Toenails as a biomarker of inorganic arsenic intake from drinking water and foods.

PubMed

Slotnick, Melissa J; Meliker, Jaymie R; AvRuskin, Gillian A; Ghosh, Debashis; Nriagu, Jerome O

2007-01-15

Toenails were used recently in epidemiological and environmental health studies as a means of assessing exposure to arsenic from drinking water. While positive correlations between toenail and drinking-water arsenic concentrations were reported in the literature, a significant percentage of the variation in toenail arsenic concentration remains unexplained by drinking-water concentration alone. Here, the influence of water consumption at home and work, food intake, and drinking-water concentration on toenail arsenic concentration was investigated using data from a case-control study being conducted in 11 counties of Michigan. The results from 440 controls are presented. Log-transformed drinking-water arsenic concentration at home was a significant predictor (p < .05) of toenail arsenic concentration (R2 = .32). When arsenic intake from consumption of tap water and beverages made from tap water (microg/L arsenic x L/d = microg/d) was used as a predictor variable, the correlation was markedly increased for individuals with >1 microg/L arsenic (R2 = .48). Increased intake of seafood and intake of arsenic from water at work were independently and significantly associated with increased toenail arsenic concentration. However, when added to intake at home, work drinking-water exposure and food intake had little influence on the overall correlation. These results suggest that arsenic exposure from drinking-water consumption is an important determinant of toenail arsenic concentration, and therefore should be considered when validating and applying toenails as a biomarker of arsenic exposure.

Water drinking as a treatment for orthostatic syndromes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shannon, John R.; Diedrich, Andre; Biaggioni, Italo; Tank, Jens; Robertson, Rose Marie; Robertson, David; Jordan, Jens

2002-01-01

PURPOSE: Water drinking increases blood pressure in a substantial proportion of patients who have severe orthostatic hypotension due to autonomic failure. We tested the hypothesis that water drinking can be used as a practical treatment for patients with orthostatic and postprandial hypotension, as well as those with orthostatic tachycardia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied the effect of drinking water on seated and standing blood pressure and heart rate in 11 patients who had severe orthostatic hypotension due to autonomic failure and in 9 patients who had orthostatic tachycardia due to idiopathic orthostatic intolerance. We also tested the effect of water drinking on postprandial hypotension in 7 patients who had autonomic failure. Patients drank 480 mL of tap water at room temperature in less than 5 minutes. RESULTS: In patients with autonomic failure, mean (+/- SD) blood pressure after 1 minute of standing was 83 +/- 6/53 +/- 3.4 mm Hg at baseline, which increased to 114 +/- 30/66 +/- 18 mm Hg (P <0.01) 35 minutes after drinking. After a meal, blood pressure decreased by 43 +/- 36/20 +/- 13 mm Hg without water drinking, compared with 22 +/- 10/12 +/- 5 mm Hg with drinking (P <0.001). In patients with idiopathic orthostatic intolerance, water drinking attenuated orthostatic tachycardia (123 +/- 23 beats per minute) at baseline to 108 +/- 21 beats per minute after water drinking ( P <0.001). CONCLUSION: Water drinking elicits a rapid pressor response in patients with autonomic failure and can be used to treat orthostatic and postprandial hypotension. Water drinking moderately reduces orthostatic tachycardia in patients with idiopathic orthostatic intolerance. Thus, water drinking may serve as an adjunctive treatment in patients with impaired orthostatic tolerance.

Effect of sodium hypochlorite on typical biofilms formed in drinking water distribution systems.

PubMed

Lin, Huirong; Zhu, Xuan; Wang, Yuxin; Yu, Xin

2017-04-01

Human health and biological safety problems resulting from urban drinking water pipe network biofilms pollution have attracted wide concern. Despite the inclusion of residual chlorine in drinking water distribution systems supplies, the bacterium is a recalcitrant human pathogen capable of forming biofilms on pipe walls and causing health risks. Typical drinking water bacterial biofilms and their response to different concentrations of chlorination was monitored. The results showed that the four bacteria all formed single biofilms susceptible to sodium hypochlorite. After 30 min disinfection, biomass and cultivability decreased with increasing concentration of disinfectant but then increased in high disinfectant doses. PMA-qPCR results indicated that it resulted in little cellular damage. Flow cytometry analysis showed that with increasing doses of disinfectant, the numbers of clusters increased and the sizes of clusters decreased. Under high disinfectant treatment, EPS was depleted by disinfectant and about 0.5-1 mg/L of residual chlorine seemed to be appropriate for drinking water treatment. This research provides an insight into the EPS protection to biofilms. Resistance of biofilms against high levels of chlorine has implications for the delivery of drinking water.

Changes in mouse gut bacterial community in response to different types of drinking water.

PubMed

Dias, Marcela F; Reis, Mariana P; Acurcio, Leonardo B; Carmo, Anderson O; Diamantino, Cristiane F; Motta, Amanda M; Kalapothakis, Evanguedes; Nicoli, Jacques R; Nascimento, Andréa M A

2018-04-01

Gut microbiota exerts a fundamental role on host physiology, and how extrinsic perturbations influence its composition has been increasingly examined. However, the effect of drinking water on gut microbiota is still poorly understood. In this study, we explored the response of mouse gut bacterial community (fecal and mucosa-adhered) to the ingestion of different types of drinking water. The experimental cohort was divided according to different water sources into four groups of mice that consumed autoclaved tap water (control group), water collected directly from a drinking water treatment plant, tap water, and commercial bottled mineral water. Differences among groups were observed, especially related to control group, which exhibited the smallest intra-group variation, and the largest distance from test groups on the last experimental day. Clinically important taxa, such as Acinetobacter and Staphylococcus, increased in feces of mice that drank tap water and in mucosa-adhered samples of animals from disinfected and tap water groups. Furthermore, statistical analyses showed that both time elapsed between samplings and water type significantly influenced the variation observed in the samples. Our results reveal that drinking water potentially affects gut microbiota composition. Additionally, the increase of typical drinking water clinically relevant and antibiotic resistance-associated bacteria in gut microbiota is a cause of concern. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determining the optimal fluoride concentration in drinking water for fluoride endemic regions in South India.

PubMed

Viswanathan, Gopalan; Jaswanth, A; Gopalakrishnan, S; Siva Ilango, S; Aditya, G

2009-10-01

Fluoride ion in drinking water is known for both beneficial and detrimental effects on health. The prevalence of fluorosis is mainly due to the intake of large quantities of fluoride through drinking water owing to more than 90% bioavailability. The objective of this study is to predict optimal fluoride level in drinking water for fluoride endemic regions by comprising the levels of fluoride and other water quality parameters in drinking water, prevalence of fluorosis, fluoride intake through water, food and beverages such as tea and coffee and also considering the progressive accumulation of fluoride in animal bones, by comparing with non fluoride endemic areas comprise of the same geological features with the aid of regression analysis. Result of this study shows that increase of fluoride level above 1.33 mg/l in drinking water increases the community fluorosis index (CFI) value more than 0.6, an optimum index value above which fluorosis is considered to be a public health problem. Regression plot between water fluoride and bone fluoride levels indicates that, every increase of 0.5mg/l unit of water fluoride level increases the bone fluoride level of 52 mg/kg unit within 2 to 3 years. Furthermore, the consumption of drinking water containing more than 0.65 mg/l of fluoride can raise the total fluoride intake per day more than 4 mg, which is the optimum fluoride dose level recommended for adults by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. From the result, the people in fluoride endemic areas in South India are advised to consume drinking water with fluoride level within the limit of 0.5 to 0.65 mg/l to avoid further fluorosis risk.

Occurrence of fibrates and their metabolites in source and drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China.

PubMed

Ido, Akiko; Hiromori, Youhei; Meng, Liping; Usuda, Haruki; Nagase, Hisamitsu; Yang, Min; Hu, Jianying; Nakanishi, Tsuyoshi

2017-04-12

Fibrates, which are widely used lipidaemic-modulating drugs, are emerging environmental pollutants. However, fibrate concentrations in the environment have not been thoroughly surveyed. Here, we determined concentrations of the most commonly used fibrates and their metabolites in source water and drinking water samples from ten drinking water treatment plants in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China, using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. All the target compounds were detected in at least some of the source water samples, at concentrations ranging from 0.04 ng/L (fenofibrate) to 1.53 ng/L (gemfibrozil). All the compounds except fenofibrate were also detected in at least some of the drinking water samples, at recoveries ranging from 35.5% to 91.7%, suggesting that these compounds are poorly removed by typical drinking water treatment processes. In a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonistic activity assay, the target compounds showed no significant activity at nanogram per litre concentrations; therefore, our results suggest that the fibrate concentrations in drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China do not significantly affect human health. However, because of the increasing westernization of the Chinese diet, fibrate use may increase, and thus monitoring fibrate concentrations in aquatic environments and drinking water in China will become increasingly important.

Occurrence of fibrates and their metabolites in source and drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China

PubMed Central

Ido, Akiko; Hiromori, Youhei; Meng, Liping; Usuda, Haruki; Nagase, Hisamitsu; Yang, Min; Hu, Jianying; Nakanishi, Tsuyoshi

2017-01-01

Fibrates, which are widely used lipidaemic-modulating drugs, are emerging environmental pollutants. However, fibrate concentrations in the environment have not been thoroughly surveyed. Here, we determined concentrations of the most commonly used fibrates and their metabolites in source water and drinking water samples from ten drinking water treatment plants in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China, using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. All the target compounds were detected in at least some of the source water samples, at concentrations ranging from 0.04 ng/L (fenofibrate) to 1.53 ng/L (gemfibrozil). All the compounds except fenofibrate were also detected in at least some of the drinking water samples, at recoveries ranging from 35.5% to 91.7%, suggesting that these compounds are poorly removed by typical drinking water treatment processes. In a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonistic activity assay, the target compounds showed no significant activity at nanogram per litre concentrations; therefore, our results suggest that the fibrate concentrations in drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China do not significantly affect human health. However, because of the increasing westernization of the Chinese diet, fibrate use may increase, and thus monitoring fibrate concentrations in aquatic environments and drinking water in China will become increasingly important. PMID:28401920

Occurrence of fibrates and their metabolites in source and drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ido, Akiko; Hiromori, Youhei; Meng, Liping; Usuda, Haruki; Nagase, Hisamitsu; Yang, Min; Hu, Jianying; Nakanishi, Tsuyoshi

2017-04-01

Fibrates, which are widely used lipidaemic-modulating drugs, are emerging environmental pollutants. However, fibrate concentrations in the environment have not been thoroughly surveyed. Here, we determined concentrations of the most commonly used fibrates and their metabolites in source water and drinking water samples from ten drinking water treatment plants in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China, using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. All the target compounds were detected in at least some of the source water samples, at concentrations ranging from 0.04 ng/L (fenofibrate) to 1.53 ng/L (gemfibrozil). All the compounds except fenofibrate were also detected in at least some of the drinking water samples, at recoveries ranging from 35.5% to 91.7%, suggesting that these compounds are poorly removed by typical drinking water treatment processes. In a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonistic activity assay, the target compounds showed no significant activity at nanogram per litre concentrations; therefore, our results suggest that the fibrate concentrations in drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China do not significantly affect human health. However, because of the increasing westernization of the Chinese diet, fibrate use may increase, and thus monitoring fibrate concentrations in aquatic environments and drinking water in China will become increasingly important.

Increasing the availability and consumption of drinking water in middle schools: a pilot study.

PubMed

Patel, Anisha I; Bogart, Laura M; Elliott, Marc N; Lamb, Sheila; Uyeda, Kimberly E; Hawes-Dawson, Jennifer; Klein, David J; Schuster, Mark A

2011-05-01

Although several studies suggest that drinking water may help prevent obesity, no US studies have examined the effect of school drinking water provision and promotion on student beverage intake. We assessed the acceptability, feasibility, and outcomes of a school-based intervention to improve drinking water consumption among adolescents. The 5-week program, conducted in a Los Angeles middle school in 2008, consisted of providing cold, filtered drinking water in cafeterias; distributing reusable water bottles to students and staff; conducting school promotional activities; and providing education. Self-reported consumption of water, nondiet soda, sports drinks, and 100% fruit juice was assessed by conducting surveys among students (n = 876), preintervention and at 1 week and 2 months postintervention, from the intervention school and the comparison school. Daily water (in gallons) distributed in the cafeteria during the intervention was recorded. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and baseline intake of water at school, the odds of drinking water at school were higher for students at the intervention school than students at the comparison school. Students from the intervention school had higher adjusted odds of drinking water from fountains and from reusable water bottles at school than students from the comparison school. Intervention effects for other beverages were not significant. Provision of filtered, chilled drinking water in school cafeterias coupled with promotion and education is associated with increased consumption of drinking water at school. A randomized controlled trial is necessary to assess the intervention's influence on students' consumption of water and sugar-sweetened beverages, as well as obesity-related outcomes.

Molecular assessment of bacterial pathogens - a contribution to drinking water safety.

