Toxicologist warns about exposure to metals in contaminated Animas River
DENVER -- The Gold King Mine spill dumped three million gallons of waste water into the Animas River, and experts are now concerned not only about the health of the river, but the health of its surrounding residents too, reports CBS Denver.
Last Wednesday a crew working for the Environmental Protection Agency accidentally breached a dam holding back heavy metals used in gold mining. Colorado's governor declared a disaster.
Experts say those people who live along the Animas River could be ingesting the contaminated water in any number of ways, such as drinking it or showering in it.
Although the river may be regaining its natural color, CBS Denver reports that scientists still fear of the lingering effects of the yellow plume of waste water.
"Remember, this is mine waste, it's heavy. It's going to sink to the bottom of these streams, it's going to get into the layer at the bottom," said toxicologist Dr. Dan Teitlebaum to CBS Denver.
Teitlebaum says the waters are loaded in lead, copper, cadmium and arsenic, some of which can cause cancers in prolonged exposures.
"They're a problem because they're long-term poisons. And low levels consumed over a long period of time create serious problems, particularly arsenic, produce very serious problems," said Teitlebaum.
While wildlife officials have been quick to show fish that have survived the event, Teitlebaum tells CBS Denver that's not necessarily an indication that it is safe.
"If you're going to eat those brown trout that somebody's catching in that river, what are the arsenic levels going to be? What are the lead levels going to be? We don't know," said Teitlebaum.
But there is hope. CBS Denver reports that scientists say spills like this one also happened during the heyday of the mining industry.
For residents though, that may not be comforting.
As CBS News' Mireya Villarreal previously reported, many of the people living along the Animas River receive their water from wells.
By 7 a.m. on Monday people were already lined up at a Farmington, New Mexico, water testing site. They brought water by the gallon and the jug. But workers could be heard telling people not to drink or bathe in the water.
There was much frustration and anger coming from residents, some who depend on water from the river for every day life.
CBS Denver reports that full assessments of the damage are still underway.