Manganese is a metallic element that gets into water after contact with rocks and minerals in the ground. It’s a natural compound and is also found in low levels in foods such as green vegetables, tea and cereals.
The levels in the UK have been investigated a number of times, but in most research the levels found in drinking water have been judged to be too small to have an effect on public health.
When high levels of manganese are breathed in rather than drunk, however, it can have a disastrous effect. Occupational health researchers have found that when miners and battery workers inhale manganese, it can lead to manganism, a condition similar to Parkinson’s disease. Symptoms of this condition can include lethargy, tremors, mental disturbances, and even death.