PubMed

Brettar, Ingrid; Höfle, Manfred G

2008-06-01

Human bacterial pathogens are considered as an increasing threat to drinking water supplies worldwide because of the growing demand of high-quality drinking water and the decreasing quality and quantity of available raw water. Moreover, a negative impact of climate change on freshwater resources is expected. Recent advances in molecular detection technologies for bacterial pathogens in drinking water bear the promise in improving the safety of drinking water supplies by precise detection and identification of the pathogens. More importantly, the array of molecular approaches allows understanding details of infection routes of waterborne diseases, the effects of changes in drinking water treatment, and management of freshwater resources.

MODELING CONTAMINANT PROPAGATION IN DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

The Safe Drinking Water Act and its Amendments (SDWAA) will pose a massive challenge for the drinking-water industry in the United States. As the SDWAA regulations reach implementation, increasing effort will be devoted to understanding the factors causing deterioration of water ...

SCREENING MODELS TO PREDICT PROBABILITY OF CONTAMINATION BY PATHOGENIC VIRUSES IN DRINKING WATER AQUIFERS

EPA Science Inventory

The Safe Drinking Water Act's 1996 Amendments broadened the definition of public water systems (PWS) to include systems which serve drinking water to as few as 25 individuals. Implementation of the proposed Ground Water Rule for Pathogens will place an increased burden on utiliti...

Grab a Cup, Fill It Up! An Intervention to Promote the Convenience of Drinking Water and Increase Student Water Consumption During School Lunch

PubMed Central

Gortmaker, Steven L.; Carter, Jill E.; Howe, M. Caitlin W.; Reiner, Jennifer F.; Cradock, Angie L.

2015-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated a low-cost strategy for schools to improve the convenience and appeal of drinking water. Methods. We conducted a group-randomized, controlled trial in 10 Boston, Massachusetts, schools in April through June 2013 to test a cafeteria-based intervention. Signage promoting water and disposable cups were installed near water sources. Mixed linear regression models adjusting for clustering evaluated the intervention impact on average student water consumption over 359 lunch periods. Results. The percentage of students in intervention schools observed drinking water during lunch nearly doubled from baseline to follow-up compared with controls (+9.4%; P < .001). The intervention was associated with a 0.58-ounce increase in water intake across all students (P < .001). Without cups, children were observed drinking 2.4 (SE = 0.08) ounces of water from fountains; with cups, 5.2 (SE = 0.2) ounces. The percentage of intervention students observed with sugar-sweetened beverages declined (–3.3%; P < .005). Conclusions. The current default of providing water through drinking fountains in cafeterias results in low water consumption. This study shows that an inexpensive intervention to improve drinking water’s convenience by providing cups can increase student water consumption. PMID:26180950

Drinking Water Quality Status and Contamination in Pakistan

PubMed Central

Nafees, Muhammad; Rizwan, Muhammad; Bajwa, Raees Ahmad; Shakoor, Muhammad Bilal; Arshad, Muhammad Umair; Chatha, Shahzad Ali Shahid; Deeba, Farah; Murad, Waheed; Malook, Ijaz

2017-01-01

Due to alarming increase in population and rapid industrialization, drinking water quality is being deteriorated day by day in Pakistan. This review sums up the outcomes of various research studies conducted for drinking water quality status of different areas of Pakistan by taking into account the physicochemical properties of drinking water as well as the presence of various pathogenic microorganisms. About 20% of the whole population of Pakistan has access to safe drinking water. The remaining 80% of population is forced to use unsafe drinking water due to the scarcity of safe and healthy drinking water sources. The primary source of contamination is sewerage (fecal) which is extensively discharged into drinking water system supplies. Secondary source of pollution is the disposal of toxic chemicals from industrial effluents, pesticides, and fertilizers from agriculture sources into the water bodies. Anthropogenic activities cause waterborne diseases that constitute about 80% of all diseases and are responsible for 33% of deaths. This review highlights the drinking water quality, contamination sources, sanitation situation, and effects of unsafe drinking water on humans. There is immediate need to take protective measures and treatment technologies to overcome unhygienic condition of drinking water supplies in different areas of Pakistan. PMID:28884130

Drinking Water Quality Status and Contamination in Pakistan.

PubMed

Daud, M K; Nafees, Muhammad; Ali, Shafaqat; Rizwan, Muhammad; Bajwa, Raees Ahmad; Shakoor, Muhammad Bilal; Arshad, Muhammad Umair; Chatha, Shahzad Ali Shahid; Deeba, Farah; Murad, Waheed; Malook, Ijaz; Zhu, Shui Jin

2017-01-01

Due to alarming increase in population and rapid industrialization, drinking water quality is being deteriorated day by day in Pakistan. This review sums up the outcomes of various research studies conducted for drinking water quality status of different areas of Pakistan by taking into account the physicochemical properties of drinking water as well as the presence of various pathogenic microorganisms. About 20% of the whole population of Pakistan has access to safe drinking water. The remaining 80% of population is forced to use unsafe drinking water due to the scarcity of safe and healthy drinking water sources. The primary source of contamination is sewerage (fecal) which is extensively discharged into drinking water system supplies. Secondary source of pollution is the disposal of toxic chemicals from industrial effluents, pesticides, and fertilizers from agriculture sources into the water bodies. Anthropogenic activities cause waterborne diseases that constitute about 80% of all diseases and are responsible for 33% of deaths. This review highlights the drinking water quality, contamination sources, sanitation situation, and effects of unsafe drinking water on humans. There is immediate need to take protective measures and treatment technologies to overcome unhygienic condition of drinking water supplies in different areas of Pakistan.

Effects of adding liquid DL-methionine hydroxy analogue-free acid to drinking water on growth performance and small intestinal morphology of nursery pigs.

PubMed

Kaewtapee, C; Krutthai, N; Poosuwan, K; Poeikhampha, T; Koonawootrittriron, S; Bunchasak, C

2010-06-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of adding liquid DL-methionine hydroxy analogue free acid (LMA) to drinking water on growth performance, small intestinal morphology and volatile fatty acids in the caecum of nursery pigs. Twenty-four crossbred pigs (Large White x Landrace, BW approximately 18 kg) were divided into three groups with four replications of two piglets each. The piglets received drinking water without (control), with 0.05 or 0.10% LMA. The results indicated that adding LMA at 0.10% to drinking water significantly increased their weight gain, average daily feed intake (p < 0.05) and tended to improve the feed conversion ratio. Adding LMA to drinking water significantly increased their water intake and significantly reduced the pH of drinking water (p < 0.01), thus total plate count (p < 0.01) and Escherichia coli in drinking water was reduced (p < 0.05), while the total number of bacteria in the caecum was not significantly affected. Liquid DL-methionine hydroxy analogue free acid supplementation in drinking water tended to decrease pH in the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, colon and rectum. Furthermore, adding LMA at 0.10% significantly increased villous height in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum (p < 0.05), and the villous height:crypt depth ratio in the jejunum and ileum (p < 0.01) was higher, whereas acetic acid concentration in the caecum was significantly lower than in the control group. It could be concluded that adding LMA to drinking water improved growth performance of the nursery pigs because of high water quality and high nutrient utilization caused by an improvement of small intestinal morphology (not from nutritional effect of methionine source).

Climate change and drinking water production in The Netherlands: a flexible approach.

PubMed

Ramaker, T A B; Meuleman, A F M; Bernhardi, L; Cirkel, G

2005-01-01

Climate change increases water system dynamics through temperature changes, changes in precipitation patterns, evaporation, water quality and water storage in ice packs. Water system dependent economical stakeholders, such as drinking water companies in The Netherlands, have to cope with consequences of climate change, e.g. floods and water shortages in river systems, upconing brackish ground water, salt water intrusion, increasing peak demands and microbiological activity. In the past decades, however, both water systems and drinking water production have become more and more inflexible; water systems have been heavily regulated and the drinking water supply has grown into an inflexible, but cheap and reliable, system. Flexibility and adaptivity are solutions to overcome climate change related consequences. Flexible adaptive strategies for drinking water production comprise new sources for drinking water production, application of storage concepts in the short term, and a redesign of large centralised systems, including flexible treatment plants, in the long term. Transition to flexible concepts will take decades because investment depreciation periods of assets are long. This implies that long-term strategies within an indicated time path have to be developed. These strategies must be based on thorough knowledge of current assets to seize opportunities for change.

Evaluation of potential human health risk and investigation of drinking water quality in Isparta city center (Turkey).

PubMed

Varol, Simge; Davraz, Aysen

2016-06-01

Isparta city center is selected as a work area in this study because the public believes that the tap water is dirty and harmful. In this study, the city's drinking water in the distribution system and other spring waters which are used as drinking water in this region were investigated from the point of water quality and health risk assessment. Water samples were collected from major drinking water springs, tap waters, treatment plants and dam pond in the Isparta province center. Ca-Mg-HCO3, Mg-Ca-HCO3, Ca-Na-HCO3, Ca-HCO3, Ca-HCO3-SO4 and Ca-Mg-HCO3-SO4 are dominant water types. When compared to drinking water guidelines established by World Health Organization and Turkey, much greater attention should be paid to As, Br, Fe, F, NH4, PO4 through varied chemicals above the critical values. The increases of As, Fe, F, NH4 and PO4 are related to water-rock interaction. In tap waters, the increases of As and Fe are due to corrosion of pipes in drinking water distribution systems. The major toxic and carcinogenic chemicals within drinking water are As and Br for both tap water and spring water. Also, F is the non-carcinogenic chemical for only spring waters in the study area.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), an emerging drinking water contaminant: a critical review of recent literature.

PubMed

Post, Gloria B; Cohn, Perry D; Cooper, Keith R

2012-07-01

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an anthropogenic contaminant that differs in several ways from most other well-studied organic chemicals found in drinking water. PFOA is extremely resistant to environmental degradation processes and thus persists indefinitely. Unlike most other persistent and bioaccumulative organic pollutants, PFOA is water-soluble, does not bind well to soil or sediments, and bioaccumulates in serum rather than in fat. It has been detected in finished drinking water and drinking water sources impacted by releases from industrial facilities and waste water treatment plants, as well as in waters with no known point sources. However, the overall occurrence and population exposure from drinking water is not known. PFOA persists in humans with a half-life of several years and is found in the serum of almost all U.S. residents and in populations worldwide. Exposure sources include food, food packaging, consumer products, house dust, and drinking water. Continued exposure to even relatively low concentrations in drinking water can substantially increase total human exposure, with a serum:drinking water ratio of about 100:1. For example, ongoing exposures to drinking water concentrations of 10 ng/L, 40 ng/L, 100 ng/L, or 400 ng/L are expected to increase mean serum levels by about 25%, 100%, 250%, and 1000%, respectively, from the general population background serum level of about 4 ng/mL. Infants are potentially a sensitive subpopulation for PFOA's developmental effects, and their exposure through breast milk from mothers who use contaminated drinking water and/or from formula prepared with contaminated drinking water is higher than in adults exposed to the same drinking water concentration. Numerous health endpoints are associated with human PFOA exposure in the general population, communities with contaminated drinking water, and workers. As is the case for most such epidemiology studies, causality for these effects is not proven. Unlike most other well-studied drinking water contaminants, the human dose-response curve for several effects appears to be steepest at the lower exposure levels, including the general population range, with no apparent threshold for some endpoints. There is concordance in animals and humans for some effects, while humans and animals appear to react differently for other effects such as lipid metabolism. PFOA was classified as "likely to be carcinogenic in humans" by the USEPA Science Advisory Board. In animal studies, developmental effects have been identified as more sensitive endpoints for toxicity than carcinogenicity or the long-established hepatic effects. Notably, exposure to an environmentally relevant drinking water concentration caused adverse effects on mammary gland development in mice. This paper reviews current information relevant to the assessment of PFOA as an emerging drinking water contaminant. This information suggests that continued human exposure to even relatively low concentrations of PFOA in drinking water results in elevated body burdens that may increase the risk of health effects. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship between drinking water and toenail arsenic concentrations among a cohort of Nova Scotians.

PubMed

Yu, Zhijie M; Dummer, Trevor J B; Adams, Aimee; Murimboh, John D; Parker, Louise

2014-01-01

Consumption of arsenic-contaminated drinking water is associated with increased cancer risk. The relationship between arsenic body burden, such as concentrations in human toenails, and arsenic in drinking water is not fully understood. We evaluated the relationship between arsenic concentrations in drinking water and toenail clippings among a cohort of Nova Scotians. A total of 960 men and women aged 35 to 69 years provided home drinking water and toenail clipping samples. Information on water source and treatment use and covariables was collected through questionnaires. Arsenic concentrations in drinking water and toenail clippings and anthropometric indices were measured. Private drilled water wells had higher arsenic concentrations compared with other dug wells and municipal drinking water sources (P<0.001). Among participants with drinking water arsenic levels ≥1 μg/l, there was a significant relationship between drinking water and toenail arsenic concentrations (r=0.46, P<0.0001). Given similar levels of arsenic exposure from drinking water, obese individuals had significantly lower concentrations of arsenic in toenails compared with those with a normal weight. Private drilled water wells were an important source of arsenic exposure in the study population. Body weight modifies the relationship between drinking water arsenic exposure and toenail arsenic concentrations.

A small amount of tetrachloroethylene ingestion from drinking water accelerates antigen-stimulated allergic responses.

