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WATER AND OURРУHБEРAИLTКHА
tack the nervous system. stances that we know of, and still it is present in
Arsenic – Arsenic is a very toxic heavy metal, almost all toothpaste brands. Today fluorine is pres-
ent in bottled water, even in some baby products.
classified by the International Agency for Research Tap water is actually fluoridated, which means that
of Cancer (IARC) as a Category 1 cancerous, which it is added to water although it is as toxic as arsenic
means that it definitively causes cancer. An accept- and even more toxic than lead. Despite of its toxic-
able standard for the presence of arsenic is 10 parts ity, fluoridation of water in some countries is forbid-
in a billion in the tap water. den.
DCPA – dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate is a Chlorine – It is added in water in order to destroy
herbicide which is used for protection against weed some pathogenic bacteria. When large quantities
in strawberries, watermelons and cucumbers. of chlorine are ingested in the organism, it bonds
to other organic compounds whereby trihalometh-
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) – A class of or- ane is obtained as a byproduct. These byproducts
ganic compounds which cause hormonal disorders, activate the production of free radicals in the body
skin changes and problems with the urinary tract. and can produce serious cell damage. This list is not
exhausted. There are many other toxins which are
Dioxin – Dioxin is an organic persistent com- known as potential risk for the human health, and
pound, one of the most harmful chemicals that in- which are present in public water supply. Some of
creases the probability for the development of can- them can appear accidentally, and some are regulat-
cer. ed by law according to which attention is paid to the
maximally allowed concentrations, although it is
DDT – Organic compound which persists in the known that these can be detrimental. Usually their
environment for decades, without disintegration, it amount is negligible and insufficient to cause seri-
is used as in insecticide in the fight against the ma- ous damage or diseases, however the danger of long-
laria mosquito for eradication of malaria. Usually it term effects is present particularly in regular con-
is related to diabetes and cancer. sumption of a product with the same origin. Other
ways for chemicals to enter the water include medi-
Perchlorate – It is used as an oxidizer in rocket cal waste, pesticide in underground waters, etc.
fuels and in explosions.
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) – Pesticide from the
group of persistent organic pollutants that can im-
pair the hormonal system and cause cancer.
Fluorine – One of the most famous toxic sub-
Do these chemicals refer to Macedonia, and if
they do not, what is the condition here?
The chemicals I mention are present in every
country, the problem is global. The condition here is
not sufficiently researched and confirmed, however
there are indications because of which we should be
careful. It is necessary to improve the measures for
protection and prevention against further pollution.
What are the dangers of the consumption of in-
sufficiently safe water?
Toxic chemicals can cause brain damages such as
a reduced intelligence coefficient, Alzheimer’s dis-
ease, and dementia. According to a scientific study
in the Institute of Public Health in New Jersey, in-
creased development of bone cancer has been ob-
served in boys, twice to seven times more than the
one in the population that does not drink fluorinat-
ed water. The exposure to toxic chemicals in water
is related to reduced immunity, congenital defects,
even prenatal death.
July-August 2016 33
