Manganese in Drinking Water Tied to Poor IQ in Kids

A new study in North America has shown that children exposed to high concentrations of manganese in drinking water performed worse on tests of IQ than kids with lower exposures.

A new study in North America has shown that children exposed to high concentrations of manganese in drinking water performed worse on tests of intellectual functioning than children with lower exposures.

This metal is naturally occurring in soil and in certain conditions is present in groundwater.

Safer Drinking Water, Cheaper Medicines Possible With New Discovery
Queen's University scientists have made a new discovery that not only may pave the way to helping reduce health hazards such as E.

In several regions of Quebec and Canada and in other parts of the world, the groundwater contains naturally high levels of manganese.

This is the first study to focus on the potential risks of exposure to manganese in drinking water in North America.

The study, carried out by researchers at the Universite du Quibec a Montreal, the Universiti de Montrial and the Ecole Polytechnique de Montrial, examined 362 Quebec children, between the ages of 6 and 13, living in homes supplied by with groundwater (individual or public wells).

Quality of Stored Drinking Water in Poor Countries Improved by Hand Washing
Researchers say that hand-washing appears to play an important role in improving the quality of stored drinking water in poor countries.

For each child, the researchers measured the concentration of manganese in tap water from their home, as well as iron, copper, lead, zinc, arsenic, magnesium and calcium.

The amount of manganese from both tap water and food was estimated from a questionnaire. Finally, each child was assessed with a battery of tests assessing cognition, motor skills, and behaviour.

Effects Of Manganese On Parkinson's Studied
The effect of manganese, a trace metal that is naturally present in the human body, on the nervous system has been tracked down.

Lead author Maryse Bouchard explained: "We found significant deficits in the intelligence quotient (IQ) of children exposed to higher concentration of manganese in drinking water. Yet, manganese concentrations were well below current guidelines."

The average IQ of children whose tap water was in the upper 20% of manganese concentration was 6 points below children whose water contained little or no manganese.

Manganese in the Environment can Correlate to Cancer Rates in Area
Groundwater and airborne manganese in North Carolina correlates with cancer mortality at the county level, according to a Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center researcher.

Their results are published in the prestigious scientific journal Environmental Health Perspectives, in an article entitled 'Intellectual Impairment in School-Age Children Exposed to Manganese from Drinking Water'.

Source-ANI