The Two Faces of Chlorine
If you are like most people, you don't enjoy the taste of chlorine in your drinking water. Nevertheless, you're willing to put up with it because it kills certain bacteria that are harmful to your health.
This article will look at the "Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde" characteristics of chlorinated water. These characteristics are much more ominous than the mere combination of bad taste and health benefits might suggest.
The Dr. Jekyll of Water Treatment . . .
Time magazine hailed the use of chlorination in water treatment as one of the major scientific achievements of the 20th century. Chlorine was first used to treat the public water supplies of Jersey City, New Jersey in 1908. Since then, it has achieved almost universal application in the industrialized nations.
The impact of chlorinating public water supplies has been dramatic. In 1908, the average life expectancy in America was 49 years. At the turn of the 21st Century, the average life expectancy had risen to 77 years and it is still climbing.
In 1941, Mathieson Alkali Works published the document, "Hypo-Chlorination of Water." The document colorfully described the lifesaving benefits of chlorine: "The fearsome specter of water-borne diseases, including typhoid fever, so prevalent before the advent of chlorination, can be successfully laid to rest. The water works operator, by his testing and treating, stands as a vigilant sentinel to prevent armies of billions of disease organisms from invading the homes of his community."
The use of this chemical in the treatment of drinking water is responsible for the elimination of typhoid and cholera, especially in developed countries.
The Mr. Hyde of Water Treatment . . .
The benefits of using chlorine as a sanitizing agent are obvious. However, this water treatment agent has a darker side. All the time we thought we were preventing epidemics of one disease? we were creating another. Two decades after the start of chlorinating our drinking water the present epidemic of heart trouble and cancer began.
When water treatment facilities employ chlorine and other disinfectants to control microbial contaminants, they react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in the water. This reaction produces Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM). These trihalomethanes are chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform.
According to the EPA, trihalomethanes are present in most public water supplies. The scarey thing is that some scientific studies link TTHMs to an increased risk of cancer. The U.S. Council of Environmental Quality reports that Cancer risks among people using chlorinated water are up to 93% higher than among those whose water contains no chlorine.
Other studies suggest that TTHMs may cause problems in the reproductive process. They may also be linked to heart, lung, kidney, liver, and central nervous system damage.
Skin Absorption of Chlorine . . .
Most assessments of the effects of water borne contaminants on the human body assume that ingestion through the drinking of water is the primary route of exposure. However, recent studies at the University of Pittsburgh found less chemical exposure from drinking chlorinated water than from showering or washing clothes in it. The study found that, on average, absorption through the skin accounted for 64% of water borne contaminants entering the body. Recent research shows that we have underestimated the amount of contaminants absorbed through the skin. This research reveals that ingestion may not be the sole or even primary route of exposure.
Besides penetration of contaminants through the skin, the contaminants can adversely affect the skin and hair. Chlorine bonds chemically with proteins in the hair, skin and scalp. As a result: (1) the hair can become rough and brittle and lose its color, (2) the skin can become dry and itchy, and (3) it can aggravate sensitive areas in the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.
Inhaling Chlorine By-Products When Showering Is a Major Threat . . .
Evidence clearly shows that contaminants like chloroform and trichloroethylene do serious harm when ingested or absorbed into the body. However, the major threat caused by these water pollutants is far more likely to be as air pollutants.
Hot showers can release these dissolved contaminants into the air. The lungs absorb these contaminants, including chlorine, trichloroethylene, chloroform, benzene. They pass from the lungs into the bloodstream.
Conclusion . . .
While chlorinating public water supplies is perhaps the most efficient way to address the problem of water contamination, it does present a "catch 22" situation. We are damned if we do and damned if we don't.
How do we deal with this seemingly impossible situation? It appears that the better part of wisdom would show that chlorine should do its work until it gets to the point of use. At that point we can remove it along with the trihalomethanes and other contaminants with a quality home water filter.
