The Two Faces of Chlorine
By Earl Calvert
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.
The Threat of Inhalation . . .
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. About the Author Earl Calvert is a freelance writer and lives in Birmingham, AL. As an advocate for clean drinking water, Earl designed his website to educate the public about the need for safe drinking water. For additional information, go to http://good-clean-water.com.
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