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Groundwater Contaminants
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Microbial Contaminants
Sources: Sewage leaks, fecal matter from livestock, unclean water sources. Potential Health Effects: Gastrointestinal illnesses, infections, dysentery.
Chlorides
Sources: Road salt, natural salts in rocks and soil, industrial waste. Potential Health Effects: Corrosion of pipes, high blood pressure, fluid imbalance.
Benzene
Sources: Petroleum refining, chemical manufacturing, cigarette smoke. Potential Health Effects: Anemia, immune system suppression, leukemia.
Pesticides
Sources: Agricultural runoff, lawn and garden pesticides, pest extermination chemicals. Potential Health Effects: Hormone disruption, cancer, neurological effects.
Trihalomethanes (THMs)
Sources: Byproducts of chlorine disinfection in water treatment, industrial solvents. Potential Health Effects: Cancer, reproductive issues, liver and kidney damage.
Cadmium
Sources: Battery manufacturing, metal plating, phosphate fertilizers. Potential Health Effects: Kidney damage, bone fragility, lung damage.
Nitrate
Sources: Agricultural runoff, septic systems, nitrogenous fertilizers. Potential Health Effects: Methemoglobinemia ('blue baby syndrome'), respiratory infections.
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
Sources: Non-stick cookware, firefighting foams, industrial processes. Potential Health Effects: Hormone disruption, cancer, immune system effects.
Asbestos
Sources: Corrosion of asbestos-cement pipes, natural deposits, construction materials. Potential Health Effects: Lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Sources: Electrical equipment, transformers, past commercial manufacturing. Potential Health Effects: Cancer, immune system damage, reproductive effects.
Chromium
Sources: Electroplating factories, leather tanning, chromate production. Potential Health Effects: Skin irritation, lung cancer when inhaled, kidney damage.
Aluminum
Sources: Water treatment coagulants, natural leaching, acid rain. Potential Health Effects: Neurotoxicity, Alzheimer's disease (debated), skin irritation.
Atrazine
Sources: Agricultural herbicide runoff, contamination from manufacturing plants. Potential Health Effects: Hormone disruption, cardiovascular and reproductive effects, possible carcinogen.
Radioactive Contaminants
Sources: Natural mineral deposits, nuclear power production, medical and industrial waste. Potential Health Effects: Cancer, kidney toxicity, birth defects.
Mercury
Sources: Industrial processes, coal combustion, natural degassing of the earth's crust. Potential Health Effects: Nervous system toxicity, kidney damage, Minamata disease.
Lead
Sources: Old plumbing pipes, industrial emissions, paint. Potential Health Effects: Developmental issues in children, learning disabilities, hypertension.
Pharmaceuticals
Sources: Improper disposal of medication, effluent from wastewater treatment plants. Potential Health Effects: Hormonal disruption, development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, ecosystem harm.
Heavy Metals
Sources: Industrial discharge, plumbing systems, natural mineral deposits. Potential Health Effects: Kidney damage, cancer, developmental disorders, neurological damage.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Sources: Industrial solvents, fuel additives, degreasing agents. Potential Health Effects: Cancer, liver damage, central nervous system damage.
Arsenic
Sources: Natural mineral deposits, industrial runoff, wood preservatives. Potential Health Effects: Skin lesions, cardiovascular disease, cancer.
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