| Bacteria & Viruses | Source/Industrial occurrence |
Health effect |
Treatment |
Bacteria (E. coli, faecal coli forms), Viruses, Algae, Fungi, Cysts, Anthrax, salmonella, cholera |
Sewage or human and animal waste |
Cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis. Cramps, nausea, headaches, severe diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. In children under 5 years of age and the elderly - red blood cells destroyed and kidney failure. |
Chlorine, |
Protozoan parasites - Cryptosporidium |
Sewage or human and animal waste |
Watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps, slight fever, upset stomach, loss of appetite, weight loss |
Ultraviolet light, 1 Micron Filter |
Protozoan parasites - Giardia |
Sewage or human and animal waste |
Watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps, upset stomach, bloating, flatulence (farting), fatigue, dehydration |
Chlorine, |
Disinfectants |
Source/Industrial occurrence |
Health effect |
Treatment |
Chlorine |
Water additive used to control microbes |
Rectal, colon and bladder cancer, heart trouble, premature senility, premature aging, hardening of arteries. |
KDF/GAC |
Inorganic |
Source/Industrial occurrence |
Health effect |
Treatment |
Aluminum |
Chemical/Petroleum Processing, Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing, Hardware/Lumber/Parts Stores, Industrial Waste Disposal, Photo Processing/Printing. |
Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias |
KDF/GAC and ion exchange |
Arsenic |
naturally occurring chemical |
Cancer, skin damage and problems with circulatory systems |
KDF/GAC |
Barium |
Exists in nature, used in making electronic components, in metal alloys, bleaches, dyes, fireworks, ceramics and glass |
Increase in blood pressure |
KDF/GAC |
Cadmium |
Leaching of landfills. In particular, cadmium can be released to drinking water from the corrosion of some galvanized plumbing and water main pipe materials. |
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle cramps, salivation, sensory disturbances, liver injury, convulsions, shock and renal failure. |
KDF/GAC |
Chromium |
Occurs in nature and combustion of natural gas, oil, and coal. |
Damage to liver, kidney, circulatory and nerve tissues; skin irritation. |
KDF/GAC |
Copper |
corrosion of copper plumbing, copper mining and smelting operations and municipal incineration |
Gastrointestinal disturbance, including nausea and vomiting. |
KDF/GAC and ion exchange |
Fluoride |
Water additives; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories |
Bone disease, children may get mottled teeth. |
KDF/GAC |
Lead |
Corrosion of lead plumbing or fixtures |
Kidney problems, high blood pressure, delays in physical or mental development, hearing, and learning abilities in children |
KDF/GAC and ion exchange |
Mercury |
Earths crust, combustion of fuels, |
Kidney damage |
KDF/GAC |
Methoxychlor |
An insecticide for use on animals, in animal feed, and crops such as squash, melons, etc |
Damage to liver, kidney and heart tissue; retards growth. |
KDF/GAC |
Nitrate |
chemical contained in fertilizer and human and animal wastes |
Infants younger than six months could become seriously ill, if untreated may die. Shortness of breath and blueness of the skin |
KDF/GAC |
Selenium |
Selenium compounds are released to the air during the combustion of coal and petroleum fuels, and during the smelting and refining of other metals. |
Hair and fingernail loss; damage to kidney and liver tissue, and the nervous and circulatory systems. |
KDF/GAC |
Organic (VOCs) |
Source/Industrial occurrence |
Health effect |
Treatment |
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Chlorobenzene |
|
|
Activated carbon |
||
CIS-1,2 Dichloroethylene |
|
|
Activated carbon |
||
Dibromochloropropane |
|
|
Activated carbon |
||
Dichloromethance |
|
|
Aeration |
||
Dioxin |
|
|
Activated carbon |
||
Epichlorohydrin |
Used in epoxy resins and coating, and in flocculants. |
|
Activated carbon |
||
Ethlbenzene |
Manufacture of gasoline, insecticides and asphalt. |
Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
||
Ethylene Dibromide |
Used as a gasoline additive and soil fumigant. |
Affects nervous system, kidneys and liver. |
Activated carbon |
||
Monochlorobenzene |
Used in manufacture of pesticides and as a metal cleaner and industrial solvent. |
Cancer |
Activated carbon |
||
PAHs |
Coal tar coating, burnings organic matter, volcanoes, fossil fuels. |
Cancer |
Activated carbon |
||
Phthalate , (di(2-ethylhexyl)) |
PVC and other plastics. |
Affects skin and liver. Causes nausea. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
||
Polychlorinated , Biophenyts |
Used in electrical transformers. |
Affect nervous system, kidneys & liver. |
Activated carbon |
||
Styrene |
Used in manufacturing plastic, resins and foams. |
Cancer. Affects nervous system. Probable cause of and anaesthesia. |
