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Cheyanne Strong

Basic Information about Mercury (inorganic) in Drinking Water | Basic Information about... - 3 views

water.epa.gov/...mercury.cfm

mercury drinking water

shared by Cheyanne Strong on 23 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • What is mercury?
  • What is mercury?
  • rcury
  • ...75 more annotations...
  • What is mercury
  • What is mercury?
  • What is mercury?
  • What is
  • What is
  • Uses for mercury.
  • Uses for mercury
  • Mercury is a liquid
  • metal
  • Mercury is a liqu
  • Electrical products such as dry-cell batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, switches, and other control equipment
  • 50 percent of mercury used
  • What are mercury's health effects?
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • well in exce
  • mercury well in excess
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • experience kidney damage
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury
    • Cheyanne Strong
      Cheyanne Strong on 23 Nov 11
       
      Hey what i was goin to highlight wasw the first paragraph but it wouldnt let me so i decided instead to just tell yal on dis sticky note
  • What are EPA's drinking water regulations for mercury
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act
  • law requires EPA to determine
  • Some people who drink
  • could experience kidney damage
  • years could experience
  • many years could
  • many years could
  • contaminants
  • drinking water
  • drinking water at which no adverse health effects
  • likely to occur
  • non-enforceable health goals, based solely
  • possible health risks
  • exposure over a lifetime
  • adequate margin
  • safety
  • called maximum
  • contaminant level goals
  • Contaminants
  • Contaminants
  • Contaminant
  • Contaminants
  • any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substances or matter in water.
  • ontamina
  • (MCLG). Contaminants
  • The MCLG for mercury is 0.002 mg/L or 2 ppb
  • EPA has set this level of protection based on the best available science
  • prevent potential health problems
  • EPA has set an enforceable regulation for mercury
  • called a maximum contaminant level (MCL),
  • MCLs are set as close to the health goals as possible
  • considering cost
  • benefits
  • the ability of public water systems
  • detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies
  • this case, the MCL equals the MCLG, because analytical methods or treatment technology do not pose any limitation
  • The Phase II Rule, the regulation for mercury, became effective in 1992
  • The Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to periodically review the national primary drinking water regulation for each contaminant and revise the regulation, if appropriate. EPA reviewed mercury as part of the Six Year Review and determined that the 0.002 mg/L or 2 ppb MCLG and 0.002 mg/L or 2 ppb MCL for mercury are still protective of human health.
  • major sources
  • erosion of natural deposits
  • discharge from refineries
  • discharge from refineries and factories
  • discharge from refineries and factories
  • discharge from refineries and factories
  • discharge from refineries and factories; runoff from landfills; and runoff from croplands.
  • i  ndustries
  • i  ndustries, which manufacture, process, or use significant amounts of toxic chemicals, to report annually on their
  • i  ndustries, which manufacture, process, or use significant amounts of toxic chemicals, to report annually on their
Emily Locklear

The Danger Lurking In Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs | Fox News - 0 views

www.foxnews.com/...ompact-fluorescent-light-bulbs

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 02 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • You see them in every grocery store and home center - those funny-looking curly compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) that are rapidly replacing the old round bulbs. And pretty
  • soon, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 kicks in, requiring bulbs to be 25 to
  • The energy efficiency of CFLs may be significant, but unlike traditional light bulbs, there is a
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • cracke
  • So what does that mean if a CFL is cracked or breaks in our homes, releasing mercury vapors in an enclosed area?
  • miniscule amount – 4 to 5 milligrams – there is enough mercury in just one fluorescent light bulb to contaminate 6,000 gallons of water
  • broken or not disposed of properly. Although it sounds like a
  • problems. CFLs are marketed as “safe” and don’t pose any health risks as long as the glass remains intact. The
  • bulbs
  • danger comes if the bulbs
  • The EPA suggests the following:o People and pets should immediately leave the room. o Open a window and/or door and Air out the room for 5 to 10 minutes. o Turn off the central forced air heating/air-conditioning system. o Thoroughly collect broken glass and visible powder using wet cloths. Never use vacuum cleaners or brooms.
  • Consumers – especially those with young children –need to know what to do when a CFL breaks and the proper way to dispose of used bulbs. It’s no longer as easy as changing a light bulb
  • If practical, continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the heating/air conditioning system shut off for several hours.http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html
  • All of this needs to be done to protect people from the tiny amount of mercury in one fluorescent light bulb. Which begs the question, are these lights really safe and are the risks worth it? Another equally important concern is what happens to the environment – the air, soil and water – when tons of discarded bulbs, along with the mercury, are dumped into local landfills?
  • The threat posed by billions of broken CFLs lying in landfills has resulted in some communities requiring their citizens to discard used and broken CFLs in designated recycling centers or in a hazardous-waste collection facility.
  • Given the known deleterious effects caused by mercury, it would seem logical to assume there will be some unintended consequences resulting from the switch to compact fluorescent lights. Only time will tell how significant those consequences will be.
  • If you are concerned about the possible health risks associated with CFLs, LED or halogen lights are good alternatives. Both cost a little more but are as efficient as CFLs and can be recycled easily. For more information about mercury and compact fluorescent light bulbs go tohttp://www.epa.gov/cfl/
  • with Cancer. Deirdre is the author of four books, including three national bestsellers.
  • Hackensack University Medical Center and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Imus Cattle Ranch for
  • Deirdre Imus is the Founder and President of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health CenterTM at
Emily Locklear