PubMed

Seo, Makoto; Yamagiwa, Takeo; Kobayashi, Ryo; Ikeda, Koji; Satoh, Masahiko; Inagaki, Naoki; Nagai, Hiroichi; Nagase, Hisamitsu

2008-01-01

Previously, we observed that tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene, PCE) increased histamine release and inflammatory mediator production from antigen-stimulated mast cells. In this study, we examined the enhancing effect of low concentrations of PCE in drinking water on antigen-stimulated allergic responses. After exposure of Wistar rats to PCE in drinking water for 2 or 4 weeks, we performed a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction. PCE exposure for 4 weeks enhanced PCA reaction in a dose-dependent manner. In pathological studies, PCE exposure for 2 weeks exacerbated inflammation characterized by infiltration of lymphocytes and accumulation of mast cells around the vessel. Non-purified mast cells (NPMCs) from rats treated with 1mg/L PCE in drinking water for 2 weeks increased antigen-stimulated histamine release. Furthermore, the leukocytes of rats treated with PCE in drinking water for 4 weeks showed increased interleukin (IL)-4 expression. The mechanism of enhancing the PCA reaction is assumed to be that PCE increases IL-4 production and PCE causes T helper (Th) 1/Th2-type helper T-cell imbalance and increases histamine release from excessively accumulated mast cells. The results suggest that the intake of PCE in drinking water, even at a low concentration, leads to the initiation and acceleration of allergic diseases.

Geographical distribution of drinking-water with high iodine level and association between high iodine level in drinking-water and goitre: a Chinese national investigation.

PubMed

Shen, Hongmei; Liu, Shoujun; Sun, Dianjun; Zhang, Shubin; Su, Xiaohui; Shen, Yanfeng; Han, Hepeng

2011-07-01

Excessive iodine intake can cause thyroid function disorders as can be caused by iodine deficiency. There are many people residing in areas with high iodine levels in drinking-water in China. The main aim of the present study was to map the geographical distribution of drinking-water with high iodine level in China and to determine the relationship between high iodine level in drinking-water and goitre prevalence. Iodine in drinking-water was measured in 1978 towns of eleven provinces in China, with a total of 28,857 water samples. We randomly selected children of 8-10 years old, examined the presence of goitre and measured their urinary iodine in 299 towns of nine provinces. Of the 1978 towns studied, 488 had iodine levels between 150 and 300 μg/l in drinking-water, and in 246 towns, the iodine level was >300 μg/l. These towns are mainly distributed along the original Yellow River flood areas, the second largest river in China. Of the 56 751 children examined, goitre prevalence was 6.3 % in the areas with drinking-water iodine levels of 150-300 μg/l and 11.0 % in the areas with drinking-water iodine >300 μg/l. Goitre prevalence increased with water and urinary iodine levels. For children with urinary iodine >1500 μg/l, goitre prevalence was 3.69 times higher than that for those with urinary iodine levels of 100-199 μg/l. The present study suggests that drinking-water with high iodine levels is distributed in eleven provinces of China. Goitre becomes more prevalent with the increase in iodine level in drinking-water. Therefore, it becomes important to prevent goitre through stopping the provision of iodised salt and providing normal drinking-water iodine through pipelines in these areas in China.

Prevalence of dental fluorosis in relation with different fluoride levels in drinking water among school going children in Sarada tehsil of Udaipur district, Rajasthan.

PubMed

Sarvaiya, B U; Bhayya, D; Arora, R; Mehta, D N

2012-01-01

To estimate the prevalence of dental fluorosis in relation with different fluoride levels in drinking water among school going children of 6-12 years age group. Dental fluorosis was recorded using Dean's index in school children of selected villages. The drinking water samples of all the selected villages were collected in polyethylene bottles and the fluoride content of these samples was determined by fluoride ion selective method using Orion microprocessor analyser. The overall prevalence of dental fluorosis was found to be 69.84%. An increase in the community fluorosis index (CFI) with corresponding increase in water fluoride content was found. There was an increase in prevalence of dental fluorosis with a corresponding increase in water fluoride content from 0.8 ppm to 4.1 ppm. A significantly strong positive correlation was found between CFI and fluoride concentration in drinking water.

Arsenic in Eggs and Excreta of Laying Hens in Bangladesh: A Preliminary Study

PubMed Central

Awal, M. A.; Majumder, Shankar; Mostofa, Mahbub; Khair, Abul; Islam, M. Z.; Rao, D. Ramkishan

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to detect arsenic concentrations in feed, well-water for drinking, eggs, and excreta of laying hens in arsenic-prone areas of Bangladesh and to assess the effect of arsenic-containing feed and well-water on the accumulation of arsenic in eggs and excreta of the same subject. One egg from each laying hen (n=248) and its excreta, feed, and well-water for drinking were collected. Total arsenic concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer, coupled with hydride generator. Effects of arsenic-containing feed and drinking-water on the accumulation of arsenic in eggs and excreta were analyzed by multivariate regression model, using Stata software. Mean arsenic concentrations in drinking-water, feed (dry weight [DW]), egg (wet weight [WW]), and excreta (DW) of hens were 77.3, 176.6, 19.2, and 1,439.9 ppb respectively. Significant (p<0.01) positive correlations were found between the arsenic contents in eggs and drinking-water (r=0.602), drinking-water and excreta (r=0.716), feed and excreta (r=0.402) as well as between the arsenic content in eggs and the age of the layer (r=0.243). On an average, 55% and 82% of the total variation in arsenic contents of eggs and excreta respectively could be attributed to the variation in the geographic area, age, feed type, and arsenic contents of drinking-water and feed. For each week's increase in age of hens, arsenic content in eggs increased by 0.94%. For every 1% elevation of arsenic in drinking-water, arsenic in eggs and excreta increased by 0.41% and 0.44% respectively whereas for a 1% rise of arsenic in feed, arsenic in eggs and excreta increased by 0.40% and 0.52% respectively. These results provide evidence that, although high arsenic level prevails in well-water for drinking in Bangladesh, the arsenic shows low biological transmission capability from body to eggs and, thus, the value was below the maximum tolerable limit for humans. However, arsenic in drinking-water and/or feed makes a significant contribution to the arsenic accumulations in eggs and excreta of laying hens. PMID:23304904

Arsenic in eggs and excreta of laying hens in Bangladesh: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Ghosh, Amalendu; Awal, M A; Majumder, Shankar; Mostofa, Mahbub; Khair, Abul; Islam, M Z; Rao, D Ramkishan

2012-12-01

The aim of this study was to detect arsenic concentrations in feed, well-water for drinking, eggs, and excreta of laying hens in arsenic-prone areas of Bangladesh and to assess the effect of arsenic-containing feed and well-water on the accumulation of arsenic in eggs and excreta of the same subject. One egg from each laying hen (n = 248) and its excreta, feed, and well-water for drinking were collected. Total arsenic concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer, coupled with hydride generator. Effects of arsenic-containing feed and drinking-water on the accumulation of arsenic in eggs and excreta were analyzed by multivariate regression model, using Stata software. Mean arsenic concentrations in drinking-water, feed (dry weight [DW]), egg (wet weight [WW]), and excreta (DW) of hens were 77.3, 176.6, 19.2, and 1,439.9 ppb respectively. Significant (p < 0.01) positive correlations were found between the arsenic contents in eggs and drinking-water (r = 0.602), drinking-water and excreta (r = 0.716), feed and excreta (r = 0.402) as well as between the arsenic content in eggs and the age of the layer (r = 0.243). On an average, 55% and 82% of the total variation in arsenic contents of eggs and excreta respectively could be attributed to the variation in the geographic area, age, feed type, and arsenic contents of drinking-water and feed. For each week's increase in age of hens, arsenic content in eggs increased by 0.94%. For every 1% elevation of arsenic in drinking-water, arsenic in eggs and excreta increased by 0.41% and 0.44% respectively whereas for a 1% rise of arsenic in feed, arsenic in eggs and excreta increased by 0.40% and 0.52% respectively. These results provide evidence that, although high arsenic level prevails in well-water for drinking in Bangladesh, the arsenic shows low biological transmission capability from body to eggs and, thus, the value was below the maximum tolerable limit for humans. However, arsenic in drinking-water and/or feed makes a significant contribution to the arsenic accumulations in eggs and excreta of laying hens.

Fecal contamination of drinking water within peri-urban households, Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Oswald, William E; Lescano, Andrés G; Bern, Caryn; Calderon, Maritza M; Cabrera, Lilia; Gilman, Robert H

2007-10-01

We assessed fecal contamination of drinking water in households in 2 peri-urban communities of Lima, Peru. We measured Escherichia coli counts in municipal source water and, within households, water from principal storage containers, stored boiled drinking water, and water in a serving cup. Source water was microbiologically clean, but 26 (28%) of 93 samples of water stored for cooking had fecal contamination. Twenty-seven (30%) of 91 stored boiled drinking water samples grew E. coli. Boiled water was more frequently contaminated when served in a drinking cup than when stored (P < 0.01). Post-source contamination increased successively through the steps of usage from source water to the point of consumption. Boiling failed to ensure safe drinking water at the point of consumption because of easily contaminated containers and poor domestic hygiene. Hygiene education, better point-of-use treatment and storage options, and in-house water connections are urgently needed.

When climate change is a fact! Adaptive strategies for drinking water production in a changing natural environment.

PubMed

Meuleman, A F M; Cirkel, G; Zwolsman, G J J

2007-01-01

Climate change increases water system dynamics through temperature changes, changes in precipitation patterns, evaporation, and water quality and water storage in ice packs. Water system dependent economical stakeholders, such as drinking water companies in the Netherlands, have to cope with consequences of climate change, e.g. floods and water shortages in river systems, upcoming of brackish ground water, salt water intrusion, increasing peak demands and microbiological activity due to temperature rise. In the past decades, however, both water systems and drinking water production have become more and more inflexible; water systems have been heavily regulated aiming at maximum security and economic functions and the drinking water supply in the Netherlands has grown into an inflexible, but cheap and reliable, system. At a water catchment scale, flexibility and adaptation are solutions to overcome climate change related consequences. Flexible adaptive strategies for drinking water production comprise new sources for drinking water production, application of storage concepts in the short term, and a redesign of large centralized systems, including flexible treatment plants, in the long term. Transition to flexible concepts will take decades because investment depreciation periods of assets are long. These strategies must be based on thorough knowledge of current assets to seize opportunities for change.

Nitrates in drinking water and the risk of death from rectal cancer: does hardness in drinking water matter?

PubMed

Chang, Chih-Ching; Chen, Chih-Cheng; Wu, Deng-Chuang; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2010-01-01

The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the relationship between nitrate levels in public water supplies and increased risk of death from rectal cancer and (2) determine whether calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) levels in drinking water might modify the effects of nitrate on development of rectal cancer. A matched case-control study was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of death from rectal cancer and exposure to nitrate in drinking water in Taiwan. All rectal cancer deaths of Taiwan residents from 2003 through 2007 were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to the cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Information on the levels of nitrate-nitrogen (NO(3)-N), Ca, and Mg in drinking water was collected from Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was presumed to be the source of the subject's NO(3)-N, Ca, and Mg exposure via drinking water. Relative to individuals whose NO(3)-N exposure level was <0.38 ppm, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) for rectal cancer occurrence was 1.15 (1.01-1.32) for individuals who resided in municipalities served by drinking water with a NO(3)-N exposure > or =0.38 ppm. There was no apparent evidence of an interaction between drinking water NO(3)-N levels with low Mg intake via drinking water. However, evidence of a significant interaction was noted between drinking-water NO(3)-N concentrations and Ca intake via drinking water. Our findings showed that the correlation between NO(3)-N exposure and risk of rectal cancer development was influenced by Ca in drinking water. This is the first study to report effect modification by Ca intake from drinking water on the association between NO(3)-N exposure and risk of rectal cancer occurrence. Increased knowledge of the mechanistic interaction between Ca and NO(3)-N in reducing rectal cancer risk will aid in public policymaking and setting threshold standards.

DRINKING WATER AND CANCER INCIDENCE IN IOWA. 2. RADIOACTIVITY IN DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents a logical epidemiologic exploration into possible associations between exposures to radium-226 in drinking water and incidence rates for cancers of the bladder, breast, colon, lung, prostate, and rectum. The most striking finding is the increasing gradient of ...

Unregulated Drinking Water Systems.

PubMed

Farquhar, Doug

2018-02-01

(1)One in 9 Americans gets his or her drinking water from a private well. (2) An estimated 20 percent of private wells have contaminants above Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards.(3) Disease outbreaks from private wells are increasing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Chemical Contamination of California Drinking Water

PubMed Central

Russell, Hanafi H.; Jackson, Richard J.; Spath, David P.; Book, Steven A.

1987-01-01

Drinking water contamination by toxic chemicals has become widely recognized as a public health concern since the discovery of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane in California's Central Valley in 1979. Increased monitoring since then has shown that other pesticides and industrial chemicals are present in drinking water. Contaminants of drinking water also include naturally occurring substances such as asbestos and even the by-products of water chlorination. Public water systems, commercially bottled and vended water and mineral water are regulated, and California is also taking measures to prevent water pollution by chemicals through various new laws and programs. PMID:3321714

Chemical contamination of California drinking water.

