Tungsten Doesn’t Belong in Drinking Water
In the grand scheme of things, most studies will show that there are few elements and chemicals that actually belong in our drinking water. Some elements have been studied more than others, but tungsten seems to be getting more buzz lately. According to one news release in 2011, a new national study began looking into tungsten as an element found in drinking water in conjunction with its effects, reactions, and transports. Another informational site states that tungsten has already been found in “at least 6 of the 1,662 National Priority List Sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency.” That sparked interest for the new study.
What is tungsten? The uses of tungsten are alarming when you read the list and consider that it is a possible contaminant in drinking water; “in an effort to limit toxins in the environment, tungsten is replacing lead in fishing weights and in ammunition for hunting and recreational shooting. The military is substituting tungsten in its high kinetic energy penetrators and small arms ammunition, as well as other ammunitions.” It already doesn’t sound like something most citizens want to consume through drinking water. In the news release, they state that “tungsten is a naturally occurring metallic element that in its alloy or solid form is primarily used for incandescent light bulb filaments and X-ray tubes.” Yummy…
The news release also explains that “animal model studies have shown tungsten can be toxic and even carcinogenic,” Datta said. “Because of this, we need to understand tungsten’s biogeochemistry in the environment, about which very little is known.” The study aimed to gather information called biogeochemistry of tungsten reaction and transport in the environment. It also researched how tungsten concentrations change along groundwater flow paths and modify the groundwater makeup. When tungsten is exposed to oxygen, it undergoes a process called oxidation. In the presence of sulfur rich solutions, it forms thiotungstate complexes, which are also toxic.
This may be alarming enough at this point to consider drinking water systems as a responsible home remedy to reduce this and many other harmful contaminants in your drinking water. With water being such an important factor in the health of your family and all residents who receive water from the tap and expect it to be safe for consumption, water treatment is an affordable and effective alternative to rid your drinking water of harmful contaminants. To learn more from this news release, click here.
