Safety
Health Effects
- essential for human health
- lack of zinc can cause a loss of appetite, decreased sense of taste and smell, and slow wound healing
- too much zinc can cause health problems like stomach cramps, skin irritations, vomiting, nausea and anaemia
- very high zinc levels can damage the pancreas and disturb the protein metabolism
- exposure zinc chloride can cause respiratory disorders
- zinc contagion can lead to a flu-like condition known as metal fever
- only lasts about two days
- can cause birth defects through blood or breast feeding to unborn and newborn children
Environmental Effects
- production constantly increases
- causes increase in acidity of water
- pollutes water and riverbanks from wastewater of industrial plants
- can cause fish to bio magnify up the food chain
- zinc contaminated soil can cause groundwater to become polluted
- soil with high levels of zinc can affect the health of animals
- limited numbers of plants can live on "zinc-rich soils” affecting farmland production