Iron In Water Effects On Health
Iron is an essential element in human nutrition and the health effects of iron in drinking water may include warding off fatigue and anemia.
Iron in water effects on health. Men require approximately 7 mg iron on a daily basis whereas women require 11 mg. Iron in drinking water are normally less than 0 3 mg litre but may be higher in countries where various iron salts are used as coagulating agents in water treatment plants and where cast iron steel and galvanized iron pipes are used for water distribution. What are the health effects of iron in water. Iron allows red blood cells to deliver oxygen to all cells and tissues in your body.
If you have concerns about iron in your water supply while it can be damaging to your water system and appliances serious effects on your health are unlikely. Iron is not hazardous to health. Iron overload usually is caused by the disease hemochromatosis it is a genetic disease caused by a change mutation in a gene that is important in limiting the absorption of iron from the intestine. Food iron occurs as a natural constituent in plants and animals.
Most minerals from groundwater including iron will be absorbed by water. Iron is also a naturally occurring element in nature meaning you ll have some in your drinking water. Iron is a dietary requirement for humans just as it is for many other organisms. If an individual is homozygous for a mutated gene that is mutated genes are found on both chromosomes that contain the gene iron absorption from the intestine is abnormally increased.
Large amounts of iron in drinking water can give it an unpleasant metallic taste. There is no taste to pure water but water s also naturally a solvent this means most of the minerals from the groundwater which includes iron are going to go into water. This sediment is the oxidized or ferric form of iron that will not dissolve in water. When there is a lot of iron in your drinking water it can have a taste that is unpleasant and metallic iron s a very important element when it comes to your nutrition and the health effects it has when it s in your.
Iron is an essential component of the human diet for proper function and it is highly improbable that you would consume a toxic amount solely through drinking water. Liver kidney fish. Water containing ferrous iron is clear and colorless because the iron is completely dissolved.