| Is cadmium in your water supply? Only water testing can detect it.
And depending on the level found, you can install the right
water filter to remove it.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) just published its third
"National Report On Human Exposure To Environmental Chemicals."
Their study tested the blood and urine samples of about 2,400
people for 148 different chemicals.
The final report showed that most people are a walking chemistry
lab. And the 475-page report goes out of its way to highlight
the amount of cadmium showing up in many more Americans.
What is Cadmium?
Cadmium is a soft metal that is typically used in the manufacture
of paints, coatings, platings and plastics. Additionally,
when companies mine and processes metals such as zinc, lead
and copper, a lot of cadmium is produced as a byproduct.
Coal and mineral fertilizers also contain cadmium. And if
you have a cellular phone, chances are it has a nickel-cadmium
battery.
How Much is Released Into the Environment Each Year?
The Environmental Protection Agency reports U.S. companies
disposed of more than 6.6 million pounds of cadmium and cadmium
compounds into our air, water and landfills for the latest
reporting year. The 10 states where the greatest amount of
cadmium was released into the environment were:
1. Illinois: 2,344,566 lbs
2. Alaska: 1,274,195 lbs.
3. Utah: 433,003 lbs.
4. Idaho: 424,968 lbs.
5. Nevada: 398,036 lbs.
6. Oklahoma: 383,912 lbs.
7. Alabama: 280,415 lbs.
8. Ohio: 238,512 lbs.
9. Tennessee: 211,042 lbs.
10. Pennsylvania: 103,231 lbs.
Its also been estimated there are some 550 million used mobile
phones sitting in U.S. homes, waiting to go into landfills.
The vast majority of those phones contain nickel-cadmium batteries
and the problem increases by 50 million more cellular phones
each year.
How Does it Get Into the Water Supply?
When coal is burned to generate electricity, cadmium is released
into the air. And when industries process metals such as zinc,
lead and copper, cadmium is also released into the air. Once
in the air, cadmium particles can travel long distances before
falling to the ground and being washed by rainwater into public
water supplies. Cadmium particles can also fall right into
various rivers, lakes and streams (where cadmium waste can
also be found).
And, amazingly, cadmium can also be released into your drinking
water from the corrosion of some galvanized pipes in your
home or from the underground water mains that bring water
to your home.
How Does Cadmium Affect Your Health?
Once cadmium gets into your body, it stays there for a very
long time. If you take in just a little bit of cadmium each
year, it keeps accumulating in your body.
Long-term exposure to lower levels of cadmium in water leads
to a buildup in your kidneys that can cause kidney disease
and liver damage. Other long-term effects include lung damage,
fragile bones and significant blood damage. Needless to say,
cadmium is also a likely carcinogen.
The EPA has an old safety standard in place that says you
can be exposed to water containing cadmium levels of 5 ppb
and you'll be OK. But even this new CDC study acknowledged
recent research shows significantly lower levels of cadmium
can result in subtle kidney damage and increased low bone-mineral
density. One of the studies they are likely referring to is
known as the recent OSCAR (OSteoporosis-CAdmium as a Risk
factor) study.
Finally, you don't just have to drink water containing cadmium
for it to be absorbed into your body. You can also inhale
it from water vapor in the shower and absorb it through water
contact with your skin.
If cadmium is in your water supply, have it removed. And see
your health practitioner for treatment. They can help remove
the cadmium that has accumulated in your system and stop or
reverse any damage it may have caused.
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