Potential Health Hazards from Chlorine

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"Known carcinogens are found in drinking water as a direct consequence of the practice of chlorination - a long established public health practice for the disinfection of drinking water."

- Francis T. Mayo, Director, Municipal Environmental Research Laboratory


"Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine."

- U.S. Council of Environmental Quality

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And, a study by Dr. John Andelman, Ph.D. entitled BOTTOM LINE states "A long, hot shower can be dangerous. The toxic chemicals are inhaled in high concentrations."

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"Skin absorption of contaminant has been underestimated and ingestion may not constitute the sole or even primary route of exposure."

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Dr. Halina Brown

"Drinking tap water that is chlorinated is hazardous, if not deadly to your health.

"HEALTHY WATER FOR A LONGER LIFE Dr. Martin Fox

"A Professor of Water Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh claims that exposure to vaporized chemicals in the water supplies through showering, bathing, and inhalation is 100 times greater than through drinking the water."

"As chlorine is added to kill pathogenic microorganisms, the highly reactive chlorine combines with fatty acids and carbon fragments to form a variety of toxic compounds, which comprise about 30% of the chlorination by-products."

"During the mid-1970s monitoring efforts began to identify widespread toxic contamination of the nation's drinking water supplies, epidemiological studies began to suggest a link between ingestion of toxic chemicals in the water and elevated cancer mortality risks.

Since those studies were completed a variety of additional studies have strengthened the statistical connection between consumption of toxins in water and elevated cancer risks. Moreover, this basic concern has been heightened by other research discoveries.


THE NADER REPORT - TROUBLED WATERS ON TAP Center For Study of Responsive Law


"Taking long hot showers is a health risk, according to research presented last week in Anaheim, California, at a meeting of the American Chemical Society. Showers-and to a lesser extent baths-lead to a greater exposure to toxic chemicals contained in water supplies than does drinking the water.

The chemicals evaporate out of the water and are inhaled. They can also spread through the house and be inhaled by others. House holders can receive 6 to 100 times more of the chemical by breathing the air around showers and bath than they would by drinking the water."

NEW SCIENTIST 18 September 1986 lan Anderson

"On one hand, chlorination has freed civilization from the constant dangers of waterborne epidemics. On the other hand in the mid-70s scientists discovered that chlorination could create carcinogens in water."

"80% of the population drinks chlorinated water."

"There was a higher incidence of cancer of the esophagus, rectum, breast, and larynx and of Hodgkins Disease among those drinking chlorinated surface waters."

"Volatile organics can evaporate from water in a shower or bath."

"Conservative calculations indicate that inhalation exposures can be as significant as exposure from drinking the water, that is, one can be exposed to just as much by inhalation during a shower as by drinking 2 liters of water a day."

"People who shower frequently could be exposed through ingestion, inhalation and/or dermal absorption. "


IS YOUR WATER SAFE TO DRINK? Consumer Reports Books

"Chlorine is used almost universally in the treatment of public drinking water because of its toxic effect on harmful bacteria and other waterborne, disease-causing organisms. But there is a growing body of scientific evidence that shows that chlorine in drinking water may actually pose greater long term dangers than those for which it was used to eliminate.

These effects of chlorine may result from either ingestion or absorption through the skin. Scientific studies have linked chlorine and chlorination by-products to cancer of the bladder, liver, stomach, rectum, and colon, as well as heart disease, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), anemia, high blood pressure, and allergic reactions. There is also evidence that shows that chlorine can destroy protein in our body and cause adverse effects on skin and hair.

The presence of chlorine in water may also contribute to the formation of chloramines in the water, which can cause taste and odor problems."
"Since chlorine is required by public health regulations to be present in all public drinking water supplies, it is up to the individual to remove it at the point-of-use in the home. The best available method of chlorine removal, for the individual consumer is found in the Shower Filter Unit."

"The Shower Filter Unit is of great value to those who are concerned about the adverse health effects of exposure to chlorine due to absorption through the skin or by inhalation.

The Shower Filter will Provide superior protection from chlorine, when used in accordance with the Manufacturer's recommended operating procedures.
KEMYSTS LABORATORY Dr. Riddle, Ph.D.

“Taking long hot showers is a health risk, according to research presented last week in Anaheim, California, at a meeting of the American Chemical Society. Showers – and to a lesser extent baths – lead to a greater exposure to toxic chemicals contained in water supplies than does drinking the water. The chemicals evaporate out of the water and are inhaled. They can also spread through the house and be inhaled by others. House holders can receive 6 to 100 times more of the chemical by breathing the air around showers and bath than they would by drinking the water.”


