I.+Human+Physiology

Water Scarcity Home Page

__** Human Physiology **__

=Introduction (by Cassie G. and Kelsey H.)= Water may look clear but it’s not. “It contains many microscopic particles, some of which can make water taste funny and even be dangerous to your health.” (1) Some of the particles that can be dangerous to your health are cysts, asbestos, bacteria and heavy metals. “Cysts are the infectious form of parasites that can cause sickness including cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.”(1) The most common type of cysts in water is Cryptosporidium. “These parasites are encased in a leathery shell and incubate in the intestines for several days before causing sickness.”(1) More each year there has been a cryptosporidium outbreak that has affected human bodies; it’s more likely to affect someone if the persons’ immune system is weak. For example, it’s more common to affect people who have AIDS and other related diseases. “Asbestos are fibers that enter water from the walls of the water-main piping that carries water from the municipality to your home or building.:”(1) Asbestos were used in water-mains for construction, until recently when researchers found there could be an outbreak to many different types of asbestos. “There are literally millions of different types of bacteria.”(1) Most bacteria that we drink aren’t harmless, only a small percentage of what we take in on a daily basis is dangerous to our health. “Bacteria are the cause of some serious diseases, such as cholera, that plagued villages and towns centuries ago.” (1) Now today, outbreaks of bacteria have been reduced or eliminated. Heavy metals have “high levels of cadmium, mercury and lead in drinking water” (1) that can cause nerve damage, mental retardation, birth defects and cancers. Lead is very dangerous to young children and pregnant women if they drink too much. These are some of the things that our bodies are immune to and what we take in on a daily basis from drinking tap water.

=Why Water is Necessary for Human Survival (by Neil C.)= Why does our body need water? One reason is that our body is made up of 75 percent water. Some parts of our body have different composition of water (2):
 * brain 95%
 * blood 82%
 * lungs 85%
 * muscles 75%

Nearly all functions of our body is geared to the efficient flow of water through our system. Water is also necessary for our body to digest and absorb vitamins and nutrients. Drinking water reduces cardiovascular stress and improves performance for active people. In recent studies it has shown that 5 glasses of water a day almost halves our chances of dying from a heart attack. Water offers other benefits including (3):
 * reduced headaches and dizziness
 * increases our mental and physical performance
 * improves our energy
 * supports proper digestion

=Physiological Impact on Children (by Alexis F.)=

Around the world, there are many waterborne diseases. Some of them are deadly, and some of them can be extremely harmful. There are not many things that we can do to help children in these predicaments because most of these people live in developing countries. The diseases that are carried through water should be taken very seriously. There are many different types of waterborne diseases. Some include diseases like typhoid, cholera, dysentery, and diarrhea. The most common waterborne disease is diarrhea. It kills about one in five children under the age of five.”Diarrhea kills more children than AIDS, Malaria, or the Measles combined.” Typhoid is another disease that is in water or food. It starts with fever and constipation, and leads up to diarrhea. “1.6 million children under the age of five die every year from this, and 25,000 children die every day from all types of waterborne diseases.” “Another very dangerous waterborne disease is dysentery. It is caused by amoebae which is small parasites found in contaminated food or contaminated water as well. Certain types of amoebae can be spread through the intestine wall and spread to your blood streams. It eventually infects other organs such as the liver, the brain, and lungs.” Waterborne diseases can be caused by lack of good hygiene, lack of sanitation, or increasing insect populations that breed in the water and spread disease that way. There are other harmful things that may occur when consumed contaminated water. Worms may start to grow in your body. They can grow to three feet long. “Children in poor environments carry 1,000 parasite worms in their body at a time. Guinea worm disease is caused by drinking contaminated water.”

References: 1. Danmark Industries Limited (no date) “Particles in Drinking Water” retrieved: December 7, 2010 from the Danmark website: (:[] 2. N/A, . (2005). //Water necessary to life// . Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_6646302_importance-human-life.html 3. Perlin, Howard. "Water Properties." //USGA//. U.S. Gov, 09/12/2010. Web. 10 Dec 2010. . <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">@http://www.bwhwater.co.uk/bwhw/ks3/water_treatment_pupil.pdf <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">@http://pulitzercenter.org/downstream?gclid=CJ2g2dyRzqUCFQSt7QodP06Hlw <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">@http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/disease/ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/pollute.htm

Water Scarcity Home Page