ENVIRONMENTAL-POLLUTION IS INCREASING THE INCIDENCE OF CHRONIC-RENAL-FAILURE

The environment comprises innumerable risk factors in unfold combinati ons. These risk factors could be physical (radiation, heat, electric o r altitude), chemical (for example heavy metals and hydrocarbons) or b iological (bacterial, parasitic, viral or fungal) in nature, which can reach the human through air, food, water, drugs or cosmetics. These r isk factors could be present at home. In the workplace, or in the envi ronment at large. Airborne environmental toxins could be gaseous (for example carbon monoxide, vinyl chloride, radon), vapour (for example l ead, mercury, arsenic, nickel), dusts (asbestos, silica, cotton fibres , coal), airborn allergens or radiation. Waterborne could be microbial pollution of drinking water, or chemical contamination (metals, toxic , wastes, pesticides or agricultural chemicals). Food could be a risk factor for instance rhubarb causing oxaloses and liquorice causing sal t and water retention with hypokalaemia.