Heavy Metal Poisioning Metals in Your Environment
It May NOT Be the Water (This is not our work, but great information- see credit).
“Heavy metal poisoning is caused by metals that accumulate within the body’s fat cells, central nervous system, bones, brain, glands, and/or hair to produce negative health effects. Such metals are unsafe at any level in the body, and their presence in the body is not normal.
The most common heavy metal poisons are lead, cadmium, mercury, and nickel. Aluminum, while not a heavy metal, can also cause toxicity and poor health. They are by no means the only toxic metals that can cause poor health.
Do You Have a Problem
Symptoms of heavy metal poisoning can vary greatly, and depending on the type of metal toxicity, the age of the affected person (children are more susceptible to heavy metal poisoning), the length of the exposure, and the presence or absence of protective minerals and other nutrients that inhibit the absorption, binding, and effects of the toxic metals. For example, calcium deficiency exacerbates lead toxicity, while normal levels of calcium in the body help to protect against lead toxicity.
One common side effect of these metals is a metallic taste in the mouth. What follows are other common side effects for each of these toxic metals:
Aluminum: Aluminum toxicity may be associated with headaches, cognitive problems, learning disabilities, poor bone density (osteoporosis), ringing in the ears, gastrointestinal disorders, colic, hyperactivity in children, and ataxia (an abnormal walking pattern). Its possible role in poor memory or Alzheimer’s disease is speculative at this time but also worth noting.
Cadmium: Cadmium toxicity can cause fatigue, irritability, headaches, high blood pressure, enlargement of the prostate gland, increased risk for cancer, hair loss, learning disabilities, kidney and liver disorders, skin disorders, painful joints, and decreased immune functioning.
Lead: Lead toxicity can cause poor bone growth and development, learning disabilities, fatigue, poor task performance, irritability, anxiety, high blood pressure, weight loss, increased susceptibility to infection, ringing in the ears, decreased cognitive functioning and concentration and spelling skills, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, constipation, muscle and joint pain, tremors, and overall general decreased immune functioning.
Mercury: Mercury toxicity can cause cognitive and memory problems, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, gastrointestinal disorders, decreased immune response, irrational behavior, numbness, tingling, muscular weakness, impaired vision and hearing, allergic conditions, asthma, and multiple sclerosis.
Nickel: Nickel toxicity may be associated with fatigue, respiratory illnesses, heart conditions, skin rashes, psoriasis, fatigue, and headaches.
Exposure
Exposure to toxic metals is quite common, given the degree of environmental toxins that now affect our planet. What follows are some of the most likely sources of exposure for each of the most common toxic metals:
Aluminum: Aluminum-containing antacids, many over-the-counter drugs and douches that contain aluminum, aluminum cookware and aluminum foil (especially when preparing and storing acidic foods), antiperspirants, most commercial baking powders, and contaminated water.
Cadmium: Possible contamination from cigarette and pipe smoke, instant coffee and tea, nickel-cadmium batteries, contaminated water, some soft drinks, refined grains, fungicides, pesticides, and some plastics.
Lead: Cigarette smoke, eating paint that is lead-based (in children, especially in poor housing or older housing), eating and cooking foods in ceramic glazes that are lead-based, leaded gasoline, eating liver that may be contaminated with lead, living in the inner city that may have elevated lead air levels, contaminated water, canned foods (especially fruit in which the lead-soldered cans may leach into the food), certain bone meal supplements, and insecticides.
Mercury: Possible contamination from mercury-based dental amalgam fillings, laxatives that contain calomel, some hemorrhoid suppositories, inks used by some printers and tattooists, some paints, some cosmetics, and many products that may contain small amounts of mercury such as fabric softeners, wood preservatives, solvents, drugs, and some plastics and contaminated fish.
Nickel: Many pieces of jewelry contain nickel and wearing them next to skin creates some absorption. Some metal cooking utensils have nickel added to them, even stainless steel, which is mostly a problem when cooking acidic foods. Cigarette smoke, hydrogenated fats (as nickel is the catalyst for the reaction to create them), some refined foods, and fertilizers contain nickel.
Note: Vaccinations and common dental amalgam fillings are two primary causes of heavy metal poisoning from mercury, as mercury is contained in many vaccines and well as in silver amalgams.
