Abstract
Contaminated drinking water is a frequent cause of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, viral hepatitis A, and dysentery. Water may be contaminated with naturally occurring inorganic elements such as arsenic, radon, or fluoride. Many metals are essential to living organisms, but some of them are highly toxic or become toxic at high concentrations. The risk for developing a human disease derived from environmental exposure is not based solely on the environmental exposure, but is modified by mitigating conditions, such as genetic or other environmental factors. Arsenic is a well-documented toxic element in drinking water, and many arsenic-associated health complications are reported worldwide. Removing arsenic from drinking water is widely dependent on iron-based techniques. Although inorganic arsenic has long been known to be toxic to humans, little is known about its metabolite toxicity and the interaction between arsenic and its metabolites with other metals such as iron. Further, the influence of water quality on the interaction between the metalloid arsenic and metals is poorly understood. Therefore, this chapter deals with the possible effect on human health of arsenic interacting with metals, systems to remove arsenic from water, and water quality.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Arsenic |
| Subtitle of host publication | Sources, Environmental Impact, Toxicity and Human Health - A Medical Geology Perspective |
| Publisher | Nova Science Publishers, Inc. |
| Pages | 211-218 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781620813201 |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
