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WATER
Brain damage in rats from fluoridated water
An animal study links low levels of fluoride in water to brain damage [Brain Res. 784, 284 (1998)]. The research was a collaboration among a chemist and two psychologists (including lead author Julie A. Varner) at Binghamton University, Binghamton, N.Y., and an EPA neurotoxicologist. Twenty-seven rats were divided into three groups and for one year were given either distilled water, distilled water with 2.1 ppm NaF-the same concentration of fluoride normally used in fluoridated drinking water-or distilled water with 0.5 ppm AIF3. In both treated groups, the aluminum levels in the brain were elevated relative to controls. The researchers speculate that fluoride in water may complex with the aluminum in food and enable it to cross the blood-brain barrier. Both treated groups also suffered neural injury and showed increased deposits of ß-amyloid protein in the brain, similar to those seen in humans with Alzheimer's disease. "While the small amount of AIF3...required for neurotoxic effects is surprising, perhaps even more surprising are the neurotoxic effects of NaF" at 2.1 ppm, the authors write.
Excellent article: http://www.americanfreepress.net/Alternative_Health/Poisoning_Ourselves_Slowly/poisoning_ourselves_slowly.html
Bottled Water Vs. Filtered Water
Bottled water is a multi-billion dollar business! It is the fastest growing segment of the entire beverage industry... and the most profitable.
Millions of dollars are spent each week by water bottlers to give consumers the perception that their water comes from some pristine mountain spring or pure underground aquifer.
The truth is that often bottled water is little more than tap water in a bottle. The Federal regulations that govern the quality of bottled water only apply if it is transported across state lines, and then only require it to be "as good as" tap water, not better. Most bottled water is bottled and sold within the same state to avoid Federal purity standards. There are no assurances or requirements that bottled water be any safer or better than tap water.
The U.S. FDA says: "Companies that promote bottled water as being safer than tap water are defrauding the American public."
In March of 1999‚ the Natural Resources Defense
Council (NRDC) released a report called "Bottled Water‚ Pure Drink or Pure
Hype?"
NRDC‘s report points out that as much as 40% of all bottled water comes from a city
water system‚ just like tap water. The report also focuses on the fact that 60-70% of
all bottled water is exempt from FDA‘s bottled water standards‚ because it is
bottled and sold within the same state. According to the NRDC‚ "bottled water
companies have used this loophole to avoid complying with basic health standards‚
such as those that apply to municipally treated tap water."
According to the NRDC study‚ "even when bottled waters are covered by FDA‘s specific bottled water standards‚ those rules are weaker in many ways than EPA rules that apply to big city tap water." For instance‚ if we compare EPA regulations for tap water to FDA‘s bottled water rules: (these examples are quotes from the NRDC report)
- City tap water can have no confirmed E.coli or fecal coliform bacteria. FDA bottled water rules include no such prohibition (a certain amount of any type of coliform bacteria is allowed in bottled water).
- City tap water‚ from surface water‚ must be filtered and disinfected. In contrast‚ there are no federal filtration or disinfection requirements for bottled water.
- Most cities using surface water have had to test for Cryptosporidium or Giardia‚ two common water pathogens‚ that can cause diarrhea and other intestinal problems‚ yet bottled water companies do not have to do this.
- City tap water must meet standards for certain important toxic or cancer-causing chemicals‚ such as phthalate (a chemical that can leach from plastic‚ including plastic bottles); some in the industry persuaded FDA to exempt bottled water from the regulations regarding these chemicals.
- City water systems must issue annual "right to know" reports‚ telling consumers what is in their water. Bottlers successfully killed a "right to know" requirement for bottled water.
The Natural Resources Defense Council report concluded that; "Therefore‚ while much tap water is indeed risky‚ having compared available data‚ we conclude that there is no assurance that bottled water is any safer than tap water."
The reality of bottled water is that people pay from $1 to $4 a gallon for the perception of higher quality‚ when in fact‚ the quality of bottled water is at best "unknown"!
Point-of-Use water treatment‚ with a quality in home water filtration system‚ is by far the most economical‚ the most convenient and the most capable of producing the highest quality water.