NEW SCIENTIST 18 September 1986
Ian Anderson

“Studies indicate the suspect chemicals can also be inhaled and absorbed through the skin during showering and bathing.”

“Ironically, even the Chlorine widely used to disinfect water produces Carcinogenic traces.”

“Though 7 out of 10 Americans drink chlorinated water, its safety over the long term is uncertain.”

“Drinking chlorinated water may as much as double the risk of the Bladder Cancer, which strikes 40,000 people a year.”


U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT – July 29 1991

Is Your Water Safe – The Dangerous State of Your Water
“A long, hot shower can be dangerous. The toxic chemicals are inhaled in high
concentrations.”


BOTTOM LINE/August 87
Dr. John Andelman, Ph.D

http://www.showerfilterstore.com/learning/lc_7.html


American Journal of Public Health, 1984, 74:479-484
COMPARED WITH ITS ABSORPTION THROUGH THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM, SKIN ABSORPTION COULD BE THE MAJOR ROUTE OF PENETRATION INTO THE BODY. SKIN PENETRATION RATES HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE REMARKABLY HIGH, AND THE OUTER LAYER OF SKIN IS A LESS EFFECTIVE BARRIER TO PENETRATION THAN TRADITIONALLY ASSUMED…We conlude that skin absorption of contaminants in drinking water has been underestimated and that ingestion may not constitute the sole or even primary route of exposure.”

"On one hand, chlorination has freed civilization from the constant dangers of waterborne epidemics. On the other hand in the mid-70s scientists discovered that chlorination could create carcinogens in water."

"80% of the population drinks chlorinated water."

"There was a higher incidence of cancer of the esophagus, rectum, breast, and larynx and of Hodgkins Disease among those drinking chlorinated surface waters."

"Volatile organics can evaporate from water in a shower or bath."

"Conservative calculations indicate that inhalation exposures can be as significant as exposure from drinking the water, that is, one can be exposed to just as much by inhalation during a shower as by drinking 2 liters of water a day."

"People who shower frequently could be exposed through ingestion, inhalation and/or dermal absorption. "


IS YOUR WATER SAFE TO DRINK? Consumer Reports Books

"Showering is suspected as the primary cause of elevated levels of chloroform in nearly every home because of the chlorine in the water."
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Dr. Lance Wallace

"A Professor of Water Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh claims that exposure to vaporized chemicals in the water supplies through showering, bathing, and inhalation is 100 times greater than through drinking the water."

"As chlorine is added to kill pathogenic microorganisms, the highly reactive chlorine combines with fatty acids and carbon fragments to form a variety of toxic compounds, which comprise about 30% of the chlorination by-products."

"During the mid-1970s monitoring efforts began to identify widespread toxic contamination of the nation's drinking water supplies, epidemiological studies began to suggest a link between ingestion of toxic chemicals in the water and elevated cancer mortality risks. Since those studies were completed a variety of additional studies have strengthened the statistical connection between consumption of toxins in water and elevated cancer risks. Moreover, this basic concern has been heightened by other research discoveries.


THE NADER REPORT - TROUBLED WATERS ON TAP Center For Study of Responsive Law


"The National Academy of Sciences estimate that 200 to 1000 people die in the United States each year from cancers caused by ingesting the contaminants in water. The major health threat posed by these pollutants is far more likely to be from their inhalation as air pollutants. The reason that emissions are high is that because water droplets dispersed by the shower head have a larger surface-to-value ratio than water streaming into the bath."


SCIENCE NEWS: VOL. 130 Janet Raloff

"The cause of atherosclerosis and resulting heart attacks and strokes is none other than the ubiquitous chlorine in our drinking water."

CORONARIES/CHOLESTEROL/CHLORINE Dr. J.M. Price, M.D


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by Elmer G. Heinrich

Reprinted from Wellness Lifestyle, January 1990

Several EPA surveys, taken during the last several years, indicate that both finished and ground water supplies throughout the United States have been contaminated with volatile organic compounds. The compounds and concentrations vary considerably by location but are generally highest in the industrialized areas east of the Mississippi River.

While contamination of surface waters is found more frequently, ground water degradation is of particular concern because of the high levels detected and because pollution of ground water is not reversible. There are no known natural cleansing processes associated with ground water movement in the Earth. Since about one half of the population relies on ground water for its daily water supply, this is a matter of concern for regulators. Acute and chronic effects have been demonstrated for most of these compounds, and several are suspected or known carcinogens. Others have shown mutagenic and teratogenic capacities.

