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Many households have air or water filtration systems installed. However, most people are unaware of how to maintain these systems or the importance of doing so. Some salespeople, in an effort to make a sale, exaggerate the functions of filters, painting a rosy picture and touting the products as having numerous features, wide-ranging applications, and requiring no maintenance or upkeep—all to entice customers to buy. Many consumers take these claims at face value, only to end up not only losing money but also facing health risks. Whether it’s an air or water filter, the more advanced or sophisticated the system, the more important regular maintenance becomes. For example, with water filters, the filter cartridges should be replaced at least once a year—or even as frequently as every 3 to 6 months—depending on water quality and usage. Small air filters also require attention; typically, the filter screens should be cleaned and the cartridges replaced every 3 to 6 months. Most central water filtration systems have an automatic cleaning function, and the filter media can remain effective for several years; however, water quality should still be tested and monitored every 2 to 3 years, and maintenance or replacement of the filter media should be performed as needed. Since water softeners do not perform filtration functions, their media typically does not need to be replaced for many years; however, water quality should still be checked regularly, and disinfection and maintenance procedures should be carried out as needed. By Michael Chiu, MWS, CI Previously published in Ming Pao [...]

When people think of air pollution, they tend to associate it with smog, acid rain, or other forms of outdoor air pollution. But have you ever considered the existence of indoor air pollution? The answer is yes—every year, many people experience health problems caused by indoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution can include three broad types of pollutants: particulate matter, chemical pollutants, and biological contaminants. Whether short-term or long-term, exposure to polluted air can lead to a wide range of health problems of varying severity. Many people are particularly sensitive to air pollution, and this is especially true for children and the elderly. In particular, people with pre-existing health conditions—such as asthma sufferers or those with heart or lung problems—may experience worsening of their conditions due to air pollution. Short-term exposure to polluted air can cause adverse physical reactions, including watery eyes (eye irritation), a runny nose, and discomfort in the throat and respiratory system. It may also lead to symptoms such as headaches and dizziness, depending on the pollutant and level of exposure. Furthermore, it can exacerbate conditions in people with asthma and other respiratory diseases. In London, England, during the “Great Smog” of 1952, high concentrations of air pollution were associated with approximately 4,000 deaths during the five-day episode, with estimates of about 12,000 total excess deaths when deaths in the following weeks and months are included. Long-term exposure to polluted air affects physical health, increasing the risk of chronic respiratory conditions, lung cancer, and heart disease; severe or prolonged exposure can [...]

Many people often say that drinking water that’s too pure deprives the body of the minerals, nutrients, and immune-supporting benefits it could otherwise obtain from water, so they advise against drinking such water. What many people don’t realize is that the minerals in water—which come from the air and the ground—are inorganic substances that can nevertheless be absorbed by the human body. The idea that these minerals must first be converted into “organic minerals” before they can be used by the body is not supported by current scientific evidence. Likewise, there is no good evidence that ordinary minerals in drinking water accumulate in our joints, intestinal walls, or arteries and cause arthritis, constipation, or hardening of the arteries, or that they cause kidney and liver stones simply by accumulating in these organs. Plants do require inorganic minerals for growth, and through photosynthesis they convert carbon dioxide and water into organic compounds that can be consumed by animals and humans, but humans can also absorb and use minerals in inorganic forms. Pure water is an effective solvent, but the claim that drinking highly purified water dissolves toxins and inorganic minerals accumulated in the body and causes them to be expelled is not established by scientific evidence. The body naturally regulates and eliminates waste through the kidneys, liver, lungs, and gastrointestinal system, and adequate water intake supports these processes. In particular, drinking enough water helps dilute the urine and can reduce the risk of kidney stones. While purified water can be safe to drink, there is [...]

