10．Inhalable Water Droplets 可吸入水滴

You think that the biggest threat to your health when taking a shower comes from slipping on a bar of soap? Well, guess again.

Preliminary studies by engineers at the University of Cincinnati and the Oak Ridge Institute for science and education, also in Cincinnati, indicate that some water-saving shower nozzles produce water droplets so small they can be inhaled, exposing anyone using the shower to several different health hazards.

Using a device called an optical particle counter the researchers tested a number of shower nozzles, both of adjustable and fix-spray styles. They found that some products create droplets less than 10 microns in diameter-small enough to be inhaled. That/'s problem, the researchers theorise,  because the water may contain trace of chemicals used by treatment facilities to kill microbes and bacteria in the water. These organic compounds are relatively safe to take in by drinking, but may not be safe to inhale.

Another threat may be possible as well. Previous research has shown that the droplets can contain microbes that live inside the warm, wet interior of shower nozzles. When the faucet is turn on, these microbes are swept out through the nozzles. If these droplets are inhaled, the microbes could pose a threat to people who are with asthma and other respiratory problems.

All of this doesn't mean you should skip your morning shower just yet. More research is needed, cautious oak ridge institute scientist Virendra Sethi says, before anyone can determine just how serious — or insignificant — these health risks may be. Moreover, not all water-conserving nozzles produce inhalable droplets. "It all depends on the design of the nozzle," says Sethi. Right now there is no way for consumers to know which nozzle produce these tiny drops. "We are working to develop specifications for shower head designs that would not generate droplets in the inhalable size range," he adds.

你认为淋浴的时候对健康最大的威胁是踩在一块肥皂上而滑倒?好的，再猜一猜。

    辛辛那提大学和奥克瑞芝科学与教育学院的工程师们的初步研究指出，一些节水喷头喷出的水滴如此之小，以至于可以被人吸入，把任何淋浴者置于各种健康危险之中。

    科学家们用一种叫做光学分子计量器的设备检测一定数量的淋浴喷头，包括可调节的和固定喷洒的两种。他们发现一些产品喷出的水滴的直径小于10微米——小到足可以被吸入。研究人员推论说问题在于水中可能含有微量的化学物质，这些化学物质是水处理器用以消灭水中的细菌和微生物的。饮用这些有机化合物是相对安全的，但吸入它们就不安

全了。

    另外一种威胁也是有可能的。前面的研究已经表明水滴内可能包含存在于温暖潮湿的淋浴喷头内部的细菌。当水龙头打开时，这些细菌从喷头里被冲出。如果这些水滴被人吸人，这些细菌将对那些有气喘病、呼吸道疾病的人构成威胁。

    所有这些并不意味着人们应该省去早晨的淋浴，奥克瑞芝学院的科学家维朗德拉·塞提说，在人们确定这种健康危险有多么严重或多么无足轻重之前还需要做更多的研究。而且并不是所有的节水喷头喷出的都是可吸入的水。“这要看喷头的设计”，塞提说。当前消费者还无法知道哪一种喷头喷这样的小水滴。他又补充说：“我们正在为不会使水滴被人吸人的喷头作详细说明。”

★1).The first paragraph is a question to which the author hopes to have a positive answer from the reader.-W

★2).Shower nozzles shower nozzles that produce water droplets, big and small, can expose anyone using the shower to health problems.-W

★3).The chemicals contained in water kill bacteria to make it safe for drinking.-R

★4).The problem that inhalable water droplets produce is that they may expose people with respiratory problems to health hazards.-R

★5).The adjustable type of nozzles are less dangerous than the fixed one.-W

★6).People with asthma and other respiratory problems should avoid taking showers.-N

★7).To overcome the problem caused by inhalable water droplets, Sethi, per haps with some other researchers, is drawing up standards for safe shower head designs.-R