Science - WATER
You may be concerned about what’s in your water due to the recent increase in new stories about water contamination in various areas of the UK.
The growth in the consumption of medications, personal-care products, antibiotics, and hormones for cosmetic and health reasons have contributed to emerging pollutants (EPs). EPs emanate from either human or animal origins, with the ability to permeate streams instantaneously or gradually through soils. They can have a range of effects e.g. drinking water becomes tainted, water quality degrades and health conditions worsen.
We are an independent laboratory offering the latest analytical equipment, capable of identifying and quantifying more hazardous organic components in your water than ever before.
This means our professional chemist team can test your water for organic contaminants covering wastes from industries such as dyes, paints, oil tank spills, laboratory wastes and others.
Organic chemicals are a group of human-made chemical compounds present in a variety of products from pesticides to fuels to cleaning agents. This group includes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which do not occur naturally in drinking water. When VOCs or similar are improperly stored or disposed of, or when a spill occurs, they can contaminate groundwater, lakes, rivers and drinking water supplies.
Health impacts
Recent scientific studies have shown organic compounds within water sources can be harmful to humans and animals in several ways, e.g. linked to neurodegenerative and immunodeficiency diseases.
Organic contaminants can also act as endocrine disruptors within the human (or animal body), including adults, children and through the mother, to an unborn child. This can lead to issues around fertility and sexual health by mimicking the effect of reproductive hormones.