PubMed

Russell, H H; Jackson, R J; Spath, D P; Book, S A

1987-11-01

Drinking water contamination by toxic chemicals has become widely recognized as a public health concern since the discovery of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane in California's Central Valley in 1979. Increased monitoring since then has shown that other pesticides and industrial chemicals are present in drinking water. Contaminants of drinking water also include naturally occurring substances such as asbestos and even the by-products of water chlorination. Public water systems, commercially bottled and vended water and mineral water are regulated, and California is also taking measures to prevent water pollution by chemicals through various new laws and programs.

Occurrence and fate of pharmaceutical products and by-products, from resource to drinking water.

PubMed

Mompelat, S; Le Bot, B; Thomas, O

2009-07-01

Among all emerging substances in water, pharmaceutical products (PPs) and residues are a lot of concern. These last two years, the number of studies has increased drastically, however much less for water resources and drinking water than for wastewater. This literature review based on recent works, deals with water resources (surface or groundwater), focusing on characteristics, occurrence and fate of numerous PPs studied, and drinking water including water quality. Through this review, it appears that the pharmaceutical risk must be considered even in drinking water where concentrations are very low. Moreover, there is a lack of research for by-products (metabolites and transformation products) characterization, occurrence and fate in all water types and especially in drinking water.

Addition of a Worm Leachate as Source of Humic Substances in the Drinking Water of Broiler Chickens

PubMed Central

Gomez-Rosales, S.; de L. Angeles, M.

2015-01-01

The objective of this research was to evaluate the growth performance, the apparent ileal digestibility of nitrogen and energy, the retention of nutrients and the apparent metabolizable energy corrected to zero nitrogen retention (AMEn) in broiler chickens supplemented with increasing doses of a worm leachate (WL) as a source of humic substances (HS) in the drinking water. In Exp. 1, 140 male broilers were penned individually and assigned to four WL levels (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) mixed in the drinking water from 21 to 49 days of age. Water was offered in plastic bottles tied to the cage. In Exp. 2, 600 male broilers from 21 to 49 days of age housed in floor pens were assigned to three levels of WL (0%, 10%, and 20%) mixed in the drinking water. The WL was mixed with tap water in plastic containers connected by plastic tubing to bell drinkers. The results of both experiments were subjected to analysis of variance and polynomial contrasts. In Exp. 1, the daily water consumption was similar among treatments but the consumption of humic, fulvic, and total humic acids increased linearly (p<0.01) as the WL increased in the drinking water. The feed conversion (p<0.01) and the ileal digestibility of energy, the excretion of dry matter and energy, the retention of dry matter, ash and nitrogen and the AMEn showed quadratic responses (p<0.05) relative to the WL levels in drinking water. In Exp. 2, the increasing level of WL in the drinking water had quadratic effects on the final body weight, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio (p<0.05). The addition of WL as a source of HS in the drinking water had beneficial effects on the growth performance, ileal digestibility of energy, the retention of nutrients as well on the AMEn in broiler chickens; the best results were observed when the WL was mixed at levels of 20% to 30% in the drinking water. PMID:25557817

Addition of a worm leachate as source of humic substances in the drinking water of broiler chickens.

PubMed

Gomez-Rosales, S; de L Angeles, M

2015-02-01

The objective of this research was to evaluate the growth performance, the apparent ileal digestibility of nitrogen and energy, the retention of nutrients and the apparent metabolizable energy corrected to zero nitrogen retention (AMEn) in broiler chickens supplemented with increasing doses of a worm leachate (WL) as a source of humic substances (HS) in the drinking water. In Exp. 1, 140 male broilers were penned individually and assigned to four WL levels (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) mixed in the drinking water from 21 to 49 days of age. Water was offered in plastic bottles tied to the cage. In Exp. 2, 600 male broilers from 21 to 49 days of age housed in floor pens were assigned to three levels of WL (0%, 10%, and 20%) mixed in the drinking water. The WL was mixed with tap water in plastic containers connected by plastic tubing to bell drinkers. The results of both experiments were subjected to analysis of variance and polynomial contrasts. In Exp. 1, the daily water consumption was similar among treatments but the consumption of humic, fulvic, and total humic acids increased linearly (p<0.01) as the WL increased in the drinking water. The feed conversion (p<0.01) and the ileal digestibility of energy, the excretion of dry matter and energy, the retention of dry matter, ash and nitrogen and the AMEn showed quadratic responses (p<0.05) relative to the WL levels in drinking water. In Exp. 2, the increasing level of WL in the drinking water had quadratic effects on the final body weight, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio (p<0.05). The addition of WL as a source of HS in the drinking water had beneficial effects on the growth performance, ileal digestibility of energy, the retention of nutrients as well on the AMEn in broiler chickens; the best results were observed when the WL was mixed at levels of 20% to 30% in the drinking water.

DNA damage and oxidative stress in human liver cell L-02 caused by surface water extracts during drinking water treatment in a waterworks in China.

PubMed

Xie, Shao-Hua; Liu, Ai-Lin; Chen, Yan-Yan; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Hui-Juan; Jin, Bang-Xiong; Lu, Wen-Hong; Li, Xiao-Yan; Lu, Wen-Qing

2010-04-01

Because of the daily and life-long exposure to disinfection by-products formed during drinking water treatment, potential adverse human health risk of drinking water disinfection is of great concern. Toxicological studies have shown that drinking water treatment increases the genotoxicity of surface water. Drinking water treatment is comprised of different potabilization steps, which greatly influence the levels of genotoxic products in the surface water and thus may alter the toxicity and genotoxicity of surface water. The aim of the present study was to understand the influence of specific steps on toxicity and genotoxicity during the treatment of surface water in a water treatment plant using liquid chlorine as the disinfectant in China. An integrated approach of the comet and oxidative stress assays was used in the study, and the results showed that both the prechlorination and postchlorination steps increased DNA damage and oxidative stress caused by water extracts in human derived L-02 cells while the tube settling and filtration steps had the opposite effect. This research also highlighted the usefulness of an integrated approach of the comet and oxidative stress assays in evaluating the genotoxicity of surface water during drinking water treatment. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Chlorinated river and lake water extract caused oxidative damage, DNA migration and cytotoxicity in human cells.

PubMed

Yuan, Jing; Wu, Xin-Jiang; Lu, Wen-Qing; Cheng, Xiao-Li; Chen, Dan; Li, Xiao-Yan; Liu, Ai-Lin; Wu, Jian-Jun; Xie, Hong; Stahl, Thorsten; Mersch-Sundermann, Volker

2005-01-01

Consumption of chlorinated drinking water is suspected to be associated with adverse health effects, including mutations and cancer. In the present study, the genotoxic potential of water from Donghu lake, Yangtze river and Hanjiang river in Wuhan, an 8-million metropolis in China, was investigated using HepG2 cells and the alkaline version of the comet assay. It could be shown that all water extracts caused dose-dependent DNA migration in concentrations corresponding to dried extracts of 0.167-167 ml chlorinated drinking water per ml medium. To explore whether the intracellular redox status is regulated by chlorinated drinking water, we determined lipid peroxidation (LPO) and depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH). The malondialdehyde (thiobarbituric acid (TBA)-reactive aldehydes) concentration increased after chlorinated drinking water treatment of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner, the GSH content decreased. The activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) increased in chlorinated drinking water treated HepG2 cells indicating cytotoxicity. In accordance with former studies which dealt with in vivo and in vitro micronucleus induction the present study shows that chlorinated drinking water from polluted raw water may entail genetic risks.

Effects of human placental S9 and induced rat liver S9 on the mutagenicity of drinking waters processed from humus-rich surface waters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vartiainen, T.; Lampelo, S.

The mutagenicity of chlorinated drinking waters processed from humus-rich surface waters has been shown to be very high. The effect of placental S9 on the mutagenicity of drinking waters has not been studied previously. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of human placental and rat liver microsomal fractions on the mutagenicity of drinking waters processed from humus-rich surface waters. The samples of 34 drinking and two raw waters from 26 localities in Finland were tested for mutagenicity in Ames Salmonella typhimurium tester strain TA100 with and without metabolic activations. Between the drinking water samples, clear differencesmore » were recorded in the presence of placental and rat liver S9, suggesting different mutagens in the drinking waters. Rat liver S9 decreased the mutagenicities of drinking water concentrates, but placental S9 increased, decreased, or had no effect. It is not known if placental mutagenicity enhancing system might cause any health hazard to a developing fetus.« less

Wildfire effects on source-water quality--Lessons from Fourmile Canyon fire, Colorado, and implications for drinking-water treatment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Writer, Jeffrey H.; Murphy, Sheila F.

2012-01-01

Forested watersheds provide high-quality source water for many communities in the western United States. These watersheds are vulnerable to wildfires, and wildfire size, fire severity, and length of fire season have increased since the middle 1980s (Westerling and others, 2006). Burned watersheds are prone to increased flooding and erosion, which can impair water-supply reservoirs, water quality, and drinking-water treatment processes. Limited information exists on the degree, timing, and duration of the effects of wildfire on water quality, making it difficult for drinking-water providers to evaluate the risk and develop management options. In order to evaluate the effects of wildfire on water quality and downstream ecosystems in the Colorado Front Range, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a study after the 2010 Fourmile Canyon fire near Boulder, Colorado. Hydrologists frequently sampled Fourmile Creek at monitoring sites upstream and downstream of the burned area to study water-quality changes during hydrologic conditions such as base flow, spring snowmelt, and summer thunderstorms. This fact sheet summarizes principal findings from the first year of research. Stream discharge and nitrate concentrations increased downstream of the burned area during snowmelt runoff, but increases were probably within the treatment capacity of most drinking-water plants, and limited changes were observed in downstream ecosystems. During and after high-intensity thunderstorms, however, turbidity, dissolved organic carbon, nitrate, and some metals increased by 1 to 4 orders of magnitude within and downstream of the burned area. Increases of such magnitude can pose problems for water-supply reservoirs, drinking-water treatment plants, and downstream aquatic ecosystems.

Encouraging consumption of water in school and child care settings: access, challenges, and strategies for improvement.

PubMed

Patel, Anisha I; Hampton, Karla E

2011-08-01

Children and adolescents are not consuming enough water, instead opting for sugar-sweetened beverages (sodas, sports and energy drinks, milks, coffees, and fruit-flavored drinks with added sugars), 100% fruit juice, and other beverages. Drinking sufficient amounts of water can lead to improved weight status, reduced dental caries, and improved cognition among children and adolescents. Because children spend most of their day at school and in child care, ensuring that safe, potable drinking water is available in these settings is a fundamental public health measure. We sought to identify challenges that limit access to drinking water; opportunities, including promising practices, to increase drinking water availability and consumption; and future research, policy efforts, and funding needed in this area.

Occurrence of multi-antibiotic resistant Pseudomonas spp. in drinking water produced from karstic hydrosystems.

PubMed

Flores Ribeiro, Angela; Bodilis, Josselin; Alonso, Lise; Buquet, Sylvaine; Feuilloley, Marc; Dupont, Jean-Paul; Pawlak, Barbara

2014-08-15

Aquatic environments could play a role in the spread of antibiotic resistance genes by enabling antibiotic-resistant bacteria transferred through wastewater inputs to connect with autochthonous bacteria. Consequently, drinking water could be a potential pathway to humans and animals for antibiotic resistance genes. The aim of this study was to investigate occurrences of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas spp. in drinking water produced from a karst, a vulnerable aquifer with frequent increases in water turbidity after rainfall events and run-offs. Water samples were collected throughout the system from the karstic springs to the drinking water tap during three non-turbid periods and two turbid events. E. coli densities in the springs were 10- to 1000-fold higher during the turbid events than during the non-turbid periods, indicating that, with increased turbidity, surface water had entered the karstic system and contaminated the spring water. However, no E. coli were isolated in the drinking water. In contrast, Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from the drinking water only during turbid events, while the densities in the springs were from 10- to 100-fold higher than in the non-turbid periods. All the 580 Pseudomonas spp. isolates obtained from the sampling periods were resistant (to between 1 and 10 antibiotics), with similar resistance patterns. Among all the Pseudomonas isolated throughout the drinking water production system, between 32% and 86% carried the major resistance pattern: ticarcillin, ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, cefsulodin, and/or aztreonam, and/or sulfamethoxazol-trimethoprim, and/or fosfomycin. Finally, 8 Pseudomonas spp. isolates, related to the Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas fluorescens species, were isolated from the drinking water. Thus, Pseudomonas could be involved in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance via drinking water during critical periods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling the impacts of global change on concentrations of Escherichia coli in an urban river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalliffier-Verne, Isabelle; Leconte, Robert; Huaringa-Alvarez, Uriel; Heniche, Mourad; Madoux-Humery, Anne-Sophie; Autixier, Laurène; Galarneau, Martine; Servais, Pierre; Prévost, Michèle; Dorner, Sarah

2017-10-01

Discharges of combined sewer system overflows (CSOs) affect water quality in drinking water sources despite increasing regulation and discharge restrictions. A hydrodynamic model was applied to simulate the transport and dispersion of fecal contaminants from CSO discharges and to quantify the impacts of climate and population changes on the water quality of the river used as a drinking water source in Québec, Canada. The dispersion model was used to quantify Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations at drinking water intakes. Extreme flows during high and low water events were based on a frequency analysis in current and future climate scenarios. The increase of the number of discharges was quantified in current and future climate scenarios with regards to the frequency of overflows observed between 2009 and 2012. For future climate scenarios, effects of an increase of population were estimated according to current population growth statistics, independently of local changes in precipitation that are more difficult to predict than changes to regional scale hydrology. Under ;business-as-usual; scenarios restricting increases in CSO discharge frequency, mean E. coli concentrations at downstream drinking water intakes are expected to increase by up to 87% depending on the future climate scenario and could lead to changes in drinking water treatment requirements for the worst case scenarios. The greatest uncertainties are related to future local discharge loads. Climate change adaptation with regards to drinking water quality must focus on characterizing the impacts of global change at a local scale. Source water protection planning must consider the impacts of climate and population change to avoid further degradation of water quality.

