OTHER METALS

MERCURY

Mercury (Hg) is one of the least abundant elements in the earth’s crust.

Mercury in the drinking water is of the inorganic man made type.  If inorganic mercury enters the body, it usually settles in the kidneys.

Organic mercury enters people mostly through the eating of fish.  It attacks the central nervous system.  This Mercury is  primarily derived from industrial chemical manufacturing waste, or from the leaching of coal ash.

The MCL (maximum contamination level) for mercury set by the EPA is 0.002 mg/l (.002 PPM).

COPPER

The principal sources of copper in the water are the corrosion of brass and copper piping and the addition of copper salts when treating water supplies for algae control.

The body for proper nutrition requires copper. Insufficient amounts of copper lead to iron deficiency. However, high doses of copper can cause liver damage or anemia.

The taste threshold for copper in drinking water is 2 – 5 mg/l. The US EPA has proposed a maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 1.3 mg/l for copper (1.3 PPM).

LEAD

Lead in drinking water is primarily from the corrosion of the lead solder used to put together the copper piping. Lead in the body can cause serious damage to the brain, kidneys, nervous system, and red blood cells. The US EPA considers lead to be a highly toxic metal and a major health threat.

The current level of lead allowable in drinking water is 0.05 mg/l (.05 PPM).

CHROMIUM

CADMIUM

MAGNESIUM

SILVER

IRON

SELENIUM

a chemical element with symbol Se and atomic number 34.  It is a non-metal.