Caution: Heavy metal poisoning is a serious health problem and should not be ignored. To determine whether you are affected by this problem, consult with a holistic practitioner with experience in screening for these poisons and then work with him or her to effectively detoxify your body.”
It may be your drinking water – So get it tested and you should learn about drinking water quality. You are free to choose any lab you want and any testing options you want. If any result is above the Maximum Contaminate Level (MCL) or you just don’t understand the results, you can receive specific advice and recommendations if you send a copy of the tests to Mr. Oram at 15 Hillcrest Drive, Dallas, PA 18612. Also, you should order the new booklet for Private Well Owners In PA – proceeds benefit our non-profit organization.
Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.
Everything we do began with an idea.
We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.
For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.
Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Source – http://www.naturalhomecures.com/member/heavymetalpoisoning.html
Water Wells in Proximity to Natural Gas Development
Not our work
“Home prices fell in some parts of the Marcellus Shale region of the country after drilling began, and rose in other parts, and the difference was whether the families’ drinking water came from wells or municipal water mains, a study by Resources for the Future (RFF) reported in late June. (Note RFF-“RFF research on energy focuses on key sectors, including electric power, transportation, and unconventional fuels, and evaluates options to promote new, efficient technologies and the sustainable development of energy resources.”)
For homes within about 1 mile of a shale gas well, sale prices rose 10% from 2004 to 2009 if families were served by piped-in water, most likely due to expectations of increased value from gas drilling leases, RFF concluded.
Prices of homes dependent upon well water fell 16% in that period, which the RFF researchers said may be linked to fears of potential groundwater contamination from shale drilling operations. (Note- Could be linked to economy, the owner did not own the mineral rights, the house was over leveraged, etc etc)
The survey covered homes in Washington County, Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh, where the number of gas wells jumped from five in 2005 to more than 490 wells by 2009.
The swing in home values was a significant 26%. “Even if shale gas operations do not contaminate groundwater in the short run, the stigma from the possibility of future groundwater contamination may negatively affect property values, resulting in important long-term consequences for homeowners,” the researchers said.
RFF released this study and others June 27 from its 18-month examination of risks and regulations surrounding shale gas development.
Note – I did not find the study on their website or a pres release about the study
A theme in several investigations is the lack of credible data on the impacts of drilling operations, members of the RFF research teams said.
“We have no data whatsoever on actual degradation of groundwater. We don’t know,” said RFF’s Lucija Muehlenbachs, commenting on the housing prices study. “This is just perceptions” by county residents, but perceptions matter in this case, she said.
NGWA has published an information brief on wells that are in proximity to natural gas/oil installations.Click here to read the information brief.” For specific guidance on Pennsylvania – get this booklet – proceeds benefit groundwater education in Pennsylvania.
Othere Resources from RFF
Survey of Regulations in 31 states -The maps are available through a user-friendly, online interface: www.rff.org/shalemaps.
My personal comments (From the Desk of Mr. Brian Oram)
1. Please note the words – stigma, possibility, and no data whatsoever on actual degradation of groundwater.
2. I think this article is more a statement about fear, unknown, and a climate or environment that promotes spin over facts.
3. The lease terms and conditions and the ownership of the subsurface rights impacts value. Therefore a bad lease or incomplete lease will impact value.
4. Baseline testing is needed and the real estate industry is just really getting to understand risk as it relates to the housing market, but there are a lot of risk issues – gasoline stations, airports, dams, floodways, mining, industrial development, agricultural manure management, roadways, landfills, pipelines , etc.
5. Until recently the real estate industry only requested water testing for bacteria and maybe nitrates even though the other problems were known.
6. The article I think is more about no really knowing the risk and a past history of understanding the risk. Also – this County has a long history of abandon oil and gas wells.
7. Oil and Gas Database PA How to Access
8. Expect More from the NGWA when they recommend articles.
9. Movies that promote SPIN on either side over FACTS – create unknown – creates fear and lack of trust.
10. Lets not forget the economy
11. We have always recommended getting a complete baseline test on the water quality of your well water, inspection of your home, and my business does conduct online database searchs of known harzardous as part of real estate transactions.
12. Make decisions based on facts not fear. I know we are humans so this is difficult.
13. I finally found the publication (pdf – March 2013)
Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.
Everything we do began with an idea.
We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.
For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.
Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organiazation).