Water and health regulators of today face complex problems in assessing the health hazards associated with contamination of drinking water supplies. Due to the general absences of federal drinking water standards for the volatile solvents commonly found in contaminated water, state and local authorities must decide whether to discontinue or restrict use of water supplies on a cases-by-case basis.

These decisions are heavily, if not exclusively, based on the recommendation of a toxicologist.

The methodology to calculate an acceptable level of a chemical in drinking water has been developed by the National Academy of Sciences and is incorporated in the Environmental Protection Agency's "suggested no adverse response level." These figures represent the highest level or dose of chemical compounds which produced no observed adverse side effect in chronic or sub-chronic tests with animals or humans, divided by the volume of water consumed by an average adult or child in order to calculate the acceptable concentration of a chemical in water measured in parts per million. One of the underlying assumptions here is that ingestion constitutes the chief route of exposure to the contaminant. Such an assumption disregards other routes of exposure such as skin absorption during bathing or swimming and inhalation of vapors while showering.

Other than occupation settings, little attention has been paid to skin absorption as a route of entry for volatile organic compounds and authorities and regulators have been primarily concerned with exposures via inhalation and ingestion. During the last 25 years, numerous investigators have explored the mechanism of epidermal barrier function in relation to solvents and solvent mixtures. Although a complex process, dermal uptake of compounds occurs mainly through passive defusion, involving selective mechanisms in various lipid and protein structures of the stratum corneum. According to the American Journal of Public Health, many investigators have reported on the toxicity and unexpectedly high penetration rates of volatile organics.

Numerous articles have been written with regard to skin absorption of disinfectants such as chlorine and volatile chemicals. One such article said, "Given the choice of drinking two liters of water contaminated with a volatile chemical at 7 parts per billion or showering for 15 minutes in the same water, the safer choice would be to drink the water." This conservative article said that from two to four times as much of the chemical can enter the body through skin absorption as through the intestines. One researcher says that, during a lifetime, 50 pounds of toxic wastes and pollutants can enter a body from drinking water and at least 450 pounds can enter the body through skin absorption.

The conditions under which exposure occurs and the specific characteristics of both the compounds and the people involved will each affect the rate and amount of absorption through the skin. Variables such as duration of exposure, type of skin exposed (chemical composition, vascularity, age, thickness), and amount of surface area exposed will influence absorption. Absorption intake is dependent upon skin hydration, water temperature, skin condition and regional variability. The epidermis of the hand represents a relatively greater barrier to penetration than many other parts of the body including the scalp, forehead, abdomen, postauricular areas, underarm, fossa cupitalis, and scrotum. According to the Journal of American Health, penetration through the scrotum is, in fact, estimated to be about 100% as compared to 8.6% for the forearm.

This information promotes speculation that most people have been approaching the water contaminant problem from the wrong angle. Obviously, the cumulative toxins one encounters from water is much more dramatic from bathing than from drinking.


By Liz Rittersporn

From Chicago Tribune, July 26, 1990

Nothing feels better on a hot day than a dip in a cool pool. And nothing, apparently, is as hard on hair and skin as repeated dips in that pool. Chlorine, used to destroy bacteria in pool water, Jacuzzis and hot tubs, bonds with hair and breaks down protein. It makes hair dry and brittle, and it is also blamed for itchy skin and flaky scalp…."there are extremely rare cases of chlorine allergy, with symptoms akin to hives or poison ivy.", says dermatologist-David Orentrcich.
Essentially a bleach, chlorine changes the color and tone of hair, especially if the hair is tinted, rinsed or otherwise treated.

James Viera, Vice-President and Corporate Technical Director of L'Oreal, explains chlorine is blue and "when you have any degree of blond, and blue is added to it, the result is a more greenish tone. Brown hair with golden highlights gets dull, and red hair gets drab…."Stripping hair of chlorine can be a rugged business, Viera says


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by Zoe Landale
SPECIAL TO THE STAR

VANCOUVER—This city's top hairdresser Derek London charges his clients are getting burned by the city. "One out of every two clients coming into the salon has chlorine damage to their hair," says London.

"It's almost the same as oxidation from peroxide burning, except chlorine adds density to the hair."

"You see a lot of breakage and splitting. The chlorine makes hair shiny like fiberglass. Hair tangles when it's shampooed and becomes difficult to comb."