posted September 07, 2008 11:08 AM            

The information missing from the report goes right to the heart of how to correct the very problem they've highlighted.

Just whom is dumping Perchlorate into the Colorado River and also contaminating the soil and underground water supply?

posted September 07, 2008 01:01 PM            

quote:

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How bad will the situation have to get before environmental regulators will no longer be able to ignore the mass poisoning of the nation's food and water supply?

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Background

Perchlorate is a naturally occurring and manmade chemical. Naturally occurring perchlorate, for example, is found in arid states (e.g., Texas), as well as in nitrate fertilizer deposits in Chile and potash found in United States and Canada. Most of the perchlorate manufactured in the United States is used as the primary ingredient of solid rocket propellant. Perchlorate is also used in pyrotechnics, such as fireworks, gun powder, explosives, and highway flares. In addition, perchlorate is used in a wide variety of industrial processes, including tanning and leather finishing, rubber manufacture, paint and enamel production, and additives in lubricating oils.

In recent years there has been increasing interest in perchlorate levels in soil, ground water, drinking water, and irrigation water around the country and what health effects these levels may have. Human exposure to sufficient doses of perchlorate can interfere with iodide uptake into the thyroid gland, disrupting its functions and potentially leading to a reduction in the production of thyroid hormones.

In order to work toward development of an assessment of the potential risk of perchlorate, FDA is conducting exploratory surveys to better understand the occurrence and levels of perchlorate in a variety of foods from various locations. The levels of perchlorate found in the foods analyzed will also be used to better understand perchlorate exposure from food and to support action, if warranted, to protect the public health.

For determining perchlorate levels in food, a rapid, sensitive, and specific ion chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (IC-MS/MS) method, developed by FDA, with limits of quantitation of 0.5 part per billion (ppb) for bottled water; 1.0 ppb for produce; and 3.0 ppb for milk, grain products, and seafood was used. This method, entitled "Determination of Perchlorate Anion in Foods by Ion Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry," has been published in the September 15, 2004 issue of Analytical Chemistry (Analytical Chemistry, 2004, 76, 5518-5522) and is posted on CFSAN's internet website.

(previous quote from link in article: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/clo4data.html )

It may not be a matter of "who is dumping?" -- probably a good interim measure while the FDA studies this is to take a kelp supplement.....
http://www.raysahelian.com/kelp.html
http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/kelp-benefits.html
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/seaveg.htm