Occurring naturally in arid states in the Southwest United States, perchlorate is also found in nitrate fertilizer deposits and in potash ore. Formed naturally in the atmosphere, perchlorate is also manufactured and used in explosives, fireworks, rocket propellant and road flares. As such, it is...
A semi-metallic element with the chemical symbol of As, arsenic occurs naturally in rock, soil and the water that comes into contact with contaminated rock and soil. Arsenic can also combine with other elements to form inorganic and organic arsenicals, with the inorganic derivatives typically...
Formed when uranium and thorium undergo radioactive decay, radium is a naturally occurring radioactive element found in the earth’s crust. As such, small amounts of radium can also be found in groundwater supplies. In fact, deep bedrock aquifers used for drinking water can sometimes contain...
A naturally-occurring metal, mercury is found in many forms. The most commonly recognized form of mercury is its liquid form, which is shiny, odorless and silver-white in color. If heated, the liquid is changed into a colorless, odorless gas. Mercury can also combine with other...
A chemical element, cadmium is found in a number of naturally-occurring things. These include zinc, coal and other fossil fuels, lead ore, copper oar and shales. It is also released during volcanic action and in major industrial releases. It is most commonly found in drinking...
An extremely abundant metal found in the earth’s crust, aluminum can be leached from rock and soil to enter into a water source. It can be present in water as aluminum hydroxide, aluminum sulfate or sodium aluminate. It can also cause deposits in cooling systems,...
