A recent study on the effects of environmental arsenic at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center indicates that arsenic in drinking water can both stimulate the growth of cancerous tumors and cause them to spread faster.
While researchers still do not know whether arsenic in drinking water increases the overall incidence of tumors, the study shows that arsenic levels as low as four parts per billion can stimulate blood vessel growth, and levels as low as 10 ppb cause tumors to expand. Many previous studies have linked arsenic ingestion and cancer - especially skin and bladder cancers.
This report comes at a time when water systems across the U.S. are struggling to conform to a new current federal arsenic standard of 10 parts per billion by Jan. 23. The previous standard had been 50 ppb. In the state of Oklahoma alone, it will cost between $55 billion and $163 billion to replace or upgrade the 25 systems to address the lower arsenic standard.
When water containing arsenic is ingested, the arsenic reacts with oxygen to
create "free radicals"-highly reactive molecules-that stimulate the growth of blood vessels. More blood vessels result in an increase in blood supply to any tumors, which then grow faster and larger. Some scientists have suggested that even the new standard of 10 ppb1 is too high, and California considered setting the cap at 4 ppb2. Existing, proven POU/POE home products (point of use/point of entry) can reduce arsenic levels in water to below 4 ppb.
The Water Quality Association, a Lisle, Ill.-based trade association representing the household, commercial/industrial, and small system water treatment industry recommends the following treatment regimens for arsenic:
For arsenic (organic complexed), treat water with carbon filtration. The WQA said not all parts of the country have naturally occurring arsenic in the water. Consumers and contractors should check with a water treatment specialist and/or their municipal water system operators or county extension office. WQA urges those on private wells to have their water tested for arsenic and other possible contaminants.
