A Storm in a Water Cup: What is Drinkable Water?

Hella Frenkel

Hello,

My name is Hella Frankel, Director of Technologies Innovations and compliance at Strauss Water. In this post I will share with you the process of water purification and tell you about the steps required to produce quality drinkable water, suitable for human consumption.

One of the biggest challenges of humanity has always been the water issue – a challenge we are still facing today and will continue to face in the future: water availability and ensuring quality water supply to the entire population on the globe.

Correlations Between Childhood Academic Performance and Indoor Air Quality

For most parents, the academic success of their children is crucial, in that it is the very foundation that a child’s future is built upon. It is because of this, that a child’s ability to attend school on a regular basis is extremely important to their overall academic performance. Many people are unaware of the importance the environment plays in a child’s ability to succeed academically. One factor that can substantially limit a child’s ability to thrive physically and academically is that of poor indoor air quality. It is important to understand the part that indoor air quality plays in our school systems and how to improve it.

There have been numerous case studies and physical evidence that have highlighted the affects of poor IAQ on the respiratory system, and how it contributes to the onset of asthma. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, asthma is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism.” The evidence indicates that a child’s “overall performance decreases with illnesses or absences from school.” If a child is unable to attend classes or focus while at school, their grades will suffer because of this. Since many school professionals and parents are unaware of how detrimental poor IAQ can be to a child’s health and performance, they may attribute the child’s struggle to some other factor.

Indoor Air Quality and Pollution Awareness

Many Americans are aware of the dangers of poor air quality from pollution in the outside world. Pollen counts and air quality index readings are reported alongside the temperature and humidity in daily weather forecasts. Warning labels and news stories have long alerted Americans to hazards found in tap water, consumer goods, and food products, some of the common means of ingesting potentially harmful biological and chemical compounds. However, surveys indicate that the general public does not share the same level of awareness with indoor air quality (IAQ). Although many Americans may feel as though the air they breathe when they are indoors is cleaner and safer than the air they breathe outside, research suggests that, in reality, the exact opposite is true. Generally speaking, indoor air contains much higher levels of toxins and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Chemicals from building products, harmful levels of mold, dust mites, indoor allergens, and other indoor pollutants all contribute to poor IAQ. Polluted indoor air is becoming increasingly damaging to the health of Americans, despite their unfamiliarity with the issue.

What is benzene and what are its health effects? What is EPA doing about benzene?

According to "Basic Information about Benzene in Drinking Water" [http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/benzene.cfm]:

"Benzene, a volatile organic chemical, is a clear, colorless aromatic liquid. It is highly flammable. It is formed through natural processes, such as volcanoes and forest fires. It is also formed from industrial processes. Benzene is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke."

Regulations restricting levels of benzene in drinking water are described at "What are EPA's drinking water regulations for benzene?" [http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/benzene.cfm#four]

Benzene can also be present in the air. According to EPA's Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics Web Site [http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/benzene.html] Benzene is found in the air from emissions from burning coal and oil, gasoline service stations, and motor vehicle exhaust."

EPA regulates benzene as a "mobile source air toxic." For details see "What is EPA Doing About Mobile Source Air Toxics?" at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/toxics.htm#epamsat.

The health effects of exposure to benzene are summarized at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/benzene.html:

"Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure of humans to benzene may cause drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, as well as eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation, and, at high levels, unconsciousness.  Chronic (long-term) inhalation exposure has caused various disorders in the blood, including reduced numbers of red blood cells and aplastic anemia, in occupational settings.  Reproductive effects have been reported for women exposed by inhalation to high levels, and adverse effects on the developing fetus have been observed in animal tests.  Increased incidence of leukemia (cancer of the tissues that form white blood cells) have been observed in humans occupationally exposed to benzene.  EPA has classified benzene as a Group A, human carcinogen."

For more information on benzene and its health effects, see:

• National Library of Medicine: Tox Town [http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_version/chemicals.php?id=5]
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: ToxFAQs for Benzene [http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=38&tid=14]
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): Safety and Health Topics: Benzene
  [http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/benzene/]
• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Benzene [http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0049.html]
• gotquestions  http://publicaccess.supportportal.com/ics/support/KBAnswer.asp?deptID=23012&task=knowledge&questionID=22213