'Blue baby syndrome' is triggered by contamination from:
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Answer: D. Nitrates
Explanation
Infant methemoglobinemia, known as blue baby syndrome, is caused by high nitrate contamination in drinking water. Ingested nitrates convert into nitrites in the infant digestive tract, binding tightly to hemoglobin in the bloodstream. This chemical binding severely impairs oxygen transport throughout the body, resulting in the characteristic bluish skin discoloration. Nitrates in water supplies typically originate from agricultural fertilizer runoff, animal manure, and failing septic systems. Infants under six months old are uniquely vulnerable because their stomach acid levels are lower and fetal hemoglobin is easily oxidized. Methemoglobin cannot release oxygen effectively to body tissues, leading to hypoxia and potentially fatal systemic complications.
Option A involves chlorides which can affect water salinity and taste but do not cause methemoglobinemia. Option B involves cyanides which are extremely potent cellular poisons causing rapid death rather than blue baby syndrome. Option C involves fluorides which in high concentrations cause dental or skeletal fluorosis rather than infant oxygen deprivation.
- Subject
- Agriculture
- Category
- Forestry
- Topic
- —
- Difficulty
- medium
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