https://sputnikglobe.com/20221227/metals-in-water-blamed-for-swedes-hair-mysteriously-turning-green-1105810922.html
Metals in Water Blamed for Swedes' Hair Mysteriously Turning Green
Metals in Water Blamed for Swedes' Hair Mysteriously Turning Green
Sputnik International
Residents of the Kalix municipality in northernmost Sweden have been affected by green hair in a baffling phenomenon with no apparent explanation.
2022-12-27T06:19+0000
2022-12-27T06:19+0000
2022-12-27T09:18+0000
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sweden
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In various areas of the Kalix municipality in northernmost Sweden, residents have been sporting a green hairdo for several years, a phenomenon that has baffled both locals and authorities alike.Despite the chronic nature of the problem, its reason has remained largely a mystery. So far everyone seems agreed that metals are at the root of the problem, but where the metals come from remains unknown.Greenish hair is sometimes associated with water having a low pH value, but Kalix's municipal water hasn’t shown any sign of this. In Kalix, all municipal drinking water comes from groundwater sources, and the water's pH has not exceeded the Swedish Food Agency's limits. One of the guesses was that the culprit might be water pipes releasing copper.However, the Kalix municipality has taken samples from the outgoing water from places where green hair was reported, with inconclusive results.“It is very difficult to say where it comes from. The cases have been scattered, and this indicates that it is not the pipeline network that is the problem,” Per Nilsson, an employee of Kalix municipality, said ruling out the theory that faulty or noxious pipes might be to blame.However, the problem persists, deteriorating hair quality and creating problems with color treatments for those wishing for more conservatively colored hair. Dangerous instances of chemical reactions leading to hair “boiling” have also been reported.Generally, green hair is usually associated with a build-up of oxidized minerals and may occur after swimming in chlorinated water or washing one’s hair with water that is high in mineral components.With 17,300 inhabitants, the Kalix municipality is known for its scenic archipelago and vendace caviar - a delicious luxury which the EU awarded Protected Geographical Status because of its unique mix of elements such as bromine, strontium, iodine, molybdenum and lithium and which has been a centerpiece at Nobel dinners over the years.Historically, mining, fisheries and forestry have been the economic backbone of the area increasingly marked by depopulation and a rising tax burden.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20221213/swedes-will-soon-be-a-minority-in-their-own-country-politician-warns-1105407387.html
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green hair, hair pigmentation, drinking water, oxidized mineral buildup, chemical reaction
green hair, hair pigmentation, drinking water, oxidized mineral buildup, chemical reaction
Metals in Water Blamed for Swedes' Hair Mysteriously Turning Green
06:19 GMT 27.12.2022 (Updated: 09:18 GMT 27.12.2022) Although it has been agreed that the greenish tinge to hair is associated with an oxidized mineral buildup, the exact source of the odd hue that has plagued Swedes living in a northern municipality has remained a baffling enigma.
In various areas of the Kalix municipality in northernmost Sweden, residents have been sporting a green hairdo for several years, a phenomenon that has baffled both locals and authorities alike.
Despite the chronic nature of the problem, its reason has remained largely a mystery. So far everyone seems agreed that metals are at the root of the problem, but where the metals come from remains unknown.
Greenish hair is sometimes associated with water having a low pH value, but Kalix's municipal water hasn’t shown any sign of this. In Kalix, all municipal drinking water comes from groundwater sources, and the water's pH has not exceeded the Swedish Food Agency's limits. One of the guesses was that the culprit might be water pipes releasing copper.
“We see it more and more,” hairdresser Sara Cave told Swedish media. “Down south, this has been a bigger problem for a long time, but they have harder water than us up here,” she added.
However, the Kalix municipality has taken samples from the outgoing water from places where green hair was reported, with inconclusive results.
“It is very difficult to say where it comes from. The cases have been scattered, and this indicates that it is not the pipeline network that is the problem,” Per Nilsson, an employee of Kalix municipality, said ruling out the theory that faulty or noxious pipes might be to blame.
13 December 2022, 07:00 GMT
However, the problem persists, deteriorating hair quality and creating problems with color treatments for those wishing for more conservatively colored hair. Dangerous instances of chemical reactions leading to hair “boiling” have also been reported.
Generally, green hair is usually associated with a build-up of oxidized minerals and may occur after swimming in chlorinated water or washing one’s hair with water that is high in mineral components.
With 17,300 inhabitants, the Kalix municipality is known for its scenic archipelago and vendace caviar - a delicious luxury which the EU awarded Protected Geographical Status because of its unique mix of elements such as bromine, strontium, iodine, molybdenum and lithium and which has been a centerpiece at Nobel dinners over the years.
Historically, mining, fisheries and forestry have been the economic backbone of the area increasingly marked by depopulation and a rising tax burden.
