Blogs >> Health & Science >>
Dangerous Chlorine!
INTRODUCTION
It all started more than hundred years ago in 1904 in the city of new jersey, America, where the first chlorination of drinking water begun. Backed by the initial euphoria of the government, chlorination was able to effectively decrease water born diseases such as TYPHOID CHOLERA AND DYSENTRY by killing the bacteria.
And viola! It was quickly adapted and spread like a wild fire to other countries of the world including India and became the integral part of the standard disinfection procedure for the treatment of MUNICIPAL DRINKING WATER.
THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS:
chlorine is injected in to the drinking water by two ways which are given below
1) by directly bubbling chlorine gas in to the reservoir of drinking water
2) by adding calcium hypo chloride (BLEACHING POWDER) to water
In India chlorination is done by adding bleaching powder to the water which reacts with water liberating free chlorine in water.
The chlorine in water is extremely reactive and quickly kills the bacteria and other living micro-organisms thus disinfecting the drinking water.
THE HARMFUL EFFECTS:
the residual free chlorine present in the water is highly reactive and reacts with the organic matter naturally present in the water to form highly CARCINOGENIC (cancer causing) organo CHLORO CARBONS and TRI HALO METHANES (THM's) which are notorious for their MUTAGENIC AND CARCINOGENIC properties even in trace amounts like 5-10 ppb (parts per billion).
where as the EPA (ENVERONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY) and the WHO initially set the acceptable limit of THM's in drinking water to around 100 ppb but questions were raised against the authenticity of the limit so the EPA quickly decreased the limit to around 80 ppb.(even the epa limits are flawed and dubious)
The point has to be noted that naturally present
organic matter in rivers streams and ponds is HARMLESS it only becomes carcinogenic
(cancer causing) after reacting with chlorine.
Recent Japanese research revealed that adding
chlorinated drinking water to milk ,fruit juices cooking food etc results in
the formation of "MX" or MUTAGEN "X" formed by the reaction
of chlorine with organic compounds present in the food materials which is
100% CARCINOGENIC ,this MX when consumed forms irreversible mutations in the
victims DNA leading to CANCER
Recent studies indicate that some miscarriages --as well as some serious birth defects (mutations)--may be caused by the chlorine added to drinking water as a disinfectant
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry published a case-control study showing that serious birth defects --spine bifida, or neural tube defects --are associated with total trihalomethanes ingested in drinking water. Neural tube defects are serious birth defects in which the spinal cord is not properly enclosed by bone. This statewide study in New Jersey found a doubled risk of neural tube defects among those with the highest exposures to THMs in drinking water.
Chlorinated water can destroy polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E in the body while generating toxins capable of free radical damage These chemicals, also known as organ chlorides, do not degrade very well and are generally stored in the fatty tissues of the body (breast, other fatty areas, mother's milk, blood and semen). Organ chlorides can cause mutations by altering DNA, suppress immune system function and interfere with the natural controls of cell growth leading to high incidence of BREAST CANCER AND BLADDER CANCER.
"There is increased evidence for an association between rectal, colon and bladder cancer and the consumption of chlorinated drinking water." Suspected carcinogens make the human body more vulnerable through repeated ingestion and research indicates the incidence of cancer is 44% higher among those using chlorinated water.
Chlorine has been documented to aggravate asthma, especially in those children who make use of chlorinated swimming pools. Several studies also link chlorine and chlorinated by-products to a greater incidence of bladder, breast and bowel cancer as well as malignant melanoma. One study even links the use of chlorinated tap water to congenital cardiac anomalies.
In 1992, the American Medical Association published information that stated "nearly 28% of all cancer of the intestines and 18% of all cancer of the bladder were caused by the drinking of chlorinated water."
The dangerous cancer causing agents which are produced are extremely toxic in infinitesimal amounts so small and obscure that they are very difficult to detect. Very little chlorine is required.
HEART DISEASE:
Recent studies indicate that some miscarriages --as well as some serious birth defects (mutations)--may be caused by the chlorine added to drinking water as a disinfectant
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry published a case-control study showing that serious birth defects --spine bifida, or neural tube defects --are associated with total trihalomethanes ingested in drinking water. Neural tube defects are serious birth defects in which the spinal cord is not properly enclosed by bone. This statewide study in New Jersey found a doubled risk of neural tube defects among those with the highest exposures to THMs in drinking water.
Chlorinated water can destroy polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E in the body while generating toxins capable of free radical damage These chemicals, also known as organ chlorides, do not degrade very well and are generally stored in the fatty tissues of the body (breast, other fatty areas, mother's milk, blood and semen). Organ chlorides can cause mutations by altering DNA, suppress immune system function and interfere with the natural controls of cell growth leading to high incidence of BREAST CANCER AND BLADDER CANCER.