Shining a light on fluorescent bulbs - US news - Environment - msnbc.com - 0 views

www.msnbc.msn.com/...ight-hazards-fluorescent-bulbs

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 02 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • Compact fluorescent light bulbs, long touted by environmentalists as a more efficient and longer-lasting alternative to the incandescent bulbs that have lighted homes for more than a century, are running into resistance from waste industry officials and some environmental scientists, who warn that the bulbs’ poisonous innards pose a bigger threat to health and the environment than previously thought.
  • Fluorescents — the squiggly, coiled bulbs that generate light by heating gases in a glass tube — are generally considered to use more than 50 percent less energy and to last several times longer than incandescent bulbs
  • contaminate up to 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels, extrapolated from Stanford University research on mercury. Even the latest lamps promoted as “low-mercury” can contaminate more than 1,000 gallons of water beyond safe levels.
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  • When Bridges began calling around to local government agencies to find out what to do, “I was shocked to see how uninformed literally everyone I spoke to was,” she said. “Even our own poison control operator didn’t know what to tell me
  • It was just a wiggly bulb that I reached up to change,” Bridges said. “When the bulb hit the floor, it shattered.”
  • Manufacturers and the EPA say broken CFLs should be handled carefully and recycled to limit dangerous vapors and the spread of mercury dust. But guidelines for how to do that can be difficult to find, as Brandy Bridges
  • of Ellsworth, Maine, discovered
  • The state eventually referred her to a private cleanup firm, which quoted a $2,000 estimate to contain the mercury. After Bridges complained publicly about her predicament, state officials changed their recommendation: Simply throw it in the trash, they said
  • Break a bulb? Five steps for cleanup That was the wrong answer, according to the EPA. It offers a detailed, 11-step procedure you should follow: Air out the room for a quarter of an hour. Wear gloves. Double-bag the refuse. Use duct tape to lift the residue from a carpet. Don’t use a vacuum cleaner, as that will only spread the problem. The next time you vacuum the area, immediately dispose of the vacuum bag.
  • In general, however, the EPA endorses the use of fluorescent bulbs, citing their energy savings. Silbergeld also does not discourage their use because of their energy savings, but she said the EPA could be sending mixed signals to confused consumers.
  • “It’s kind of ironic that on the one hand, the agency is saying, ‘Don’t worry, it’s a very small amount of mercury.’ Then they have a whole page of [instructions] how to handle the situation if you break one,” she
  • “I think there’s going to be hundreds of millions of [CFLs] in landfills all over the country,” said Leonard Worth, head of Fluorecycle Inc. of Ingleside, Ill., a certified facility. Once in a landfill, bulbs are likely to shatter even if they’re packaged properly, said the Solid Waste Association of North America. From there, mercury can leach into soil and groundwater and its vapors can spread through the air, potentially exposing workers to toxic levels of the poison.
Hannah Smith

Neuroscience for Kids - Effects of Mercury on the Nervous System - 4 views

faculty.washington.edu/...merc.html

cfl

shared by Hannah Smith on 07 Dec 11 - Cached
  • Elemental (metallic) mercury: shiny, silver, odorless liquid used in thermometers. It is absorbed by the body through vapors. Organic mercury: mercury combined with carbon. Methyl mercury is a common form of organic mercury. These forms of mercury are soluble in lipids and cross the blood brain barrier and placenta easily. Organic mercury is absorbed through the digestive tract and also through vapors.
  • Mercury is a natural material found in the earth. Some mercury vapors are given off during volcanic eruptions. Mercury is a by-product of coal-burning power plants. Mercury is released into the air, then it falls back to the earth. Mercury is used by mining operations to separate gold from impurities in ore. Mercury is used during the manufacture of various products. For example, before 1990, mercury was added to paint.
  • Breathe mercury fumes
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • Eat food (especially fish) or drink water that has been contaminated by mercury
  • Absorb mercury through the skin. Glass thermometers contain mercury that should be cleaned up properly
  • Eat objects that contain mercury. For example, small children may eat batteries that contain mercury. Broken high power lights and long fluorescent tubes can also contain mercury. Small amounts of mercury from these sources may be ingested accidentally.
  • Minamata Bay (Japan): Organic mercury was dumped into Minamata Bay in the 1950s. Fish in the bay were contaminated and about 2,000 people who ate these fish became poisoned. About 7% of the children born to mothers who ate contaminated fish had neurological problems. Symptoms in these children included uncoordinated movement, abnormal reflexes, seizures and speech problems. Some adults also had neurological problems such as visual disorders, shaking (tremors), weakness, nausea, hearing loss, depression, confusion, loss of appetite and memory problems. A total of 46 people died as a result of mercury exposure.
  • Iraq: In 1972, approximately 6,500 people fell ill and 459 people died after eating bread baked with wheat contaminated with a mercury-based fungicide.
  • Faroe Islands (North Atlantic): A study started in 1984 investigated the effects of methyl mercury exposure on children born to mothers who ate contaminated whale meat. Researchers found that children (seven years old) who were born to mothers with a 10-20 ppm mercury count had lower language, attention and memory scores than those children born to mothers with lower mercury levels. Interestingly, a study performed in the Seychelles Islands (Indian Ocean) did not reveal any effects on children born to mothers who had mercury hair levels of 10 ppm.
  • Take off any jewelry so you don't contaminate it. Scoop up the mercury with a sheet of cardboard. Place the mercury in a small bottle or vial. Cap the bottle or vial. Dispose of the bottle or vial properly. Many communities have special hazardous waste disposals or pick-up locations. Wash your hands! NEVER use a vacuum cleaner to clean up mercury spills. A vacuum cleaner will get contaminated and will spread mercury vapors into the air.
Hannah Smith

