Inorganic contaminants
found in ground water
| Contaminant |
Sources to ground water |
Potential health and other effects |
| Aluminum |
Occurs naturally in some rocks and drainage from
mines. |
Can precipitate out of water after treatment,
causing increased turbidity or discolored water. |
| Antimony |
Enters environment from natural weathering,
industrial production, municipal waste disposal, and
manufacturing of flame retardants, ceramics, glass,
batteries, fireworks, and explosives. |
Decreases longevity, alters blood levels of
glucose and cholesterol in laboratory animals
exposed at high levels over their lifetime. |
|
Arsenic |
Enters environment from natural processes,
industrial activities, pesticides, and industrial
waste, smelting of copper, lead, and zinc ore. |
Causes acute and chronic toxicity, liver and
kidney damage; decreases blood hemoglobin. Possible
carcinogen. |
| Barium |
Occurs naturally in some limestones, sandstones,
and soils in the eastern United States. |
Can cause a variety of cardiac,
gastrointestinal, and neuromuscular effects.
Associated
with hypertension and cardiotoxicity in animals. |
| Beryllium |
Occurs naturally in soils, ground water, and
surface water. Often used in electrical industry
equipment and components, nuclear power and space
industry. Enters the environment from mining
operations, processing plants, and improper waste
disposal. Found in low concentrations in rocks,
coal, and petroleum and enters the ground and |
Causes acute and chronic toxicity; can cause
damage to lungs and bones. Possible carcinogen. |
| Cadmium |
Found in low concentrations in rocks, coal, and
petroleum and enters the ground and surface water
when dissolved by acidic waters. May enter the
environment from industrial discharge, mining waste,
metal plating, water pipes, batteries, paints and
pigments, plastic stabilizers, and landfill leachate. |
Replaces zinc biochemically in the body and
causes high blood pressure, liver and kidney
damage, and anemia. Destroys testicular tissue and
red blood cells. Toxic to aquatic
biota. |
| Chloride |
May be associated with the presence of sodium in
drinking water when present in high concentrations.
Often from saltwater intrusion, mineral dissolution,
industrial and domestic waste. |
Deteriorates plumbing, water heaters, and
municipal water-works equipment at high levels.
Above secondary maximum contaminant level, taste
becomes noticeable. |
|
Chromium |
Enters environment from old mining operations
runoff and leaching into ground water, fossil-fuel
combustion, cement-plant emissions, mineral
leaching, and waste incineration. Used in metal
plating and as a cooling-tower water additive. |
Chromium III is a nutritionally essential
element. Chromium VI is much more toxic than
Chromium III and causes liver and kidney damage,
internal hemorrhaging, respiratory
damage, dermatitis, and ulcers on the skin at high
concentrations. |
|
Copper |
Enters environment from metal plating,
industrial and domestic waste, mining, and mineral
leaching. |
Can cause stomach and intestinal distress, liver
and kidney damage, anemia in high doses. Imparts an
adverse taste and significant staining to clothes
and fixtures. Essential
trace element but toxic to plants and algae at
moderate levels. |
| Cyanide |
Often used in electroplating, steel processing,
plastics, synthetic fabrics, and fertilizer
production; also from improper waste disposal. |
Poisoning is the result of damage to spleen,
brain, and liver. |
| Dissolved solids |
Occur naturally but also enters environment from
man-made sources such as landfill leachate,
feedlots, or sewage. A measure of the dissolved
“salts” or minerals in the water. May also include
some dissolved organic compounds. |
May have an influence on the acceptability of
water in general. May be indicative of the
presence of excess concentrations of specific
substances not included in the Safe Water
Drinking Act, which would make water objectionable.
High concentrations of dissolved
solids shorten the life of hot water heaters. |
| Fluoride |
Occurs naturally or as an additive to municipal
water supplies; widely used in industry. |
Decreases incidence of tooth decay but high
levels can stain or mottle teeth. Causes crippling
bone disorder (calcification of the bones and
joints) at very high levels. |
|
Hardness |
Result of metallic ions dissolved in the water;
reported as concentration of calcium carbonate.
