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The 'blue baby' syndrome results from -
A
Excess of chloride
B
Methemoglobin
C
Excess of dissolved oxygen
D
Excess of TDS (total dissolved solids)
Detailed Solution
Excessive use of nitrogenous fertilisers leads to a high concentration of nitrates in ground water and drinking water.
In the intestine of infants, nitrates are reduced to nitrites by bacteria.
Nitrites enter the blood and oxidise the iron of haemoglobin from the ferrous ($Fe^{2+}$) to the ferric ($Fe^{3+}$) state, forming methaemoglobin.
Methaemoglobin cannot carry oxygen, so the oxygen supply to the tissues falls.
The skin of the baby turns bluish (cyanosis); the condition is called methaemoglobinaemia or 'blue baby' syndrome.
It is not caused by chlorides, dissolved oxygen or total dissolved solids.
So the 'blue baby' syndrome results from methemoglobin.
In the intestine of infants, nitrates are reduced to nitrites by bacteria.
Nitrites enter the blood and oxidise the iron of haemoglobin from the ferrous ($Fe^{2+}$) to the ferric ($Fe^{3+}$) state, forming methaemoglobin.
Methaemoglobin cannot carry oxygen, so the oxygen supply to the tissues falls.
The skin of the baby turns bluish (cyanosis); the condition is called methaemoglobinaemia or 'blue baby' syndrome.
It is not caused by chlorides, dissolved oxygen or total dissolved solids.
So the 'blue baby' syndrome results from methemoglobin.