Water Pollution
Description
Water pollution is any contamination of water with chemicals or other foreign substances that are detrimental to human, plant, or animal health. These pollutants include fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural runoff; sewage and food processing waste; lead, mercury, and other heavy metals; chemical wastes from industrial discharges; and chemical contamination from hazardous waste sites. Worldwide, nearly 2 billion people drink contaminated water that could be harmful to their health.
Health Studies & Clinical Trials
What NIEHS is Doing on Water Pollution
- SRP patents licensed for water applications (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/12/science-SRPKentucky/index.htm)
- Wing discusses poverty, health, and industrial hog production (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/12/science-wing/index.htm)
- Birnbaum gives keynote at Chesapeake Bay watershed meeting (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/11/spotlight-birnbaum/index.htm)
- NIEHS grantee meets with stakeholders to discuss aquatic toxicity project (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/11/spotlight-aquatic/index.htm)
- 12th Report on Carcinogens (RoC)
- A Human Health Perspective on Climate Change (Full Report) (4MB)
- Applying 21st Century Toxicology to Green Chemical and Material Design - Workshop Presentations from the National Academies Standing Committee on Use of Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions
- Child Development and Environmental Toxins (633KB)
- Children Exposed to Cadmium May Be at Higher Risk for Learning Disabilities (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/3/science-cadmium/index.htm)
- Exploratory study first to quantify TCE in breast milk (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/10/science-tce/index.htm)
- Fry Maps Arsenic Levels Across NC (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/2/science-fry/index.htm)
- Gulf Oil Spill Response Efforts
- Gulf Long-term Follow-up (GuLF) Study
- In Small Doses: Arsenic - a 10 min. video about the risks of arsenic exposure in private well water
- NIH Launches Largest Oil Spill Health Study
- NIH-funded Research Network to Explore Oil Spill Health Effects
- Programs and Initiatives: Climate Change and Human Health
- Role of Environmental Chemicals in Diabetes and Obesity: A National Toxicology Program Workshop Report (http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.1104597)
- Safety and Training of Oil Spill Response Workers
- Study Suggests Possible Therapy for Arsenic Toxicity (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/4/science-arsenic/index.htm)
- Superfund Postdoc Unravels Arsenic Exposure (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2011/july/science-superfund/index.cfm)
General Information
- Don't Be Bullied by Bacteria! Join the Fight for Clean Water! (515KB)
- Drinking Water and Health - Find out where drinking water comes from, how it is treated, who is responsible for water quality and what contaminants may be in your drinking water.
- Environmental Health Perspectives, Environews by Topic: Water Pollution
- Healthy Homes = Healthy Kids: Indoor Water (English) (269KB)
- Healthy Homes = Healthy Kids: Indoor Water (Spanish) (249KB)
- Healthy Homes = Healthy Kids: Indoor Water (Arabic) (639KB)
- The Interagency Working Group on Climate Change and Health (1MB)
For Educators
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Arsenic: An Element of Suffering (121KB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Caring for Children Amidst Chaos (196KB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Cleaner Air and Water on the Fly (141KB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Consider the Source (1MB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Great Lakes - Make the Human Health Connection (970KB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Lettuce Explore Perchlorate in Food (90KB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Rescuing Water from the Roof (177KB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: RoboLobsters (509KB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Streamside Schematic (939KB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Water Alchemy (233KB)