Earl Calvert is a freelance writer and lives in Birmingham, AL. As an advocate for clean drinking water, Earl designed his website on drinking water to educate the public water quality issues. For more information, go to http://good-clean-water.com
 Google News Updated : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:06:27 GMT Some See a Fighting Spirit as Detroit Mayor’s Ruin - New York Times
New York Times - By SUSAN SAULNY and NICK BUNKLEY DETROIT - When it looked to most people around here as if a 31-year-old might be too young to win a mayoral election, Kwame M. Kilpatrick decided to take on the fight, and the reward was his inauguration in 2002 as ... Video: A Timeline of Detroit Mayor's Text Scandal Kilpatrick, Cockrel to meet; 140 could lose jobs Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:18:12 GMT Silver State of Nevada Is 11th Bank Failure This Year (Update1) - Bloomberg Bloomberg - By Alison Vekshin and Ari Levy Sept. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Silver State Bank of Henderson, Nevada was closed by US regulators today, the 11th bank to collapse this year amid a surge in soured real-estate loans stemming from the worst housing slump since the ... Regulators Shutter Silver State Bank Regulators close Silver State Bank in Henderson, Nevada Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:45:10 GMT Republicans Take Heart; Heart Takes It Back - E! Online
E! Online - AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato Ann and Nancy Wilson are hoping the Republicans change their tune—and aren't planning on waiting until November to find out. Republicans Lack Heart! Heart Duo Furious Over Republicans' Use of 'Barracuda' Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:42:08 GMT McCain seizes on theme of ‘change’ - Financial Times
Financial Times - By Daniel Dombey in Washington John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday night by seeking to wrest the mantle of change from Barack Obama in a speech that mixed appeals to patriotism, criticism of Washington and a promise ... John McCain and Barack Obama focus on job losses, economy McCain, Obama Vie For 'Reformist' Mantle Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:07:54 GMT Palin is catapulted into starring role - Financial Times
Financial Times - By Edward Luce and Andrew Ward It was the loudest and most prolonged cheer since Barack Obama appeared on the podium last week in Denver. Video: "Change is coming," McCain tells convention - 05 Sept 2008  Comment by John S. Baick Professor of History, Western New England CollegePubl.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:07:45 GMT McPalin ready to “break some china” - FOXNews FOXNews - by Mosheh Oinounou STERLING HEIGHTS, MI - John McCain is warning Washington that he and Sarah Palin are a “team of mavericks” ready to “break some china. John McCain, Sarah Palin, and "Rights" Comment by Deborah L. Rhode Dir., Ctr. for the Legal Profession, Stanford UnivPubl.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:08:24 GMT Google Chrome Hit With Another Security Bug - CRN
CRN - By Stefanie Hoffman, ChannelWeb Less than a week after the release of Google's new Web browser Chrome, security researchers detected a buffer overflow vulnerability that could enable remote attackers to completely take control of a user's computer. NetSuite boasts of Google Chrome support Chrome reflects need for internet speed Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:33:46 GMT Website Traffic Promotion |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Manganese is a metallic mineral that was discovered by a... Read More Nutrition facts have become a part of everyday life because... Read More With so many people concerned about natural and organic foods... Read More You may have heard that essential fats are an important... Read More Fruit calories are very healthy as compared to calories in... Read More Before we get to honey we have a question from... Read More To research the health risks Sweet 'N Low and other... Read More In order to eat fewer calories than you need, you... Read More Looking into statistics, we can see the average American consumes... Read More Numerous reports have recently appeared in both the lay and... Read More Cherries?A Supercharged FruitThe little red fruit that has been enjoyed... Read More A flood of scientific evidence about fish oil points to... Read More How many times have you tried to diet/lose weight in... Read More Evidence for the importance of fruit and vegetable intake to... Read More Having a large amount of such "visceral fat" is associated... Read More Bright white teeth and fresh breath does not necessarily... Read More The wonders of modern science continue to amaze us with... Read More I'm willing to bet you probably haven't heard the word... Read More One of the most common questions I am asked is... Read More After we have eaten a meal -- and often we... Read More Glowing skin comes free of charge to you. Our simple... Read More High Fructose Corn SyrupBefore we get to high fructose corn... Read More Hi Readers,My message today is simple short and perhaps blunt... Read More Zingiber officinale has been held in the highest regard by... Read More What if there was a combination of foods that were... Read More
Adsense
websites
Manganese 101
Nutrition N Diet
Natural Foods Defined
What Is an Essential Fat?