Arsenic levels in cutaneous appendicular organs are correlated with digitally evaluated hyperpigmented skin of the forehead but not the sole in Bangladesh residents.

PubMed

Yajima, Ichiro; Ahsan, Nazmul; Akhand, Anwarul Azim; Al Hossain, Mm Aeorangajeb; Yoshinaga, Masafumi; Ohgami, Nobutaka; Iida, Machiko; Oshino, Reina; Naito, Mariko; Wakai, Kenji; Kato, Masashi

2018-01-01

There has been no report showing the effect of arsenic level on digitized skin pigmentation level, a typical diagnostic marker for arsenicosis. Correlations among history of drinking well water, arsenic levels in hair and toenails, and digitalized skin pigmentation levels (L*-value) in sunlight-exposed (forehead) and unexposed (sole) skin areas digitally evaluated by using a reflectance spectrophotometer were examined in 150 residents of Bangladesh. Univariate analysis showed that arsenic levels in hair and toenails of subjects with a history of drinking well water were 10.6-fold and 7.1-fold higher, respectively, than those in subjects without a history of drinking well water. The mean L*-value of foreheads, but not that of soles, in subjects with a history of drinking well water was 1.15-fold lower (more pigmented) than that in subjects without a history of drinking well water. Significant correlations were found between duration of drinking well water and arsenic concentrations in hair (r=0.63; P<0.01) and toenails (r=0.60; P<0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that the arsenic levels in hair and toenails and the duration of drinking well water were strongly correlated with the digitized pigmented level of the forehead but not that of the sole. An increase in the duration of drinking well water may increase hyperpigmentation in the forehead, but not that in the sole, through an increased arsenic level in the human body as shown in cutaneous appendicular organs (hair and toenails).

STRAIN COMPARISON IN PREGNANT RATS OF ENDOCRINE RESPONSE TO BROMODICHLOROMETHANE: A DRINKING WATER DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCT

EPA Science Inventory

Bromodichloromethane (BDCM), a trihalomethane, is a by-product of the chlorination of drinking water. In an epidemiological study, consumption of drinking water with high levels of BDCM was associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion in pregnant women (Waller et al....

Drinking Water: A Community Action Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Susan, Ed.; And Others

While much of the drinking water in the United States is safe for consumption, protecting its quality and assuring its availability are becoming increasingly difficult. This booklet is written for individuals and groups who are concerned about the drinking water in their communities. It provides a general introduction to the complex issues of…

Metabolic profiles in serum of mouse after chronic exposure to drinking water.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Wu, Bing; Zhang, Xuxiang; Li, Aimin; Cheng, Shupei

2011-08-01

The toxicity of Nanjing drinking water on mouse (Mus musculus) was detected by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabonomic method. Three groups of mice were fed with drinking water (produced by Nanjing BHK Water Plant), 3.8 μg/L benzo(a)pyrene as contrast, and clean water as control, respectively, for 90 days. It was observed that the levels of lactate, alanine, and creatinine in the mice fed with drinking water were increased and that of valine was decreased. The mice of drinking water group were successfully separated from control. The total concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates (PAEs), and other organic pollutants in the drinking water were 0.23 μg/L, 4.57 μg/L, and 0.34 μg/L, respectively. In this study, Nanjing drinking water was found to induce distinct perturbations of metabolic profiles on mouse including disorders of glucose-alanine cycle, branched-chain amino acid and energy metabolism, and dysfunction of kidney. This study suggests that metabonomic method is feasible and sensitive to evaluate potential toxic effects of drinking water.

Safe drinking water in regional NSW, Australia.

PubMed

Byleveld, Paul M; Leask, Sandy D; Jarvis, Leslie A; Wall, Katrina J; Henderson, Wendy N; Tickell, Joshua E

2016-04-15

The New South Wales (NSW) Public Health Act 2010 requires water suppliers to implement a drinking water quality assurance program that addresses the 'Framework for management of drinking water quality' in the Australian drinking water guidelines. NSW Health has recognised the importance of a staged implementation of this requirement and the need to support regional water utilities. To date, NSW Health has assisted 74 regional utilities to develop and implement their management systems. The Public Health Act 2010 has increased awareness of drinking water risk management, and offers a systematic process to identify and control risks. This has benefited large utilities, smaller suppliers, and remote and Aboriginal communities. Work is continuing to ensure implementation of the process by private suppliers and water carters.

Fluoride and bacterial content of bottled drinking water versus municipal tap water.

PubMed

Mythri, H; Chandu, G N; Prashant, G M; Subba Reddy, V V

2010-01-01

Water is a divine gift. People quench their thirst without questioning the source of water. But, apprehension about contaminants in municipal water supplies along with increased fear of fluorosis made bottled drinking water as one of the important tradable commodities. The objectives of the study were to determine and compare the fluoride and bacterial contents of commercially available bottled drinking water and municipal tap water in Davangere city, Karnataka. Fifty samples of 10 categories of bottled drinking water with different batch numbers were purchased and municipal water from different sources were collected. Fluoride levels were determined by an ion-selective electrode. Water was cultured quantitatively and levels of bacteria were calculated as colony-forming units (CFUs) per milliliter. Descriptive analysis of water samples for fluoride concentration was in the range of 0.07-0.33 for bottled drinking water, Bisleri showing the highest of 0.33. A comparison of the mean values of microbial count for bottled drinking water with that of municipal tap water showed no statistically significant difference, but was more than the standard levels along with the presence of fungus and maggots. The fluoride concentration was below the optimal level for both municipal tap water and bottled drinking water. CFUs were more than the recommended level in both municipal tap water and bottled drinking water.

The unintended energy impacts of increased nitrate contamination from biofuels production.

PubMed

Twomey, Kelly M; Stillwell, Ashlynn S; Webber, Michael E

2010-01-01

Increases in corn cultivation for biofuels production, due to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, are likely to lead to increases in nitrate concentrations in both surface and groundwater resources in the United States. These increases might trigger the requirement for additional energy consumption for water treatment to remove the nitrates. While these increasing concentrations of nitrate might pose a human health concern, most water resources were found to be within current maximum contaminant level (MCL) limits of 10 mg L(-1) NO(3)-N. When water resources exceed this MCL, energy-intensive drinking water treatment is required to reduce nitrate levels below 10 mg L(-1). Based on prior estimates of water supplies currently exceeding the nitrate MCL, we calculate that advanced drinking water treatment might require an additional 2360 million kWh annually (for nitrate affected areas only)--a 2100% increase in energy requirements for water treatment in those same areas--to mitigate nitrate contamination and meet the MCL requirement. We predict that projected increases in nitrate contamination in water may impact the energy consumed in the water treatment sector, because of the convergence of several related trends: (1) increasing cornstarch-based ethanol production, (2) increasing nutrient loading in surface water and groundwater resources as a consequence of increased corn-based ethanol production, (3) additional drinking water sources that exceed the MCL for nitrate, and (4) potentially more stringent drinking water standards for nitrate.

Estrogen-related receptor gamma disruption of source water and drinking water treatment processes extracts.

PubMed

Li, Na; Jiang, Weiwei; Rao, Kaifeng; Ma, Mei; Wang, Zijian; Kumaran, Satyanarayanan Senthik

2011-01-01

Environmental chemicals in drinking water can impact human health through nuclear receptors. Additionally, estrogen-related receptors (ERRs) are vulnerable to endocrine-disrupting effects. To date, however, ERR disruption of drinking water potency has not been reported. We used ERRgamma two-hybrid yeast assay to screen ERRgamma disrupting activities in a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) located in north China and in source water from a reservoir, focusing on agonistic, antagonistic, and inverse agonistic activity to 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT). Water treatment processes in the DWTP consisted of pre-chlorination, coagulation, coal and sand filtration, activated carbon filtration, and secondary chlorination processes. Samples were extracted by solid phase extraction. Results showed that ERRgamma antagonistic activities were found in all sample extracts, but agonistic and inverse agonistic activity to 4-OHT was not found. When calibrated with the toxic equivalent of 4-OHT, antagonistic effluent effects ranged from 3.4 to 33.1 microg/L. In the treatment processes, secondary chlorination was effective in removing ERRgamma antagonists, but the coagulation process led to significantly increased ERRgamma antagonistic activity. The drinking water treatment processes removed 73.5% of ERRgamma antagonists. To our knowledge, the occurrence of ERRgamma disruption activities on source and drinking water in vitro had not been reported previously. It is vital, therefore, to increase our understanding of ERRy disrupting activities in drinking water.

Encouraging Consumption of Water in School and Child Care Settings: Access, Challenges, and Strategies for Improvement

PubMed Central

Hampton, Karla E.

2011-01-01

Children and adolescents are not consuming enough water, instead opting for sugar-sweetened beverages (sodas, sports and energy drinks, milks, coffees, and fruit-flavored drinks with added sugars), 100% fruit juice, and other beverages. Drinking sufficient amounts of water can lead to improved weight status, reduced dental caries, and improved cognition among children and adolescents. Because children spend most of their day at school and in child care, ensuring that safe, potable drinking water is available in these settings is a fundamental public health measure. We sought to identify challenges that limit access to drinking water; opportunities, including promising practices, to increase drinking water availability and consumption; and future research, policy efforts, and funding needed in this area. PMID:21680941

Solid-phase microextraction of organophosphate pesticides in source waters for drinking water treatment facilities.

PubMed

Flynt, Elizabeth; Dupuy, Aubry; Kennedy, Charles; Bennett, Shanda

2006-09-01

The rapid detection of contaminants in our nation's drinking water has become a top homeland security priority in this time of increased national vigilance. Real-time monitoring of drinking water for deliberate or accidental contamination is key to national security. One method that can be employed for the rapid screening of pollutants in water is solid-phase microextraction (SPME). SPME is a rapid, sensitive, solvent-free system that can be used to screen for contaminants that have been accidentally or intentionally introduced into a water system. A method using SPME has been developed and optimized for the detection of seven organophosphate pesticides in drinking water treatment facility source waters. The method is tested in source waters for drinking water treatment facilities in Mississippi and Alabama. Water is collected from a deepwater well at Stennis Space Center (SSC), MS, the drinking water source for SSC, and from the Converse Reservoir, the main drinking water supply for Mobile, AL. Also tested are samples of water collected from the Mobile Alabama Water and Sewer System drinking water treatment plant prior to chlorination. The method limits of detection for the seven organophosphates were comparable to those described in several Environmental Protection Agency standard methods. They range from 0.25 to 0.94 microg/L.

[Pay attention to the human health risk of drinking low mineral water].

PubMed

Shu, Weiqun

2015-10-01

The consumption of low mineral drinking water has been increasing around the world with the shortage of water resources and the development of advanced water treatment technologies. Evidences from systematic document reviews, ecological epidemiological observations, and experimental drinking water intervention studies indicate that lack of minerals in drinking water may cause direct or indirect harm to human health, among which, the associations of magnesium in water with cardiovascular disease, as well as calcium in water with osteoporosis, are well proved by sufficient evidence. This article points out that it is urgent to pay more attention to the issues about establishment of health risk evaluation system on susceptible consuming population, establishment of lab evaluation system on water quality and health effect for non-traditional drinking water, and program of safety mineralization for demineralized or desalinated water and so on.

