Arsenic is a naturally occurring substance found throughout the planet. It is colorless, tasteless, and odorless in water, food, and other forms. It has industrial uses, and you probably come into contact with it often when drinking water. Therefore, you should know how exposure to arsenic will affect your health.
Check out the effects of arsenic on human health
1. Skin problems
Skin problem is a major effect of high arsenic in drinking water. It is the first symptom to appear after approximately five years of arsenic exposure and could include blotchy coloring, pigmentation changes, and thickening of the skin, known as hyperkeratosis. Hyperkeratosis is when you produce abnormally high keratin, usually on the hands and feet.
You can avoid getting more effects by seeking arsenic removal water services.
The common technological ways to remove arsenic from water include;
Membraneprocesses
Membrane processes remove substances in water through size exclusion and interaction with the membrane material using high pressure. It employs dense membranes such as nanofiltration or reverses osmosis to remove arsenic safely. Arsenic will be retained and discharged in a sewage flow as it won’t be able to pass through the membrane. Also, other contaminants will be removed, making the process non-selective and readily scalable.
Ion exchange
Ion exchange removes anions or cations and releases ions of the same charge to the water. If arsenic is present in the shape of arsenate, it is charged and removed using ion exchangers. The process is an ideal parallel removal of different ions and exhibits high reaction kinetics. However, the process requires high material costs.
Filtration for arsenic removal
The process entails using iron, or aluminum salts precipitated in raw water and filtered out. Arsenic dissolves and binds to the surface and is removed from the water. The process is a standard drinking water treatment process and is effective for large water treatment plants.
Adsorption
Iron-hydroxide adsorbents are simple and safe, making them the best technology for removing arsenic during water production. Arsenic binds to the surface of the solid adsorptive media during the process. Also, it has low maintenance requirements, and its high arsenic selectivity makes it have high capacity.
2. Cancer
Cancer results from genetic mutations that allow cells to divide without restraint. It can occur in a variety of different organs in your body. Usually, cancer is observed after at least ten years of chronic exposure to arsenic. The common forms of cancer that result from arsenic exposure include:
- Skin cancer
- Lung
- Bladder
- Kidney
- Liver
3. Circulation problem
One of the main effects of arsenic on human health is trouble with blood vessels and circulation. You can experience the following:
- High blood pressure
- Circulation system failure, loss of limbs
- Nervous system problems
- Diabetes
- Reproductive effects
Other effects include developmental effects, neurotoxicity, pulmonary disease, and cardiovascular disease. It leads to adverse pregnancy outcomes and infant mortality. Also, it impacts child health and negatively affects cognitive development.
Conclusion
The effects of arsenic on human health vary for different individuals. That’s because people have different sensitivity and exposure levels to arsenic. However, you’re at risk of the above adverse impacts. Staying proactive by seeking arsenic removal in water services will help you drink arsenic-free water.