 2015.
SternAH. A quantitative assessment of the
carcinogenicity of hexavalent chromium by the oral
route and its relevance to human exposure.
Environmental Research. 110(8), 798-807. 2010.
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DietComplementary Medicine Alternative Medicine.
2016.
WitkowskiM, HubertJ, MazurA. Methods of
assessment of magnesium status in humans: a
systematic review. Magnesium Res .24:163-80. 201.
Volume 6 Issue 4, April 2017
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Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: 25031705
1135