Dental fluorosis in populations from Chiang Mai, Thailand with different fluoride exposures – Paper 1: assessing fluorosis risk, predictors of fluorosis and the potential role of food preparation

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background To determine the severity of dental fluorosis in selected populations in Chiang Mai, Thailand with different exposures to fluoride and to explore possible risk indicators for dental fluorosis. Methods Subjects were male and female lifetime residents aged 8–13 years. For each child the fluoride content of drinking and cooking water samples were assessed. Digital images were taken of the maxillary central incisors for later blind scoring for TF index (10% repeat scores). Interview data explored previous cooking and drinking water use, exposure to fluoride, infant feeding patterns and oral hygiene practices. Results Data from 560 subjects were available for analysis (298 M, 262 F). A weighted kappa of 0.80 was obtained for repeat photographic scores. The prevalence of fluorosis (TF 3+) for subjects consuming drinking and cooking water with a fluoride concentration of <0.9 ppm was 10.2%. For subjects consuming drinking and cooking water >0.9 ppm F the prevalence of fluorosis (TF 3+) rose to 37.3%. Drinking and cooking water at age 3, water used for infant formula and water used for preparing infant food all demonstrated an increase in fluorosis severity with increase in water fluoride level (p < 0.001). The probability estimate for the presentation of aesthetically significant fluorosis was 0.53 for exposure to high fluoride drinking (≥0.9 ppm) and cooking water (≥1.6 ppm). Conclusions The consumption of drinking water with fluoride content >0.9 ppm and use of cooking water with fluoride content >1.6 ppm were associated with an increased risk of aesthetically significant dental fluorosis. Fluoride levels in the current drinking and cooking water sources were strongly correlated with fluorosis severity. Further work is needed to explore fluorosis risk in relation to total fluoride intake from all sources including food preparation. PMID:22720834

Dental fluorosis in populations from Chiang Mai, Thailand with different fluoride exposures - paper 1: assessing fluorosis risk, predictors of fluorosis and the potential role of food preparation.

PubMed

McGrady, Michael G; Ellwood, Roger P; Srisilapanan, Patcharawan; Korwanich, Narumanas; Worthington, Helen V; Pretty, Iain A

2012-06-21

To determine the severity of dental fluorosis in selected populations in Chiang Mai, Thailand with different exposures to fluoride and to explore possible risk indicators for dental fluorosis. Subjects were male and female lifetime residents aged 8-13 years. For each child the fluoride content of drinking and cooking water samples were assessed. Digital images were taken of the maxillary central incisors for later blind scoring for TF index (10% repeat scores). Interview data explored previous cooking and drinking water use, exposure to fluoride, infant feeding patterns and oral hygiene practices. Data from 560 subjects were available for analysis (298 M, 262 F). A weighted kappa of 0.80 was obtained for repeat photographic scores. The prevalence of fluorosis (TF 3+) for subjects consuming drinking and cooking water with a fluoride concentration of <0.9 ppm was 10.2%. For subjects consuming drinking and cooking water >0.9 ppm F the prevalence of fluorosis (TF 3+) rose to 37.3%. Drinking and cooking water at age 3, water used for infant formula and water used for preparing infant food all demonstrated an increase in fluorosis severity with increase in water fluoride level (p < 0.001). The probability estimate for the presentation of aesthetically significant fluorosis was 0.53 for exposure to high fluoride drinking (≥0.9 ppm) and cooking water (≥1.6 ppm). The consumption of drinking water with fluoride content >0.9 ppm and use of cooking water with fluoride content >1.6 ppm were associated with an increased risk of aesthetically significant dental fluorosis. Fluoride levels in the current drinking and cooking water sources were strongly correlated with fluorosis severity. Further work is needed to explore fluorosis risk in relation to total fluoride intake from all sources including food preparation.

Reduced Efficiency of Chlorine Disinfection of Naegleria fowleri in a Drinking Water Distribution Biofilm.

PubMed

Miller, Haylea C; Wylie, Jason; Dejean, Guillaume; Kaksonen, Anna H; Sutton, David; Braun, Kalan; Puzon, Geoffrey J

2015-09-15

Naegleria fowleri associated with biofilm and biological demand water (organic matter suspended in water that consumes disinfectants) sourced from operational drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) had significantly increased resistance to chlorine disinfection. N. fowleri survived intermittent chlorine dosing of 0.6 mg/L for 7 days in a mixed biofilm from field and laboratory-cultured Escherichia coli strains. However, N. fowleri associated with an attached drinking water distribution biofilm survived more than 30 times (20 mg/L for 3 h) the recommended concentration of chlorine for drinking water. N. fowleri showed considerably more resistance to chlorine when associated with a real field biofilm compared to the mixed laboratory biofilm. This increased resistance is likely due to not only the consumption of disinfectants by the biofilm and the reduced disinfectant penetration into the biofilm but also the composition and microbial community of the biofilm itself. The increased diversity of the field biofilm community likely increased N. fowleri's resistance to chlorine disinfection compared to that of the laboratory-cultured biofilm. Previous research has been conducted in only laboratory scale models of DWDSs and laboratory-cultured biofilms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating how N. fowleri can persist in a field drinking water distribution biofilm despite chlorination.

Estimation of the total daily oral intake of NDMA attributable to drinking water.

PubMed

Fristachi, Anthony; Rice, Glenn

2007-09-01

Disinfection with chlorine and chloramine leads to the formation of many disinfection by-products including N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Because NDMA is a probable human carcinogen, public health officials are concerned with its occurrence in drinking water. The goal of this study was to estimate NDMA concentrations from exogenous (i.e., drinking water and food) and endogenous (i.e., formed in the human body) sources, calculate average daily doses for ingestion route exposures and estimate the proportional oral intake (POI) of NDMA attributable to the consumption of drinking water relative to other ingestion sources of NDMA. The POI is predicted to be 0.02% relative to exogenous and endogenous NDMA sources combined. When only exogenous sources are considered, the POI was predicted to be 2.7%. The exclusion of endogenously formed NDMA causes the POI to increase dramatically, reflecting its importance as a potentially major source of exposure and uncertainty in the model. Although concentrations of NDMA in foods are small and human exposure to NDMA from foods is quite low, the contribution from food is predicted to be high relative to that of drinking water. The mean concentration of NDMA in drinking water would need to increase from 2.1 x 10(-3) microg/L to 0.10 microg/L, a 47-fold increase, for the POI to reach 1%, relative to all sources of NDMA considered in our model, suggesting that drinking water consumption is most likely a minor source of NDMA exposure.

Acceptability and Use of Portable Drinking Water and Hand Washing Stations in Health Care Facilities and Their Impact on Patient Hygiene Practices, Western Kenya

PubMed Central

Otieno, Ronald; Odhiambo, Aloyce; Faith, Sitnah H.

2015-01-01

Many health care facilities (HCF) in developing countries lack access to reliable hand washing stations and safe drinking water. To address this problem, we installed portable, low-cost hand washing stations (HWS) and drinking water stations (DWS), and trained healthcare workers (HCW) on hand hygiene, safe drinking water, and patient education techniques at 200 rural HCFs lacking a reliable water supply in western Kenya. We performed a survey at baseline and a follow-up evaluation at 15 months to assess the impact of the intervention at a random sample of 40 HCFs and 391 households nearest to these HCFs. From baseline to follow-up, there was a statistically significant increase in the percentage of dispensaries with access to HWSs with soap (42% vs. 77%, p<0.01) and access to safe drinking water (6% vs. 55%, p<0.01). Female heads of household in the HCF catchment area exhibited statistically significant increases from baseline to follow-up in the ability to state target times for hand washing (10% vs. 35%, p<0.01), perform all four hand washing steps correctly (32% vs. 43%, p = 0.01), and report treatment of stored drinking water using any method (73% vs. 92%, p<0.01); the percentage of households with detectable free residual chlorine in stored drinking water did not change (6%, vs. 8%, p = 0.14). The installation of low-cost, low-maintenance, locally-available, portable hand washing and drinking water stations in rural HCFs without access to 24-hour piped water helped assure that health workers had a place to wash their hands and provide safe drinking water. This HCF intervention may have also contributed to the improvement of hand hygiene and reported safe drinking water behaviors among households nearest to HCFs. PMID:25961293

Acceptability and use of portable drinking water and hand washing stations in health care facilities and their impact on patient hygiene practices, Western kenya.

PubMed

Bennett, Sarah D; Otieno, Ronald; Ayers, Tracy L; Odhiambo, Aloyce; Faith, Sitnah H; Quick, Robert

2015-01-01

Many health care facilities (HCF) in developing countries lack access to reliable hand washing stations and safe drinking water. To address this problem, we installed portable, low-cost hand washing stations (HWS) and drinking water stations (DWS), and trained healthcare workers (HCW) on hand hygiene, safe drinking water, and patient education techniques at 200 rural HCFs lacking a reliable water supply in western Kenya. We performed a survey at baseline and a follow-up evaluation at 15 months to assess the impact of the intervention at a random sample of 40 HCFs and 391 households nearest to these HCFs. From baseline to follow-up, there was a statistically significant increase in the percentage of dispensaries with access to HWSs with soap (42% vs. 77%, p<0.01) and access to safe drinking water (6% vs. 55%, p<0.01). Female heads of household in the HCF catchment area exhibited statistically significant increases from baseline to follow-up in the ability to state target times for hand washing (10% vs. 35%, p<0.01), perform all four hand washing steps correctly (32% vs. 43%, p = 0.01), and report treatment of stored drinking water using any method (73% vs. 92%, p<0.01); the percentage of households with detectable free residual chlorine in stored drinking water did not change (6%, vs. 8%, p = 0.14). The installation of low-cost, low-maintenance, locally-available, portable hand washing and drinking water stations in rural HCFs without access to 24-hour piped water helped assure that health workers had a place to wash their hands and provide safe drinking water. This HCF intervention may have also contributed to the improvement of hand hygiene and reported safe drinking water behaviors among households nearest to HCFs.

Short communication: the effects of histidine-supplemented drinking water on the performance of lactating dairy cows.

PubMed

Doelman, J; Purdie, N G; Osborne, V R; Cant, J P

2008-10-01

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that a sufficient proportion of histidine (His) included in the drinking water of lactating cows bypasses the rumen to have an effect on milk synthesis. Eight dairy cows (45 +/- 15 d in milk) were given either 0 or 2.5 g/L of His in the drinking water in a crossover design of two 7-d periods. Cows were offered a corn and alfalfa silage-based total mixed ration for ad libitum intake. Water was provided ad libitum to each cow in an individual automatic drinking vessel with a flow meter attached. Water intake tended to increase from 85.1 to 92.1 L/d when His was added. Concentrations of His in plasma samples collected on the last day of each period tended to increase from 14.6 to 21.6 muM, corresponding to an estimated 0.4% bypass of the imbibed histidine. Other amino acid concentrations in plasma were not affected by His supplementation. Milk yield increased by 1.7 L/d with His treatment, lactose yield increased by 90 g/d, and there were tendencies for protein yield to increase, fat percentage to decrease, and protein to fat ratio to increase. An improvement in postruminal histidine flow can influence milk production and composition but the proportion of imbibed water that bypasses the rumen will have to be increased to take advantage of drinking water as a vehicle to transfer His postruminally.

Water-induced thermogenesis and fat oxidation: a reassessment

PubMed Central

Charrière, N; Miles-Chan, J L; Montani, J-P; Dulloo, A G

2015-01-01

Background/Objectives: Drinking large amounts of water is often recommended for weight control. Whether water intake stimulates energy and fat metabolism is, however, controversial with some studies reporting that drinking half a litre or more of water increases resting energy expenditure (REE) by 10–30% and decreases respiratory quotient (RQ), whereas others report no significant changes in REE or RQ. The aim here was to reassess the concept of water-induced thermogenesis and fat oxidation in humans, with particular focus on interindividual variability in REE and RQ responses, comparison with a time-control Sham drink, and on the potential impact of gender, body composition and abdominal adiposity. Subjects/Methods: REE and RQ were measured in healthy young adults (n=27; body mass index range: 18.5–33.9 kg m−2), by ventilated hood indirect calorimetry for at least 30 min before and 130 min after ingesting 500 ml of purified (distilled) water at 21–22 °C or after Sham drinking, in a randomized cross-over design. Body composition and abdominal fat were assessed by bioimpedance techniques. Results: Drinking 500 ml of distilled water led to marginal increases in REE (<3% above baseline), independently of gender, but which were not significantly different from Sham drinking. RQ was found to fall after the water drink, independently of gender, but it also diminished to a similar extent in response to sham drinking. Interindividual variability in REE and RQ responses was not associated with body fatness, central adiposity or fat-free mass. Conclusions: This study conducted in young men and women varying widely in adiposity, comparing the ingestion of distilled water to Sham drinking, suggests that ingestion of purified water per se does not result in the stimulation of thermogenesis or fat oxidation. PMID:26690288

Simulating sediment loading into the major reservoirs in Trinity River Basin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Upper Trinity Basin supplies water to about one-fourth of Texas' population. The anticipated rapid growth of North Central Texas will certainly increase regional demands for high quality drinking water. This has increased concerns that sediment and nutrient loads received by drinking water reser...

Arsenic in drinking water and urinary tract cancers: a systematic review of 30 years of epidemiological evidence.