Filtering out the chlorine‚ lead and other contaminants with a quality home water filtration system‚ at the point of use‚ just prior to consumption‚ is the only way to know for sure about the quality of your water.
Home Water Purifiers Comparison Chart| Brand | Aquasana | Amway | Culligan | Kenmore | GE | Everpure | Seagul | PUR | Brita | Brita |
| Model Number | AQ-4000 | E-5199 | SY-2300 | Deluxe 38465 | Smart Water GXSV10C | H-54 | IV X-1 | Plus FM-3000 | Faucet Filter | Pitcher Filter |
| Retail Price | $119.95 | $420.00 | $159.99 | $149.99 | $139.99 | $149.99 | $420.00 | $49.95 | $34.95 | $24.95 |
| Replacement Cartridge Cost & Capacity | $45.00 / 500 Gal. | $120.00 / 1250 Gal. | $50.39 / 500 Gal. | $49.00 / 500 Gal. | $60.00 / 540 Gal. | $79.95 / 750 Gal. | $69.99 / 1000 Gal. | $20.00 / 100 Gal. | $20.00 / 100 Gal. | $7.70 / 30 Gal. |
| Per Gallon "Cost Of Use" | 9 ¢ Per Gal. | 9.6 ¢ Per Gal. | 10 ¢ Per Gal. | 9.8 ¢ Per Gal. | 11 ¢ Per Gal. | 10.6 ¢ Per Gal. | 7 ¢ Per Gal. | 20 ¢ Per Gal. | 20 ¢ Per Gal. | 25 ¢ Per Gal. |
| Removes Chlorine | YES >99% |
YES 97.9% |
YES 97% |
YES 99% |
YES 97% |
YES 96% |
YES >75% |
YES 98% |
YES 99% |
YES >75% |
| Removes Lead | YES >99% |
YES 98% |
YES 95% |
YES 92% |
YES 98% |
YES 97% |
NO | YES 96% |
YES 99% |
YES 93% |
| Removes Cysts | YES >99.99% |
YES 99.5% |
YES 99% |
NO | YES >99% |
YES >99% |
YES >99% |
YES 99.99% |
YES 99.99% |
NO |
| Removes THMs | YES >99% |
YES >99% |
YES 95% |
YES 99% |
YES 95% |
NO | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Removes VOCs | YES >99% |
YES >99% |
YES 95% |
YES 95% |
YES 99% |
NO | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Removes Lindane | YES >99% |
YES 72.7% |
YES 99% |
YES 99% |
YES 99% |
NO | NO | YES 97% |
YES 99% |
NO |
| Removes Alachlor | YES >98% |
YES 95% |
YES 98% |
YES 95% |
YES 98% |
NO | NO | NO | YES 99% |
NO |
| Removes Atrizine | YES >97% |
YES >97% |
YES 97% |
YES 97% |
YES 97% |
NO | NO | YES 96% |
YES 92% |
NO |
| Removes Benzene | YES >99% |
YES >97% |
YES 99% |
YES 83% |
YES 99% |
NO | NO | NO | YES 96% |
NO |
| Removes TCE | YES >99% |
YES >98% |
YES 99% |
YES 98% |
YES 99% |
NO | YES >99% |
NO | YES 99% |
NO |
| Removes MTBE | YES >93% |
NO | YES 90% |
NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Total Cost For 1 Year/1000 gal. | $164.95 | $420.00 | $210.38 | $198.99 | $199.99 | $229.90 | $489.99 | $229.95 | $214.95 | $273.91 |
For more information on Rattie-Express or any of our animals, please email me (Tara) at rattie.express@comcast.net.
Rattie Express, located in Reading (Allentown, Harrisburg, Philadelphia) PA, is a rattery dedicated to rat rescue, rehabilitation and adoption of rats as pets, includes information on rat adoption, nutrition and care. Rat Adoption, rat adoption PA, rat adoption Reading PA, rat adoption pa, adoptable rats, rat rescue PA, rat rescue pA, Reading, PA, rescued rats, Allentown, Harrisburg, Philadelphia.