Editor Staff asked 1 year ago
The excess of which ion in drinking water can lead to blue baby syndrome?
(a) Aluminum ion
(b) Copper ion
(c) Sulphate ion
(d) Nitrate ion
I got this question in semester exam.
This intriguing question originated from Environmental Chemistry in portion Environmental Chemistry of Chemistry – Class 11
Select the correct answer from above options
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Editor Staff answered 1 year ago
Correct answer is (d) Nitrate ion
Easy explanation: Blue baby syndrome (methemoglobinemia) is a disease that is caused when the baby consumes drinking water which is rich in nitrates. It is caused when the maximum limit of nitrate in water, i.e. 50ppm, is crossed. When the baby drinks nitrate-rich water, then the nitrates get converted to nitrites and this will go and bind with the haemoglobin present in the blood, forming methemoglobin, which does not have the ability to carry oxygen. This is the reason for the blue color of the skin of the baby.