狀態：已存檔的歷史文章 最後編輯審核：2026年10月 水質專家認為，有關多倫多飲用水存在健康風險的報告——13%戶家庭的自來水鉛含量超過安全標準——並非危言聳聽。這是一個歷史遺留問題，源自於該市部分地下飲用水管由重金屬鉛製成，多年來一直引發飲用水安全疑慮。認證水質專家趙文傑（圖）指出，市政府已經在尋求解決方案。在目前情況下，最簡單有效的方法是每天早上喝第一杯冷水前先放水約5分鐘。為了降低家庭自來水帶來的風險，居民可以考慮安裝淨水器或軟水系統。每日攝入鉛會導致血液中毒。趙文傑表示，多倫多的家庭自來水長期以來存在許多健康風險，儘管這些風險直到最近才被人們關注。從1950年代以前到90年代初，該市的地下飲用水管道——其基礎設施的一部分——主要由鉛製成，用於將飲用水輸送到每個家庭的水龍頭。市政府使用鉛管是因為它堅固、易於焊接且耐磨損。然而，鉛是一種有毒的重金屬，一旦在人體內積累，就無法排出體外。趙文傑解釋說，經過幾十年的使用，鉛管會自然剝落或留下鉛殘留物。當這些鉛殘留物流經家庭管道時，[...]

原文發表日期：2014年5月23日 狀態：已存檔歷史文章 最後編輯審核日期：2026年10月 資料來源：加拿大都市新聞 [加拿大都市新聞] 過去六年間，對多倫多15,000戶家庭飲用水樣本進行的水質檢測顯示，其中多達131份樣本的鉛含量超標。鉛會影響大腦和神經系統的發育，對胎兒、嬰兒和6歲以下兒童的影響最大。醫生警告說，幼兒鉛暴露過高的症狀包括注意力不集中、注意力不足/過動症（ADHD）、智商下降和行為問題。 總結報告：過去六年間，對多倫多15,000戶家庭飲用水樣本進行的水質檢測顯示，其中多達131份樣本的鉛含量超標，部分樣本的鉛含量超標2000倍以上。飲用水中鉛含量超標的地區大多是基礎設施陳舊但房價通常較高的老舊住宅區。鉛含量最高的地區包括高地公園（High Park）、勞倫斯公園（Lawrence Park，位於央街和勞倫斯大道附近）、市中心南部的安妮克斯區（Annex）以及東約克（East York）的住宅區。這些水樣本由多倫多居民在2008年至今年期間從水龍頭採集並提交給市政府進行檢測。 《星報》透過《資訊自由法》申請獲得了檢測結果。加拿大衛生部將鉛含量的最高可接受水平設定為十億分之十（10 ppb），但專家指出，並不存在所謂的「安全」水平，受影響的管道應該…

AM1540 星島中文電台訪談－飲用水可能含有多種藥物殘留 2014年9月22日

加拿大華語廣播電台AM1430訪談－飲用水中鉛含量超標 2014年5月20日

原文發表日期：2015年7月26日 作者：星島日報 狀態：已存檔歷史文章 最後編輯審核日期：2026年10月 批評非法丟棄注射器；污水流入安大略湖；飲用水中含有毒品成分；專家：煮沸無法去除污染物 [2015年7月26日] [http://news.singtao.ca/toronto/2015-07-26/headline1437890980d5695694.html] 星島日報記者 香港公共屋邨鉛污染水醜聞持續升級之際，人們也受到藥物和非法毒品的擔憂。麥吉爾大學發布了一份關於安大略省南部水質的報告，指出飲用水中可能含有可卡因和嗎啡等物質。高級認證水質專家趙文傑指出，水源受到藥物或非法毒品污染的問題並非新鮮事。這種情況的出現不僅是因為人們隨意將藥物或註射器沖入安大略湖，更重要的是，人體服用藥物後，實際吸收的藥物量僅為25%至30%，其餘60%或更多則通過血液和排泄物排出體外，這些污染物最終會通過污水系統進入安大略湖。他解釋說，安大略省的污水處理和過濾系統只能處理水中的細菌；污水處理廠無法過濾掉沉積的藥物殘留，這正是水質研究得出這些結果的原因。趙文傑也指出，報告中提到的有毒物質，例如嗎啡和可卡因，以及藥物污染物，都可能造成污染。 [...]

美國疾病管制與預防中心（CDC）的一項審查報告分析了2013年至2014年間美國報告的與飲用水相關的疾病爆發情況。該報告著重分析了與軍團菌和隱孢子蟲等病原體以及化學物質和毒素相關的爆發事件，並探討了供水系統和建築基礎設施中的問題如何導致污染和疾病傳播。報告還強調了檢測和調查水傳播疾病所面臨的挑戰，並指出已報告的爆發事件可能僅代表實際疾病負擔的一部分。如欲查看完整報告及調查結果，請閱讀以下原文：http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/09/health/cdc-water-contamination-reports/index.html