Why are nitrates in drinking water dangerous to human health?
NITRATES IN DRINKING WATER Iowa Personal Injury Lawyer Nitrates in drinking water are dangerous because they interfere with how the body transports and uses oxygen. Here’s a breakdown: 1. Methemoglobinemia (“Blue Baby Syndrome”) In infants under 6 months, nitrates are converted in the digestive system into nitrites, which bind to hemoglobin in red blood cells. Instead of carrying oxygen, hemoglobin becomes methemoglobin, which cannot release oxygen efficiently to body tissues. This oxygen starvation can cause bluish skin, difficulty breathing, and, in severe cases, death if [...]