PubMed

Saint-Jacques, Nathalie; Parker, Louise; Brown, Patrick; Dummer, Trevor Jb

2014-06-02

Arsenic in drinking water is a public health issue affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. This review summarizes 30 years of epidemiological studies on arsenic exposure in drinking water and the risk of bladder or kidney cancer, quantifying these risks using a meta-analytical framework. Forty studies met the selection criteria. Seventeen provided point estimates of arsenic concentrations in drinking water and were used in a meta-analysis of bladder cancer incidence (7 studies) and mortality (10 studies) and kidney cancer mortality (2 studies). Risk estimates for incidence and mortality were analyzed separately using Generalized Linear Models. Predicted risks for bladder cancer incidence were estimated at 10, 50 and 150 μg/L arsenic in drinking water. Bootstrap randomizations were used to assess robustness of effect size. Twenty-eight studies observed an association between arsenic in drinking water and bladder cancer. Ten studies showed an association with kidney cancer, although of lower magnitude than that for bladder cancer. The meta-analyses showed the predicted risks for bladder cancer incidence were 2.7 [1.2-4.1]; 4.2 [2.1-6.3] and; 5.8 [2.9-8.7] for drinking water arsenic levels of 10, 50, and 150 μg/L, respectively. Bootstrapped randomizations confirmed this increased risk, but, lowering the effect size to 1.4 [0.35-4.0], 2.3 [0.59-6.4], and 3.1 [0.80-8.9]. The latter suggests that with exposures to 50 μg/L, there was an 83% probability for elevated incidence of bladder cancer; and a 74% probability for elevated mortality. For both bladder and kidney cancers, mortality rates at 150 ug/L were about 30% greater than those at 10 μg/L. Arsenic in drinking water is associated with an increased risk of bladder and kidney cancers, although at lower levels (<150 μg/L), there is uncertainty due to the increased likelihood of exposure misclassification at the lower end of the exposure curve. Meta-analyses suggest exposure to 10 μg/L of arsenic in drinking water may double the risk of bladder cancer, or at the very least, increase it by about 40%. With the large number of people exposed to these arsenic concentrations worldwide the public health consequences of arsenic in drinking water are substantial.

Private Drinking Water Wells as a Source of Exposure to Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in Communities Surrounding a Fluoropolymer Production Facility

PubMed Central

Hoffman, Kate; Webster, Thomas F.; Bartell, Scott M.; Weisskopf, Marc G.; Fletcher, Tony; Vieira, Verónica M.

2011-01-01

Background The C8 Health Project was established in 2005 to collect data on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, or C8) and human health in Ohio and West Virginia communities contaminated by a fluoropolymer production facility. Objective We assessed PFOA exposure via contaminated drinking water in a subset of C8 Health Project participants who drank water from private wells. Methods Participants provided demographic information and residential, occupational, and medical histories. Laboratory analyses were conducted to determine serum-PFOA concentrations. PFOA data were collected from 2001 through 2005 from 62 private drinking water wells. We examined the relationship between drinking water and PFOA levels in serum using robust regression methods. As a comparison with regression models, we used a first-order, single-compartment pharmacokinetic model to estimate the serum:drinking-water concentration ratio at steady state. Results The median serum PFOA concentration in 108 study participants who used private wells was 75.7 μg/L, approximately 20 times greater than the levels in the U.S. general population but similar to those of local residents who drank public water. Each 1 μg/L increase in PFOA levels in drinking water was associated with an increase in serum concentrations of 141.5 μg/L (95% confidence interval, 134.9–148.1). The serum:drinking-water concentration ratio for the steady-state pharmacokinetic model was 114. Conclusions PFOA-contaminated drinking water is a significant contributor to PFOA levels in serum in the study population. Regression methods and pharmacokinetic modeling produced similar estimates of the relationship. PMID:20920951

The effects of sodium sulfate in the water of nursery pigs and the efficacy of nonnutritive feed additives to mitigate those effects.

PubMed

Flohr, J R; Tokach, M D; Dritz, S S; DeRouchey, J M; Goodband, R D; Nelssen, J L

2014-08-01

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of sodium sulfate water and the efficacy of nonnutritive feed additives in nursery pig diets. In Exp. 1, 320 barrows (5.4 ± 0.1 kg BW and 21 d of age) were allotted to 1 of 8 treatments for 24 d in a 2 × 4 factorial with 2 levels of sodium sulfate water (control or 3,000 mg sodium sulfate/L added), and 4 dietary zeolite (clinoptilolite) levels (0, 0.25, 0.50, or 1%). Fecal samples were collected on d 5, 9, 16, and 23; visually scored for consistency (1 = firm and 5 = watery); and analyzed for DM. No interactions of sodium sulfate × zeolite were observed for any response criteria. Overall (d 0 to 24), pigs drinking sodium sulfate water had decreased (P < 0.01) ADG, ADFI, and G:F compared with pigs drinking control water. Pigs drinking sodium sulfate water also had increased (P < 0.01) fecal scores and lower (P < 0.04) fecal DM on d 5, 9, and 16 compared with pigs drinking control water. Increasing dietary zeolite increased (linear; P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI but had no effect on G:F. In Exp. 2, 350 barrows (5.7 ± 0.1 kg BW and 21 d of age) were allotted to 1 of 10 treatments in a 2 × 5 factorial for 21 d with 2 levels of sodium sulfate water (control or 2,000 mg sodium sulfate/L added) and 5 dietary treatments (control, 1 or 2% zeolite, 1% humic acid substance [HA], and 1% humic and fulvic acid substance [HFB]). Fecal samples were collected on d 5, 8, 15, and 21; visually scored for consistency (1 = firm and 5 = watery); and analyzed for DM. Overall (d 0 to 21), a water source × diet interaction was observed for ADG and G:F because pigs fed the 1% HA had decreased (P < 0.01) ADG and G:F when drinking sodium sulfate water compared with other treatments but increased ADG and G:F when drinking control water. Pigs drinking sodium sulfate water had decreased (P < 0.01) ADG and G:F and tended (P < 0.08) to have decreased ADFI compared with pigs drinking control water. Pigs drinking sodium sulfate water had increased (P < 0.01) fecal scores and decreased (P < 0.01) fecal DM on d 5 and 8. In conclusion, water high in sodium sulfate concentrations decreased growth performance and increased fecal moisture in newly weaned pigs. Although zeolite improved growth performance in the first experiment, it did not influence growth in the second study. The nonnutritive feed additives used in both experiments were unsuccessful in ameliorating the increased osmotic diarrhea observed from high sodium sulfate water.

Workgroup Report: Drinking-Water Nitrate and Health—Recent Findings and Research Needs

PubMed Central

Ward, Mary H.; deKok, Theo M.; Levallois, Patrick; Brender, Jean; Gulis, Gabriel; Nolan, Bernard T.; VanDerslice, James

2005-01-01

Human alteration of the nitrogen cycle has resulted in steadily accumulating nitrate in our water resources. The U.S. maximum contaminant level and World Health Organization guidelines for nitrate in drinking water were promulgated to protect infants from developing methemoglobinemia, an acute condition. Some scientists have recently suggested that the regulatory limit for nitrate is overly conservative; however, they have not thoroughly considered chronic health outcomes. In August 2004, a symposium on drinking-water nitrate and health was held at the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology meeting to evaluate nitrate exposures and associated health effects in relation to the current regulatory limit. The contribution of drinking-water nitrate toward endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds was evaluated with a focus toward identifying subpopulations with increased rates of nitrosation. Adverse health effects may be the result of a complex interaction of the amount of nitrate ingested, the concomitant ingestion of nitrosation cofactors and precursors, and specific medical conditions that increase nitrosation. Workshop participants concluded that more experimental studies are needed and that a particularly fruitful approach may be to conduct epidemiologic studies among susceptible subgroups with increased endogenous nitrosation. The few epidemiologic studies that have evaluated intake of nitrosation precursors and/or nitrosation inhibitors have observed elevated risks for colon cancer and neural tube defects associated with drinking-water nitrate concentrations below the regulatory limit. The role of drinking-water nitrate exposure as a risk factor for specific cancers, reproductive outcomes, and other chronic health effects must be studied more thoroughly before changes to the regulatory level for nitrate in drinking water can be considered. PMID:16263519

Workgroup report: Drinking-water nitrate and health - Recent findings and research needs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ward, M.H.; deKok, T.M.; Levallois, P.; Brender, J.; Gulis, G.; Nolan, B.T.; VanDerslice, J.

2005-01-01

Human alteration of the nitrogen cycle has resulted in steadily accumulating nitrate in our water resources. The U.S. maximum contaminant level and World Health Organization guidelines for nitrate in drinking water were promulgated to protect infants from developing methemoglobinemia, an acute condition. Some scientists have recently suggested that the regulatory limit for nitrate is overly conservative; however, they have not thoroughly considered chronic health outcomes. In August 2004, a symposium on drinking-water nitrate and health was held at the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology meeting to evaluate nitrate exposures and associated health effects in relation to the current regulatory limit. The contribution of drinking-water nitrate toward endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds was evaluated with a focus toward identifying subpopulations with increased rates of nitrosation. Adverse health effects may be the result of a complex interaction of the amount of nitrate ingested, the concomitant ingestion of nitrosation cofactors and precursors, and specific medical conditions that increase nitrosation. Workshop participants concluded that more experimental studies are needed and that a particularly fruitful approach may be to conduct epidemiologic studies among susceptible subgroups with increased endogenous nitrosation. The few epidemiologic studies that have evaluated intake of nitrosation precursors and/or nitrosation inhibitors have observed elevated risks for colon cancer and neural tube defects associated with drinking-water nitrate concentrations below the regulatory limit. The role of drinking-water nitrate exposure as a risk factor for specific cancers, reproductive outcomes, and other chronic health effects must be studied more thoroughly before changes to the regulatory level for nitrate in drinking water can be considered.

Workgroup report: Drinking-water nitrate and health--recent findings and research needs.

PubMed

Ward, Mary H; deKok, Theo M; Levallois, Patrick; Brender, Jean; Gulis, Gabriel; Nolan, Bernard T; VanDerslice, James

2005-11-01

Human alteration of the nitrogen cycle has resulted in steadily accumulating nitrate in our water resources. The U.S. maximum contaminant level and World Health Organization guidelines for nitrate in drinking water were promulgated to protect infants from developing methemoglobinemia, an acute condition. Some scientists have recently suggested that the regulatory limit for nitrate is overly conservative; however, they have not thoroughly considered chronic health outcomes. In August 2004, a symposium on drinking-water nitrate and health was held at the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology meeting to evaluate nitrate exposures and associated health effects in relation to the current regulatory limit. The contribution of drinking-water nitrate toward endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds was evaluated with a focus toward identifying subpopulations with increased rates of nitrosation. Adverse health effects may be the result of a complex interaction of the amount of nitrate ingested, the concomitant ingestion of nitrosation cofactors and precursors, and specific medical conditions that increase nitrosation. Workshop participants concluded that more experimental studies are needed and that a particularly fruitful approach may be to conduct epidemiologic studies among susceptible subgroups with increased endogenous nitrosation. The few epidemiologic studies that have evaluated intake of nitrosation precursors and/or nitrosation inhibitors have observed elevated risks for colon cancer and neural tube defects associated with drinking-water nitrate concentrations below the regulatory limit. The role of drinking-water nitrate exposure as a risk factor for specific cancers, reproductive outcomes, and other chronic health effects must be studied more thoroughly before changes to the regulatory level for nitrate in drinking water can be considered.

Problems with provision: barriers to drinking water quality and public health in rural Tasmania, Australia.

PubMed

Whelan, Jessica J; Willis, Karen

2007-01-01

Access to safe drinking water is essential to human life and wellbeing, and is a key public health issue. However, many communities in rural and regional parts of Australia are unable to access drinking water that meets national standards for protecting human health. The aim of this research was to identify the key issues in and barriers to the provision and management of safe drinking water in rural Tasmania, Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key local government employees and public health officials responsible for management of drinking water in rural Tasmania. Participants were asked about their core public health duties, regulatory responsibilities, perceptions and management of risk, as well as the key barriers that may be affecting the provision of safe drinking water. This research highlights the effect of rural locality on management and safety of fresh water in protecting public health. The key issues contributing to problems with drinking water provision and quality identified by participants included: poor and inadequate water supply infrastructure; lack of resources and staffing; inadequate catchment monitoring; and the effect of competing land uses, such as forestry, on water supply quality. This research raises issues of inequity in the provision of safe drinking water in rural communities. It highlights not only the increasing need for greater funding by state and commonwealth government for basic services such as drinking water, but also the importance of an holistic and integrated approach to managing drinking water resources in rural Tasmania.

Nitrates in municipal drinking water and non-Hodgkin lymphoma: an ecological cancer case-control study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, Chih-Ching; Tsai, Shang-Shyue; Wu, Trong-Neng; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2010-01-01

The relationship between nitrate levels in drinking water and increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) development has been inconclusive. A matched cancer case-control and a nitrate ecology study was used to investigate the association between mortality attributed to NHL and nitrate exposure from Taiwan's drinking water. All deaths due to NHL in Taiwan residents from 2000 through 2006 were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to the cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each case. Data on nitrate-nitrogen (NO(3)-N) levels of drinking water throughout Taiwan were collected from the Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was presumed to be the source of the subject's nitrate exposure via drinking water. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) for NHL death for those with high nitrate levels in their drinking water, as compared to the lowest tertile, were 1.02 (0.87-1.2) and 1.05 (0.89-1.24), respectively. The results of the present study show that there was no statistically significant association between nitrates in drinking water at levels in this investigation and increased risk of death attributed to NHL.

A comprehensive insight into bacterial virulence in drinking water using 454 pyrosequencing and Illumina high-throughput sequencing.

