Final answer:
Cancer-causing contaminants such as radionuclides (e.g., caesium-137, strontium-90), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), arsenic, and mercury can enter water or soil, leading to serious health risks like cancer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cancer-Causing Contaminants in Water or Soil
Various cancer-causing contaminants can pollute water and soil, posing serious health risks to humans. These can include radionuclides such as caesium-137 and strontium-90, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the air, which can also settle into water systems. Elements such as arsenic and mercury are known to contaminate water, while cadmium, nitrates, and perchlorates can be found in soil. It is important to note that untreated water may be dangerous to drink as it can contain these hazardous substances. Contaminated water has been linked to health issues and even social problems, as seen in the case of Bangladesh, where arsenic in well water led to severe consequences for the local population.
Additionally, environmental disasters like the drying up of the Aral Sea have caused chemicals and salts to be spread over land via winds, resulting in increased rates of cancer and respiratory illnesses among the nearby human population. Also, incidents like the Love Canal disaster showed the dangers of chemicals seeping upward through the soil into homes, which corresponded with elevated levels of illness in the affected community.