U.S. drinking water contains substance that may cause cancer, report says

U.S. drinking water contains substance that may cause cancer, report says

Drinking water coming out from taps of American homes contain a potentially cancer-causing chemical called hexavalent chromium according to a U.S. environmental group who conducted the study. The study findings were first reported by the Washington Post. The group collected and analyzed drinking water samples from 35 major cities across the country and found that 31 samples had hexavalent chromium in them. Out of the 31 samples, 25 exceeded a proposed maximum limit by California, who has been exerting the most effort to reduce the substance in its water systems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently studying if a concentration limit for hexavalent chromium is warranted. The National Institutes of Health already classified the chemical in 2008 as a "probable carcinogen." Previous studies have shown that hexavalent chromium can cause lung cancer through inhalation. It can also cause cancer when ingested and is also known to cause kidney and liver damage in animals in laboratory tests.  Hexavalent chromium was in widespread use in many industries up until the early 1990s. The chemical is still being used today in chrome plating, dyes and plastic production. It has been determined that hexavalent chromium can leach into the water table and may contaminate groundwater. It was the chemical featured in the hit movie "Erin Brockovich" where the environmental crusader fought PG&E for leaking the chemical into the groundwater of Hinkley, California for decades. "This chemical has been so widely used by so many industries across the U.S. that this doesn't surprise me. Our municipal water supplies are in danger all over the U.S.," Brockovich told the Washington Post. "This is a chemical that should be regulated."

Posted by George Daniels on Monday December 20 2010, 2:26 AM EST. Ref: Yahoo. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0