Activated carbon |
||
Tetrachloroethylene |
Dry cleaning and as a degreasing agent for metals. Also used for manufacturing rubber, waxes, paints and inks. |
Affects nervous system, liver and kidneys. Causes narcosis. Irritant to respiratory system. |
Activated carbon |
||
Toluene |
Used in gasoline, paint thinners, lacquers |
Cancer |
Activated carbon |
||
|
Formed when water containing organic matter is treated with chlorine. |
Cancer. Affects nervous system and muscles. Cell damage by free radicals. |
KDF/Activated carbon, aeration. |
||
1,1 Dichloroethylene |
Used in manufacturing dyes, plastic, perfumes, paints and adhesives |
Affects kidneys and liver and can cause nausea. |
Activated carbon |
||
1,1,2-Trichloroethane |
Solvent in rubber products, chemical production waste. |
Kidney, liver, nervous system damage |
Activated carbon, aeration |
||
1,2 Dichlorobenzene |
Manufacturing of fumigants, resins, insecticides, waxes and rubber. |
Affects lungs, liver and kidneys. |
Activated carbon |
||
1,2 Dichloroethane |
Manufacturing of gasoline, paint, varnish, metal degreasers and insecticide |
Damage kidney and liver can cause nausea. |
Activated carbon |
||
1,2 Dichloropropane |
Insecticide fumigants, dry cleaning, manufacturing of resins and waxes. |
Affects lungs, liver and kidneys. |
Activated carbon |
||
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene |
Herbicide production; dye carrier. |
Liver, kidney damage |
Activated carbon |
||
1,4 Dichlorobenzene |
Used in moth repellent, germicides, pesticides and soil fumigants. |
Cancer. Affects nervous system, liver and kidneys. |
Activated carbon |
||
Acrytamide |
Flocculants used in sewage and wastewater treatment. |
Cancer. Affects nervous system, liver and kidneys. |
Activated carbon |
||
Adipates |
Rubber, food packaging, cosmetics. |
Decreased body weight; testes damage. |
Activated carbon |
||
Benzene |
Solvent in manufacturing, plastics and pesticides. Leaking underground storage tanks. |
Cancer Leukemia, anemia. |
Activated carbon |
||
Trans-1,2 |
Industrial solvent in the manufacturing of dyes, perfumes, lacquers and rubber. |
Affects liver, and nervous and circulatory systems. |
Activated carbon, Ultra Violet |
||
Trichloroethylene |
Dry cleaning, degreasing agent. Manufacturing rubber, paints, adhesives, |
Irritates body tissue. Affects nervous system. Probable cause of cancer. |
Activated carbon |
||
Vinyl Chloride |
Plastic, Component in PVC pipes. |
Cancer. Affects nervous system. |
Activated carbon |
||
Xyienes |
Used in manufacturing paint, ink. |
Affects nervous system, kidneys, and lungs. |
Activated carbon |
||
|
Agricultural insecticide |
Cancer. Affects nervous system, respiratory system, kidneys and liver. |
Activated carbon |
||
Chlordane |
Used on rodents, insects, birds. |
Cancer. Affects nervous system, respiratory system, kidneys and liver. |
Activated carbon |
||
Endrin |
Agricultural insecticide. |
Liver, kidneys, heart damage. |
KDF/Activated carbon |
||
Heptachlor |
Agricultural insecticide. Converts to expoxide by soil and water organisms |
Cancer. Affects nervous system, respiratory system, kidneys and liver. |
Activated carbon |
||
Heptachlor Expoxide |
Pesticide production by-product. |
Cancer. Affects nervous system, respiratory system, kidneys and liver. |
Activated carbon |
||
Hexachlorobenzene |
Pesticide production by-product. |
Cancer |
Activated carbon |
||
Hexachlorocyclop -entadiene |
Agricultural insecticide. |
Cancer |
Activated carbon, aeration |
||
Lindane |
Agricultural insecticide. |
Cancer. Affects nervous system, respiratory system, kidneys and liver. |
KDF /Activated carbon |
||
Methoxychlor |
Insecticide used on apples, potatoes, tomatoes. |
Cancer. Affects nervous system, respiratory system, kidneys and liver. |
KDF /Activated carbon |
||
Oxamyl |
Agricultural insecticide. |
Kidney damage. |
Activated carbon |
||
|
Agricultural herbicides |
Cancer. Affect nervous and reproductive system, respiratory system, kidneys, liver and heart. Causes anaesthesia. |
KDF/Activated carbon |
||
Dalapon |
Herbicide used on orchards, beans, coffee, lawn, roads and railway. |
Liver, kidney damage. |
Activated carbon |
||
Dinoseb |
Herbicide from crops |
Thyroid, reproduction organ damage. |
Activated carbon |
||
Diquat |
Herbicide on land and aquatic weeds. |
Liver, kidneys, eye effects. |
Activated carbon |
||
Endothall |
Used on crops, land and aquatic weeds. |
Liver, kidney and gastrointestinal damage. |
Activated carbon |
||
Glyphosphate |
Used on grass, weeds, brush |
Liver, kidney damage |
Activated carbon |
||
Pentachlorophenol |
Agricultural herbicide and wood preservative. |
Cancer. Affects nervous, reproductive system, kidneys, liver and heart. |
Activated carbon |
||
Picloram |
Used on broadleaf and woody plants. |
Kidney, liver damage. |
Activated carbon |
||
Simazine |
Grass sod, some crop, and aquatic algae. |
Cancer. |
Activated carbon |
