Worried About Heavy Metals in Water? Here is How to Detect Them

When water sources get contaminated with heavy metals they can cause severe health problems. Most heavy metal contaminants are not easily detected because they are odorless, colorless and tasteless.

Unfortunately our drinking water can be contaminated with heavy metal contaminants in numerous ways. For example, lead can enter water through plumbing systems with older lead pipes or lead soldering. Other heavy metals enter water sources through industrial processes that spew them into the air and then they fall to the earth where they permeate through the ground and into groundwater aquifers.

Rapid industrialization has increased the levels of heavy metals in our water and has continued to release them into the environment through coal-burning plants, paints, waste incinerators, chemical herbicides and pesticides, in addition to naturally occurring events and processes.

Looking at the most common heavy metal pollutants in our water, we can identify a relatively short list of them:

Arsenic

Arsenic leaches from natural deposits and is found in wood preservatives and pesticides, as well as in industrial waste. It is also a byproduct of petroleum production, semiconductor manufacture and coal burning power plants.

Health risks include serious skin problems and increases in the risk of developing certain cancers and heart disease after long-term exposure.

Barium 

Barium can leach from mineral deposits, drilling waste dumpsites, copper smelting and  the manufacturing of car and truck parts.

People exposed to barium may experience difficulty breathing, heightened blood pressure; heart arrhythmia, stomach irritation, damage to the liver, kidneys, heart and spleen or muscle weakness.

Cadmium 

Natural deposits of cadmium erode into groundwater and metal refineries, and release  into the atmosphere. Used batteries and recycling plants also leach cadmium into the ground where it can enter groundwater sources. 

Short term exposure can lead to flu-like symptoms and cause lung damage, while chronic exposure may result in kidney, bone and/or lung disease.

Lead 

Older homes and apartment buildings that have gone without renovations for years, may still have lead pipes, lead-containing solder and old brass fittings. Lead is also released through industrial processes, mining and smelting of ores.

Excessive lead in drinking water can result in lead poisoning, which is linked to a host of health problems. These problems include learning disabilities, lowered brain function, high blood pressure, kidney failure, miscarriages or premature births.

Mercury

Mercury occurs in natural deposits, is released during volcanic eruptions, forest fires and the burning of fossil fuels (coal and gasoline). However, mercury levels in the environment have greatly increased as a result of emissions from the mining, pulp and paper industries.

Mercury poisoning damages the peripheral nervous system, can cause mental health issues and lead to fatigue, irritability and hair & fingernail changes.

The effects of heavy metals in water are any of the previously mentioned health issues in humans which can be especially dangerous in children. Because childrens bodies, brains and organ systems are smaller and still developing they are extremely susceptible to the effects of heavy metals even in small amounts. Ensuring that our children, families and friends, employees and clients/customers are safe from these effects should be a number one priority for businesses.

Although your business is not capable of removing the causes of heavy metal pollution, you can take the time and make the effort to test your water for these dangerous pollutants. If higher than safe concentrations of any of these metals are found coming from your water source, it will be extraordinarily important for your business to do whatever is necessary to purify your water and/or remove the cause of the contaminants. The first step is learning how to test for heavy metals in water on your property and from your water sources.

Heavy metal detection in water is a very important, as well as a very exact, scientific process. An overall test may be the right place to start in some places, while in others a more pinpointed test is better to identify whether a pollutant that is known to plague your geographic area, your building(s), water provider or your private well, is present. This requires in depth knowledge of the area, the dangerous heavy metals that have been found in the region’s water sources and what the regulations for each heavy metal are in your area.

For this reason it is recommended that you test your water for heavy metals frequently and hire a reputable environmental testing laboratory to perform your testing. This is especially true if your buildings’ metal pipes are old or if your business resides in an industrial area.

Knowing that the presence of heavy metal contaminants in your water is hard to detect and that the best way to know what is in your water is to test it, environmental testing labs are the best way to test for heavy metals. Contacting a lab to test your water will keep your employees safe by ensuring the purity of your water..

Do some research and find a highly certified and experienced laboratory; that is the best way to test for heavy metals in your water. Torrent Laboratory offers your business water testing to detect metals using ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry). This is the most effective method of water testing when you need to detect low levels of trace metals in groundwater or drinking water, or when you need to confirm the presence of certain metals in your water.

Torrent Laboratory, Inc., is a state of California certified (CAL ELAP), Department of Energy (DoE ELAP) and Department of Defense (DOD ELAP) laboratory. Torrent Laboratory employs EPA approved testing procedures and all of our services meet every one of the quality control analytical and documentation requirements of California regulating authorities.

Torrent Lab also offers your business decades of experience with chemists who have a combined 150 years of analytical expertise. Your final reports always contain an additional attachment that includes the Federal Guidelines which give you the opportunity to compare your water quality data with all the guidelines. And, if you still have questions, our customer service is second to none and will happily answer any and all questions you have.