Calcium carbonate is derived from dissolved
limestone or discharges from operating
or abandoned mines. |
Decreases the lather formation of soap and
increases scale formation in hot-water heaters
and low-pressure boilers at high levels. |
|
Iron |
Occurs naturally as a mineral from sediment and
rocks or from mining, industrial waste,
and corroding metal. |
Imparts a bitter astringent taste to water and a
brownish color to laundered clothing and
plumbing fixtures. |
|
Lead |
Enters environment from industry, mining,
plumbing, gasoline, coal, and as a water
additive. |
Affects red blood cell chemistry; delays normal
physical and mental development in
babies and young children. Causes slight deficits in
attention span, hearing, and learning
in children. Can cause slight increase in blood
pressure in some adults. Probable carcinogen. |
|
|
|
| Manganese |
Occurs naturally as a mineral from sediment and
rocks or from mining and industrial waste. |
Causes aesthetic and economic damage, and
imparts brownish stains to laundry. Affects
taste of water, and causes dark brown or black
stains on plumbing fixtures. Relatively
non-toxic to animals but toxic to plants at high
levels. |
| Mercury |
Occurs as an inorganic salt and as organic
mercury compounds. Enters the environment from
industrial waste, mining, pesticides, coal,
electrical equipment (batteries, lamps, switches),
smelting, and fossil-fuel combustion. |
Causes acute and chronic toxicity. Targets the
kidneys and can cause nervous system disorders. |
| Nickel |
Occurs naturally in soils, ground water, and
surface water. Often used in electroplating,
stainless steel and alloy products, mining, and
refining. |
Damages the heart and liver of laboratory
animals exposed to large amounts over their
lifetime. |
|
Nitrate (as nitrogen) |
Occurs naturally in mineral deposits, soils,
seawater, freshwater systems, the atmosphere, and
biota. More stable form of combined nitrogen in
oxygenated water. Found in the highest levels in
ground water under extensively developed areas.
Enters the environment from fertilizer, feedlots,
and sewage. |
Toxicity results from the body’s natural
breakdown of nitrate to nitrite. Causes “bluebaby
disease,” or methemoglobinemia, which threatens
oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. |
|
Nitrite (combined nitrate/nitrite) |
Enters environment from fertilizer, sewage, and
human or farm-animal waste. |
Toxicity results from the body’s natural
breakdown of nitrate to nitrite. Causes “bluebaby
disease,” or methemoglobinemia, which threatens
oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. |
| Selenium |
Enters environment from naturally occurring
geologic sources, sulfur, and coal. |
Causes acute and chronic toxic effects in
animals--”blind staggers” in cattle. Nutritionally
essential element at low doses but toxic at high
doses. |
| Silver |
Enters environment from ore mining and
processing, product fabrication, and disposal. Often
used in photography, electric and electronic
equipment, sterling and electroplating, alloy, and
solder. Because of great economic value of silver,
recovery practices are typically used to minimize
loss. |
Can cause argyria, a blue-gray coloration of the
skin, mucous membranes, eyes, and organs in humans
and animals with chronic exposure. |
| Sodium |
Derived geologically from leaching of surface
and underground deposits of salt and decomposition
of various minerals. Human activities contribute
through de-icing and washing products. |
Can be a health risk factor for those
individuals on a low-sodium diet. |
| Sulfate |
Elevated concentrations may result from
saltwater intrusion, mineral dissolution, and
domestic or industrial waste. |
Forms hard scales on boilers and heat
exchangers; can change the taste of water, and has a
laxative effect in high doses. |
| Thallium |
Enters environment from soils; used in
electronics, pharmaceuticals manufacturing, glass,
and alloys. |
Damages kidneys, liver, brain, and intestines in
laboratory animals when given in high doses over
their lifetime. |
| Zinc |
Found naturally in water, most frequently in
areas where it is mined. Enters environment from
industrial waste, metal plating, and plumbing, and
is a major component of sludge. |
Aids in the healing of wounds. Causes no ill
health effects except in very high doses. Imparts an
undesirable taste to water. Toxic to plants at high
levels. |
Organic contaminants
found in ground water
| Contaminant |
Sources to ground water |
Potential health and other effects |
| Volatile organic compounds |
Enter environment when used to make plastics,
dyes, rubbers, polishes, solvents, crude oil,
insecticides, inks, varnishes, paints,
disinfectants, gasoline products, pharmaceuticals,
preservatives, spot removers, paint removers,
degreasers, and many more. |
Can cause cancer and liver damage, anemia,
gastrointestinal disorder, skin irritation, blurred
vision, exhaustion, weight loss, damage to the
nervous system, and respiratory tract irritation. |
| Pesticides |
Enter environment as herbicides, insecticides,
fungicides, rodenticides, and algicides. |
Cause poisoning, headaches, dizziness,
gastrointestinal disturbance, numbness, weakness,
and cancer. Destroys nervous system, thyroid,
reproductive system, liver, and kidneys. |
| Plasticizers, chlorinated solvents, benzo[a]pyrene,
and dioxin |
Used as sealants, linings, solvents, pesticides,
plasticizers, components of gasoline, disinfectant,
and wood preservative. Enters the environment from
improper waste disposal, leaching runoff, leaking
storage tank, and industrial runoff. |
Cause cancer. Damages nervous and reproductive
systems, kidney, stomach, and liver. |