Tap water threatens to cause blood cancer

Water is usually disinfected with chlorine gas.(wellness)

Long-term exposure to by-products during chlorine disinfection can increase the risk of developing a form of blood cancer by up to 70%.

Trihalomethane and bromodichloromethane are typical by-products of chlorination. To assess the impact of quality drinking water on health, the Canadian National Institute of Public Health compared data relating to nearly 700 white blood patients with about 3,500 normal people. Information on water quality is collected over 30 years.

Results showed that exposure to triahalomethane at a minimum concentration of 40 micrograms / liter will increase 72% of the risk of acute myeloid leukemia (CML), said lead researcher Patrick Levallois.

However, drinking chlorinated tap water for a long time reduced the risk of developing lymphoma (CLL) by 40%. Further analysis results show that long-term exposure to chlorinated tap water is also effective against some other forms of blood cancer.

According to the team, trihalomethanes and bromodichloromethane produced when chlorinated can cause CML. However, the anti-CLL effect and some other forms are still unknown.

My Linh (according to Reuters)