Wanna Look 10 Years Younger? Have More Fruits
The Dangers of Honey
Artificial Sweeteners - Are They Safe?
Calculating Your Calorie Needs
Sugar Consumption Itself Has Become a Disease
Is Vitamin E Beneficial Or Harmful? Cutting Through The Clutter Of Different Scientific Opinions
Cherries - The Next Wonder Fruit
Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil -- Why Is It Different?
The No 1 Reason Why Most Diets Fail & What to Do About It
Gift Basket Idea for Senior Citizens
Saturated Fat Diet Piles on Pounds Around Organs
Poor Dental Hygiene May Account for Poor Health
Just The Tea FAQs: Health Benefits (Part III)
Fruits and Vegetables and Phytochemicals
How to Help Your Picky Eater
What Really Happens To The Food You Eat
Water, The Magical Drink
The Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup
When Is The Penny Going To Finally Drop For People?
Put a Zing in your Step with Ginger!
The Portfolio Diet: The Solution to Heart Disease
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
7 Bad Eating Habits You Should Change Immediately
People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don't believe... Read More
The Importance of Nutrition and Lifestyle
Eating healthy and taking care of yourself is essential to... Read More
Explanation of Ambrotose
There are basically four major components, or essential molecular components... Read More
pH and Weight Loss
THE RISKNo doubt you've heard of the increasingly popular "raw... Read More
Minerals, Minerals, Minerals
You are a mineral bodyEvery part of you is made... Read More
A Background to Dietary Fiber
Fiber is the part of the plant that is resistant... Read More
The Minefield Of Eating Out On A Gluten Free Diet
Eating out when you are on a restricted diet always... Read More
Immunity and the Immune System
Since the 1930's the western diet has dramatically changed. This... Read More
Stay Healty, Eat more Fish and Seafood
There are a lot of very good reasons to eat... Read More
Feeling Tired? No Pep & Zing? Tap Into Breakfast Smoothies!
I'm 40-something years old, and for 40-something years breakfast has... Read More
The Worse Mistakes People Make with Food
There are a number of common food mistakes that costs... Read More
Nutrition - Its Whats Eating You That Counts
"It's not what you eat, it's what's eating you that... Read More
4 Steps To Brain Health
New studies bring to our attention that high levels of... Read More
Improve Your Health With Fiber!
Your fiber intake is a critical factor in weight loss... Read More
Your Target of Health is Easy
Many of us, probably even you, want this thing called... Read More
Eating Healthy -- Why?
The most incredible thing you can do for yourself is... Read More
Confessions of a Personal Fitness Trainer
Last year I had a number of clients who started... Read More
The Best Way to Consume Vitamin C
Eating orange mean absorbing vitamin C to our body, is... Read More
Top Ten Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
Did you know the average American gains 5-7 pounds every... Read More
7 Tips on Using Food Diet Remedies for Your Common Health Ailments
Making simple changes to your food diet can help remedy... Read More
Manganese 101
Manganese is a metallic mineral that was discovered by a... Read More
Eat and Lose Weight - Its All in those MCTs
Can You Lose Weight Through Eating?You get fat when you... Read More
Policosinol and Cholesterol Reduction
The word cholesterol has become synonymous with poor health. Indeed,... Read More
Three Steps to Preparing your Body for Summer
Summer is not too far away. It is almost time... Read More
The Benefits Of Drinking Herbal Teas
Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal benefits... Read More
Nutrition |