"There is increased evidence for an association between rectal, colon and bladder cancer and the consumption of chlorinated drinking water." Suspected carcinogens make the human body more vulnerable through repeated ingestion and research indicates the incidence of cancer is 44% higher among those using chlorinated water.
Chlorine has been documented to aggravate asthma, especially in those children who make use of chlorinated swimming pools. Several studies also link chlorine and chlorinated by-products to a greater incidence of bladder, breast and bowel cancer as well as malignant melanoma. One study even links the use of chlorinated tap water to congenital cardiac anomalies.
In 1992, the American Medical Association published information that stated "nearly 28% of all cancer of the intestines and 18% of all cancer of the bladder were caused by the drinking of chlorinated water."
The dangerous cancer causing agents which are produced are extremely toxic in infinitesimal amounts so small and obscure that they are very difficult to detect. Very little chlorine is required.
HEART DISEASE:
chorine in water has an affinity (attraction) for the healthy fatty acids (fats) in our body the resultant choro fatty acids are highly dangerous and stick to the walls of arteries and blood vessels resulting in hardening and stiffening of arteries a medical condition known as ATHEROSCLEROSIS directly leading to HEART ATTACK.
India ranks world no.1 in heart diseases thanks to chorine which is the second contribution factor, the first one is edible oil adulteration by animal fats(trans fatty acids) which are extracted from dead and rotting animals and added to vanaspati and ghee.
REMOVING VANASPATI, GHEE AND CHLORNATED DRINKING WATER FROM THE DIET WILL ELIMINATE OVER 85% OF HEART DISEASE IN INDIA .
INDIAN SCENARIO:
No strict protocol of EPA and WHO(even the epa who limits are flawed and dubious)guidelines are followed in india, the bleaching powder is just dumped in to the water tanks by the illiterate gate keepers or the watchman .
some times during rainy season when the water is muddy and high in organic matter dangerously high levels of chlorine are added to overcome the spread of diseases resulting in high THM'S characterized by their peculiar pungent and nasty odor and taste, this DEADLY CARCINOGENIC COCKTAIL is delivered right in to our houses where we are paying high amount for it from our pockets.
THE PREVENTION :
Thankfully now we are better equipped at personal level to protect against chlorination.
The ACTIVATED CARBON FILTER is the cheap and best remedy for the DECHLORINATION procedure. For those who can afford a little expensive filter RO (REVERSE OSMOSIS) is better which effectively eliminates the micro-organisms and the chlorine if present. And lastly in emergency situations you can boil the tap water which removes the excess chlorine out. But it cannot be taken as an routine procedure as boiling cannot remove some of the thermostable chloro carbons.
SUGGESTION TO THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT:
Its time for the government to immediately switch to other alternative disinfectants such as OZONIZATION and/or UV IRRADIATION for drinking water treatment as these procedures are 100% SAFE ie they don’t form any harmful carcinogenic intermediates.
They are more effective and cheaper than chlorination; yes you read it right they are CHEAPER than chlorination. The government is fully aware of the gravity of the situation but not a single statement is given in public to at least to gradually discourage and withdraw the use of chlorinated drinking tap water. Fact that the government cannot immediately confess the grave mistake as this may lead to huge legal liabilities. But the government can silently switch to alternate disinfectant protocols AS IT IS DONE BY MORE THAN 40% OF THE WORLD GOVERNMENTS INCLUDING PARTS OF USA , CANADA AND SOME EUROPEIAN COUNTRIES ! ( The CHINESE government didn’t switch as it (chlorination) is a part of their covert DEPOPULATION operation)
CONCUSSION:
It is clear that drinking even a single glass of chlorinated water is more harmful than smoking 100 cigarettes.
According to the ancient archeology the human race has suffered five mass extinctions in the past ,and now we are on the brink of the sixth one ready to be triggered by the time bomb of silly human error of chlorination.
I request every reader of this article to email the url to all of your friends so that we can enlighten the society against the danger at least on individual level.
For more details you may please contact: Mr.Arya Nareshji, The IYSO Team INDIA P.R.O. e-MAIL: arya.naresh1@gmail.com / feedback.iyso@gmail.com MAY I HELP YOU: 09440594880 / 09885491221.
JAI BHARATH...
Courtesy:
Ghansham Ojha,
F&P IYSO Team INDIA,
P.D: YOUNG INDIA MISSION,
P.D: Anti Corruption Team,
KARIMNAGAR-(A.P)
|
|