Dictionary - Definition of Mercury Poisoning - 1 views

www.websters-online-dictionary.org/...Mercury%20Poisoning

shared by Hannah Smith on 01 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • Common symptoms include peripheral neuropathy (presenting as paresthesia or itching, burning or pain), skin discoloration (pink cheeks, fingertips and toes), edema (swelling), and desquamation (dead skin peels off in layers).
  • Because mercury blocks the degradation pathway of catecholamines, epinephrine excess causes hyperhidrosis (profuse sweating), tachycardia (persistently faster-than-normal heart beat), mercurial ptyalism (hypersalivation) and hypertension (high blood pressure).
  • Mercury poisoning is caused by sufficient exposure to elemental mercury or mercury compounds. The consumption of fish is by far the most significant source of ingestion-related mercury exposure in humans, although plants and livestock also contain mercury due to bioaccumulation of mercury from soil, water and atmosphere, and due to biomagnification by ingesting other mercury-containing organisms.[3] Exposure to mercury can occur from breathing contaminated air,[4] or from improper use or disposal of mercury and mercury-containing objects, for example, after spills of elemental mercury or improper disposal of fluorescent light bulbs.[5]
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  • A 1987 report described a 23-month-old toddler who suffered anorexia, weight loss, irritability, profuse sweating, and peeling and redness of fingers and toes. This case of acrodynia was traced to exposure of mercury from a carton of 8-foot fluorescent light bulbs that had broken in a potting shed adjacent to the main nursery. The glass was cleaned up and discarded, but the child often used the area for play.
Emily Locklear

When a CFL Breaks: EPA Guidelines for Cleanup of Compact Fluorescent Light - 3 views

homerepair.about.com/...cfl_epa_cleanup.htm

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 29 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • alternative to incandescent lighting
  • Compact Fluorescent Lamps or CFL's have received much attention as an energy efficient
  • increased use has caused concerns as people learn about their mercury hazards and
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • what's involved in cleaning them up if they break.
  • well, surprised about CFL's since
  • they are touted as being clean, green, lighting machines. Even the Environmental
  • Protection Agency (EPA) program ENERGY STAR touts these lights as safe and clean
  • The problem? Well, CFL's contain a neurotoxin called mercury that gets released when the bulb breaks. Mercury exposure has adverse health effects. Since mercury vapor is essential to CFL operation, CFL's are considered a hazardous material when they break and cannot
  • be thrown away
  • Here's an example of what I mean. This FAQ from ENERGY STAR states near the bottom of page two:
  • Mercury is an element found naturally in the environment
  • Great, sounds natural, like water.
  • However CFL's use mercury in a vapor form. The EPA website for Elemental Mercury Exposure, states: "It is not uncommon for children to break fever thermometers in their mouths. Mercury that is swallowed in such cases poses low risk comparison to the risk of breathing mercury vapor."
Emily Locklear

The Problems with Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs - 0 views

www.thegreenlife.org/act-fluorescent-cfl-bulbs.html

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 05 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • Mercury content Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain a small amount of vaporized mercury. Mercury is poisonous even in small amounts. If a bulb is broken, then there is the risk being exposed to dangerous mercury vapors. Though the bulbs are meant to be recycled, many are almost certain to end up in landfills and dumps – polluting the grounds, air, and water with small amounts of the poisonous substance
  • CFL bulbs are often hailed as the green replacement of the older incandescent bulbs. CFLs use less energy and can have a lifespan of around ten times that of incandescents if not turned on and off repeatedly over short periods of time. These are all well and good, but there are some drawbacks to the CFLs that people should know about before making the switch
  • The Problems with Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • The Problems with Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs
Emily Locklear

Best content in Enviro | Diigo - Groups - 1 views

groups.diigo.com/enviro

shared by Emily Locklear on 22 Nov 11 - No Cached
    • Emily Locklear
      Emily Locklear on 22 Nov 11
       
      tsa progect on mercury in water !!!!!
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