The Hidden Toxin(s) in Your Water

[Guest guest]

(There are thousands of toxic chemicals swirling through our

ecosystems most of which will not be tested for by most water testing

companies. Some of these chemicals have up to a 50 year half life in

the body. They accumulate in the bones, fat or anywhere the body can

deposit them to get them out of circulation as much as possible.)

 

 

 

http://www.mercola.com/2005/jun/25/beryllium_water.htm

 

Beryllium: The Hidden Toxin in Your Water

 

 

By Richard Mesquita, AquaMD

 

(AquaMD is the water testing division of the American Water

Council, a nationally respected provider of water education and

testing services. AquaMD has teamed with Dr. Mercola to provide you

both the free home water evaluation and the Dr. Mercola water testing

packages at http://www.aquamd.com/mercola/labtests.cfm.)

 

When I sit down to write an article on potable water, first I review a

few public water laboratory results that cross my desk each week. Why?

Because I get a first-hand look at just how bad some public water

supplies really are.

 

For example, the lab results of water utilities in the state of New

York included at least 10 harmful contaminants:

 

* Carbon tetrachloride

* Dichlordifuoromethane

* Tetrachloroethylene

* 1,2,4-trichloroethene, dalapon

* 1,2 dibromo-3-chloropropane

 

 

 

* MTBE

* Phenanthrene

* Beryllium

* TTHM

* HAA5

 

And yet those water companies, like so many others, were able to claim

their water meets " all state and federal drinking water standards, " so

customers should feel confident about its safety.

 

I don't believe water companies intentionally added these types of

chemicals to their water (like they do with chlorine and fluoride),

but they hurt their customers by telling them everything is OK, when

it's not. My guess is they do so because they don't want to deal with

the legal consequences or invest money in the necessary equipment to

clean up their water supply.

 

For now, lets talk about beryllium, one of the contaminants found in

those New York public water supplies, as well as many other systems

across the United States, that can damage your health.

 

What is Beryllium?

 

Beryllium is a metal that is found in rocks, soil, coal and oil. It

was first discovered in 1797 by Louis Nicolas Vauquelin. However, it

wasn't until the 1950s that it became " widely " used in industry.

Industry fell in love with beryllium because it can withstand extreme

heat, remain stable over a wide range of temperatures and is an

excellent thermal conductor. Companies also found, when they combined

beryllium with metals such as copper, nickel or aluminum, it enhanced

the performance of those metals.

 

Today, you'd be hard pressed to walk a few feet and find a product

that doesn't contain beryllium. For example, beryllium is used as a

base metal in battery contacts and electronic connectors in cell phones.

 

It's used in FM radios, high-definition cable television and

underwater fiberoptic cable systems.

 

It's used in air bags, auto ignition and power steering systems.

 

It's used in fire extinguishers and sprinkler heads.

 

The medical industry relies on beryllium for applications in

pacemakers, lasers used to analyze blood and x-ray imaging equipment.

 

Beryllium is used in military weapons guidance and radar navigation

systems. And it's used in helicopters, fighter aircraft and tanks,

surveillance satellites, and aircraft landing gear components.

 

It's also used in the millions and millions of personal computers made

each year to connect the various microprocessors they contain.

 

And the list goes on and on ...

 

How Does Beryllium Get Into Our Water Supply?

 

Beryllium and other toxins typically get into the water supply as a

result of industries dumping contaminants directly into streams,

rivers and lakes, pumping them into the air supply or burying them in

the ground. Then, rainwater eventually washes these toxins into our

water supply.

 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports (during its most

current reporting year) about 1 million pounds of beryllium and

beryllium compounds were disposed of in the environment. In reality,

the number was probably a lot higher because EPA numbers are based on

companies that " estimate " their toxic releases and " voluntarily report

them. " Also, many companies are excluded from that EPA report.

 

According to the EPA report, these states released the highest levels

of beryllium into the environment:

 

1. Idaho

2. Indiana

3. Alabama

4. West Virginia

5. Ohio

6. Georgia

7. Texas

8. Utah

9. Michigan

10. New Mexico

 

How Does Beryllium Affect Your Health?

 

Beryllium is a known carcinogen. And, it is a suspected cardiovascular

and blood toxicant, gastrointestinal and liver toxicant,

immunotoxicant, kidney toxicant, reproductive toxicant, respiratory

toxicant and skin toxicant.

 

Put simply, beryllium is very bad for you.

 

How Does Beryllium in the Water Supply Enter Your Body?

 

It's believed beryllium will not enter your body from skin contact,

unless your skin is scraped or cut, in which case beryllium can enter

the wound.

 

Ingesting water containing beryllium passes from your stomach and

intestines into the bloodstream. From there, it's carried by the blood

into the kidneys. Beryllium leaves the kidneys through the urine. Some

beryllium can also be carried by the blood to the liver and bones

where it may remain for long periods of time.

 

It is thought if you swallow beryllium it will leave your body in a

few days. However, if you inhale beryllium, such as that contained in

steam from a hot shower, it may take months to years before your body

rids itself of this toxin. That's because it takes a long time before

all the beryllium in your lungs enters the bloodstream.

 

Protect Yourself and Your Family

 

Find out if beryllium and other contaminants are in your water supply.

If they are, get the right treatment system to remove them.

 

Don't assume that you can judge your water's purity by the way it

looks, tastes or smells. Only sophisticated laboratory equipment can

detect low levels of contaminants that can hurt you. Remember those

water samples I mentioned at the beginning of this article that

contained all those contaminants?

 

The water looked, tasted and smelled A-OK.