July 11, 2022 3 min read
Radioactive water is increasingly becoming a problem in the United States. Radiological contaminants, also known as radionuclides, are increasingly being detected in our drinking water. Uranium, radon, and radium are the most common radionuclides in drinking water. Drinking water safety is a major concern as a concentration of radiological contaminants exceeds the safe levels.
People who consume water with relatively high levels of radionuclides like uranium and radon for a long time may develop severe health complications. The health problems include cancer, osteoporosis, anemia, bone growth, cataracts, compromised immune system, and liver and kidney diseases.
Radioactive water is drinking water with radionuclide levels that exceed the set safety standards. Radionuclides can be artificial or naturally occurring. Naturally occurring radionuclides are formed in the upper atmosphere and are found in certain types of rocks. These rocks contain radioactive isotopes of thorium, actinium, and uranium in trace amounts. As the rocks break down due to weathering, the resultant soils and clays transfer the radionuclides to water as it seeps into the ground.
The contaminated water percolates deep into the ground, accumulating in the natural underground water reserves. Once radionuclides such as uranium and radium are leeched from their parent rocks, they begin to decay. They break down into less stable, more radioactive molecules, drastically increasing the concentration of radioactive materials in the groundwater.
Water companies sink deep wells to tap into these underground reservoirs with high levels of radionuclides. The typical water treatment facilities aren't equipped to filter radioactive materials from your tap water.
As radionuclides decay, they emit three types of radioactive particles – alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays. Each of these radioactive particles is harmful to human health.
You're likely to ingest radionuclides by drinking contaminated water or eating food cleaned with contaminated water. Once you ingest radioactive material, the particles travel through your body while damaging your organs. The particles will ionize and destabilize the atoms in your body, damaging the cells and chromosomes. The ionization process may kill the cells or trigger unnatural cell reproduction.
The health effects of drinking radioactive water aren't extensively documented, but they run the gamut from osteoporosis to anemia and types of cancers. With most of the country increasingly depending on underground water reservoirs, the risk of ingesting contaminated water is greatly magnified.
Seychelle Radiological filters can protect you and your family from the threat of radioactive water. These filters are independently tested are can effectively eliminate alpha radium 226, gross beta, cesium 134 & 137, radon 222, and uranium from contaminated water.
What is radioactive water?
Radioactive water is water contaminated with radiological contaminants, including cesium, radon, and uranium.
What are the dangers of ingesting radioactive water?
Consuming radioactive water leads to multiple health conditions kidney and liver damage, various types of cancer, and even death.
Why does tap water contain radioactive materials?
Water companies tap underground reservoirs that contain water with high levels of radiological contaminants.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Radiation Basics. https://www.epa.gov/radiation/radiation-basics#:~:text=Some%20beta%20particles%20are%20capable,damage%20to%20tissue%20and%20DNA. Accessed 22 June 2022
Bruce Lesikar, Rebecca Melton, Michael Hare, and Janie Hopkins. Drinking Water Problems: Radionuclides.https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/water/drinking-water-problems-radionuclides/#:~:text=How%20do%20Radionuclides%20affect%20Health%3F.Accessed 22 June 2022
Minnesota Department of Health. Radionuclides (Radium) in Drinking Water. https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/contaminants/radionuclides.html#HealthEffects. Accessed 22 June 2022
The Associated Press. You can get cancer": Uranium contaminates water in the West. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uranium-contaminates-drinking-water-in-us-west/. Accessed 22 June 2022
Erica Weir. Uranium in drinking water, naturally. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC359425/. Accessed 22 June 2022