What are some examples of environmental contamination affecting humans?

For this assay, I only refer to one source (LaGrega et al., 1994).

The organic forms of mercury, such as methyl mercury, have proven to be more harmful, having caused hundreds of cases of paralysis and sensory loss at the Minamata Bay area in Japan. Inorganic mercury discharged from a chemical plant became methylated in sediments and then bioaccumulated in shellfish, which was an epidemic waiting to happen because shellfish are the primary source of protein for the local people. In the late 1960s, this poisoning (itai itai disease) increased global awareness of industrial pollution. Mercury salts were used to form felt in the Dutch hat industry, causing neurulogic disorder known as "mad as a hatter."

Miscarriages and birth defects increased among the populations exposed to high concentrations of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) due to two accidental cases of contamination of rice cooking oil in Japan and Taiwan in the late 1960s and mid-1970s. Later research would reveal that the cause of these prenatal health issues was polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), which formed when heating the contaminated rice cooking oil. Nevertheless, the compelling environmental journalism raised awareness of the harmful effects of "PCB" exposure on people throughout the world.

Around the same time, in the United States, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) contaminated Michigan cattle feed, which led to more complicated routes for PBBs to reach humans in addition to widespread human exposure through milk and other dairy products.

PBBs were detected in some Michigan mothers' breast milk; thousands of human consumers were exposed to PBBs through eggs and egg products; 24 thousand crates of PBB-contaminated shorthcakes were seized in Alabama; afflicted cattle were rendered and then used to prepare chicken feed.

The Love Canal is a symbol of the environmental damage caused by hazardous waste. Originally intended to be a canal, it was closed off at both ends and used as a hazardous waste disposal site by Hooker Chemical Company and others in the 1940s and 1950s. The site was later sold to the School Districts of Niagara Falls, New York, which built an elementary school there despite a warning against excavation and underground construction.

Eventually, the developed area led to illnesses in some residents and children. For more information, visit https://tutor.hix.ai

Citation:

Hazardous Waste Management, LaGrega, M. D., Buckingham, P. L., and Evans, J. C. (1994). McGraw Hill, Inc., New York, NY, USA.

Some examples of environmental contamination affecting humans include air pollution, water pollution, soil contamination, and exposure to hazardous chemicals such as pesticides, heavy metals, and industrial pollutants. These contaminants can lead to various health issues including respiratory problems, neurological disorders, reproductive issues, and cancer.