PubMed

Huang, Kailong; Zhang, Xu-Xiang; Shi, Peng; Wu, Bing; Ren, Hongqiang

2014-11-01

In order to comprehensively investigate bacterial virulence in drinking water, 454 pyrosequencing and Illumina high-throughput sequencing were used to detect potential pathogenic bacteria and virulence factors (VFs) in a full-scale drinking water treatment and distribution system. 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing revealed high bacterial diversity in the drinking water (441-586 operational taxonomic units). Bacterial diversity decreased after chlorine disinfection, but increased after pipeline distribution. α-Proteobacteria was the most dominant taxonomic class. Alignment against the established pathogen database showed that several types of putative pathogens were present in the drinking water and Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the highest abundance (over 11‰ of total sequencing reads). Many pathogens disappeared after chlorine disinfection, but P. aeruginosa and Leptospira interrogans were still detected in the tap water. High-throughput sequencing revealed prevalence of various pathogenicity islands and virulence proteins in the drinking water, and translocases, transposons, Clp proteases and flagellar motor switch proteins were the predominant VFs. Both diversity and abundance of the detectable VFs increased after the chlorination, and decreased after the pipeline distribution. This study indicates that joint use of 454 pyrosequencing and Illumina sequencing can comprehensively characterize environmental pathogenesis, and several types of putative pathogens and various VFs are prevalent in drinking water. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Life cycle and human health risk assessments as tools for decision making in the design and implementation of nanofiltration in drinking water treatment plants.

PubMed

Ribera, G; Clarens, F; Martínez-Lladó, X; Jubany, I; V Martí; Rovira, M

2014-01-01

A combined methodology using life cycle assessment (LCA) and human health risk assessment (HHR) is proposed in order to select the percentage of water in drinking water treatment plants (DWTP) that should be nanofiltered (NF). The methodological approach presented here takes into account environmental and social benefit criteria evaluating the implementation of new processes into conventional ones. The inclusion of NF process improves drinking water quality, reduces HHR but, in turn, increases environmental impacts as a result of energy and material demand. Results from this study lead to balance the increase of the impact in various environmental categories with the reduction in human health risk as a consequence of the respective drinking water production and consumption. From an environmental point of view, the inclusion of NF and recommended pretreatments to produce 43% of the final drinking water means that the environmental impact is nearly doubled in comparison with conventional plant in impact categories severely related with electricity production, like climate change. On the other hand, the carcinogenic risk (HHR) associated to trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) decreases with the increase in NF percentage use. Results show a reduction of one order of magnitude for the carcinogenic risk index when 100% of drinking water is produced by NF. © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

TREATMENT CONSIDERATIONS FOR MICROBIAL REMOVAL

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation will focus on filtration and related processes for removing microbes from drinking water. In recent years, the emphsis on the need to remove microbes from drinking water has increased. This increased concern was brought about partly by documented waterborne dise...

Contamination levels of human pharmaceutical compounds in French surface and drinking water.

PubMed

Mompelat, S; Thomas, O; Le Bot, B

2011-10-01

The occurrence of 20 human pharmaceutical compounds and metabolites from 10 representative therapeutic classes was analysed from resource and drinking water in two catchment basins located in north-west France. 98 samples were analysed from 63 stations (surface water and drinking water produced from surface water). Of the 20 human pharmaceutical compounds selected, 16 were quantified in both the surface water and drinking water, with 22% of the values above the limit of quantification for surface water and 14% for drinking water). Psychostimulants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, iodinated contrast media and anxiolytic drugs were the main therapeutic classes of human pharmaceutical compounds detected in the surface water and drinking water. The results for surface water were close to results from previous studies in spite of differences in prescription rates of human pharmaceutical compounds in different countries. The removal rate of human pharmaceutical compounds at 11 water treatment units was also determined. Only caffeine proved to be resistant to drinking water treatment processes (with a minimum rate of 5%). Other human pharmaceutical compounds seemed to be removed more efficiently (average elimination rate of over 50%) by adsorption onto activated carbon and oxidation/disinfection with ozone or chlorine (not taking account of the disinfection by-products). These results add to the increasing evidence of the occurrence of human pharmaceutical compounds in drinking water that may represent a threat to human beings exposed to a cocktail of human pharmaceutical compounds and related metabolites and by-products in drinking water.

Optimization Program for Drinking Water Systems

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Area-Wide Optimization Program (AWOP) provides tools and approaches for drinking water systems to meet water quality optimization goals and provide an increased – and sustainable – level of public health protection to their consumers.

Evaluation of genotoxic effects caused by extracts of chlorinated drinking water using a combination of three different bioassays.

PubMed

Zeng, Qiang; Zhang, Shao-Hui; Liao, Jing; Miao, Dong-Yue; Wang, Xin-Yi; Yang, Pan; Yun, Luo-Jia; Liu, Ai-Lin; Lu, Wen-Qing

2015-10-15

Potential genotoxic effects of chlorinated drinking water now are of a great concern. In this study, raw water, finished water, and tap water from a water plant in Wuhan, China were collected in two different sampling times of the year (January and July). Genotoxic effects of water extracts were evaluated using a combination of three different bioassays: SOS/umu test, HGPRT gene mutation assay, and micronucleus assay, which were separately used to detect DNA damage, gene mutation, and chromosome aberration. The results of three different bioassays showed that all water samples in January and July induced at least one types of genotoxic effects, of which the DNA-damage effects were all detectable. The levels of DNA-damage effects and gene-mutation effects of finished water and tap water in January were higher than those in July. Chlorination could increase the DNA-damage effects of drinking water in January and the gene-mutation effects of drinking water in both January and July, but did not increase the chromosome-aberration effects of drinking water in both January and July. Our results highlighted the importance of using a combination of different bioassays to evaluate the genotoxicity of water samples in different seasons. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Boiling over: A Descriptive Analysis of Drinking Water Advisories in First Nations Communities in Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

Galway, Lindsay P.

2016-01-01

Access to safe and reliable drinking water is commonplace for most Canadians. However, the right to safe and reliable drinking water is denied to many First Nations peoples across the country, highlighting a priority public health and environmental justice issue in Canada. This paper describes trends and characteristics of drinking water advisories, used as a proxy for reliable access to safe drinking water, among First Nations communities in the province of Ontario. Visual and statistical tools were used to summarize the advisory data in general, temporal trends, and characteristics of the drinking water systems in which advisories were issued. Overall, 402 advisories were issued during the study period. The number of advisories increased from 25 in 2004 to 75 in 2013. The average advisory duration was 294 days. Most advisories were reported in summer months and equipment malfunction was the most commonly reported reason for issuing an advisory. Nearly half of all advisories occurred in drinking water systems where additional operator training was needed. These findings underscore that the prevalence of drinking water advisories in First Nations communities is a problem that must be addressed. Concerted and multi-faceted efforts are called for to improve the provision of safe and reliable drinking water First Nations communities. PMID:27196919

Boiling over: A Descriptive Analysis of Drinking Water Advisories in First Nations Communities in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Galway, Lindsay P

2016-05-17

Access to safe and reliable drinking water is commonplace for most Canadians. However, the right to safe and reliable drinking water is denied to many First Nations peoples across the country, highlighting a priority public health and environmental justice issue in Canada. This paper describes trends and characteristics of drinking water advisories, used as a proxy for reliable access to safe drinking water, among First Nations communities in the province of Ontario. Visual and statistical tools were used to summarize the advisory data in general, temporal trends, and characteristics of the drinking water systems in which advisories were issued. Overall, 402 advisories were issued during the study period. The number of advisories increased from 25 in 2004 to 75 in 2013. The average advisory duration was 294 days. Most advisories were reported in summer months and equipment malfunction was the most commonly reported reason for issuing an advisory. Nearly half of all advisories occurred in drinking water systems where additional operator training was needed. These findings underscore that the prevalence of drinking water advisories in First Nations communities is a problem that must be addressed. Concerted and multi-faceted efforts are called for to improve the provision of safe and reliable drinking water First Nations communities.

Changes in Blood Lead Levels Associated with Use of Chloramines in Water Treatment Systems

PubMed Central

Miranda, Marie Lynn; Kim, Dohyeong; Hull, Andrew P.; Paul, Christopher J.; Galeano, M. Alicia Overstreet

2007-01-01

Background More municipal water treatment plants are using chloramines as a disinfectant in order to reduce carcinogenic by-products. In some instances, this has coincided with an increase in lead levels in drinking water in those systems. Lead in drinking water can be a significant health risk. Objectives We sought to test the potential effect of switching to chloramines for disinfection in water treatment systems on childhood blood lead levels using data from Wayne County, located in the central Coastal Plain of North Carolina. Methods We constructed a unified geographic information system (GIS) that links blood lead screening data with age of housing, drinking water source, and census data for 7,270 records. The data were analyzed using both exploratory methods and more formal multivariate techniques. Results The analysis indicates that the change to chloramine disinfection may lead to an increase in blood lead levels, the impact of which is progressively mitigated in newer housing. Conclusions Introducing chloramines to reduce carcinogenic by-products may increase exposure to lead in drinking water. Our research provides guidance on adjustments in the local childhood lead poisoning prevention program that should accompany changes in water treatment. As similar research is conducted in other areas, and the underlying environmental chemistry is clarified, water treatment strategies can be optimized across the multiple objectives that municipalities face in providing high quality drinking water to local residents. PMID:17384768

A Legacy of Wildfire-associated Nutrient Releases to Drinking Water Supplies: Treatment Challenges and Adaptations Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emelko, M.; Silins, U.; Stone, M.

2016-12-01

Wildfire remains the most catastrophic agent of landscape disturbance in many forested source water regions. Notably, while wildfire impacts on water have been well studied, little if any of that work has specifically focused on drinking water treatability impacts, which will have both significant regional differences and similarities. Wildfire effects on water quality, particularly nutrient concentrations and character/forms, can be significant. The longevity and downstream propagation of these effects, as well as the geochemical mechanisms regulating them have been largely undocumented at larger river basin scales. This work demonstrates that fine sediment in gravel-bed rivers is a significant, long-term source of in-stream bioavailable P that contributes to a legacy of wildfire impacts on downstream water quality, aquatic ecology, and drinking water treatability in some ecoregions. The short- and mid-term impacts include increases in primary productivity and dissolved organic carbon, associated changes in carbon character, and increased potential for the formation of disinfection byproducts during drinking water treatment. The longer term impacts also may include increases in potentially toxic algal blooms and the production of taste and odor compounds. These documented impacts, as well as strategies for assessing the risk of wildfire-associated water service disruptions and infrastructure and land management-associated opportunities for adaptation to and mitigation of wildfire risk to drinking water supply will be discussed.

Water quality and health in northern Canada: stored drinking water and acute gastrointestinal illness in Labrador Inuit.

PubMed

Wright, Carlee J; Sargeant, Jan M; Edge, Victoria L; Ford, James D; Farahbakhsh, Khosrow; Shiwak, Inez; Flowers, Charlie; Harper, Sherilee L

2017-07-12

One of the highest self-reported incidence rates of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) in the global peer-reviewed literature occurs in Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. This high incidence of illness could be due, in part, to the consumption of contaminated water, as many northern communities face challenges related to the quality of municipal drinking water. Furthermore, many Inuit store drinking water in containers in the home, which could increase the risk of contamination between source and point-of-use (i.e., water recontamination during storage). To examine this risk, this research characterized drinking water collection and storage practices, identified potential risk factors for water contamination between source and point-of-use, and examined possible associations between drinking water contamination and self-reported AGI in the Inuit community of Rigolet, Canada. The study included a cross-sectional census survey that captured data on types of drinking water used, household practices related to drinking water (e.g., how it was collected and stored), physical characteristics of water storage containers, and self-reported AGI. Additionally, water samples were collected from all identified drinking water containers in homes and analyzed for presence of Escherichia coli and total coliforms. Despite municipally treated tap water being available in all homes, 77.6% of households had alternative sources of drinking water stored in containers, and of these containers, 25.2% tested positive for total coliforms. The use of transfer devices and water dippers (i.e., smaller bowls or measuring cups) for the collection and retrieval of water from containers were both significantly associated with increased odds of total coliform presence in stored water (OR transfer device  = 3.4, 95% CI 1.2-11.7; OR dipper  = 13.4, 95% CI 3.8-47.1). Twenty-eight-day period prevalence of self-reported AGI during the month before the survey was 17.2% (95% CI 13.0-22.5), which yielded an annual incidence rate of 2.4 cases per person per year (95% CI 1.8-3.1); no water-related risk factors were significantly associated with AGI. Considering the high prevalence of, and risk factors associated with, indicator bacteria in drinking water stored in containers, potential exposure to waterborne pathogens may be minimized through interventions at the household level.

[A case-control study on the relationship of crocidolite pollution in drinking water with the risk of gastrointestinal cancer in Dayao County].

PubMed

Mi, Jing; Peng, Wenjia; Jia, Xianjie; Wei, Binggan; Yang, Linsheng; Hu, Liming; Lu, Rong'an

2015-01-01

To explore the relationship of crocidolite pollution in drinking water with the risk of gastrointestinal cancer's death in Dayao County. A 1:2 matched case-control study involving 54 death cases of gastrointestinal cancer from a population-based cohort of twenty-seven years and 108 controls matched by age, gender, death time, etc was conducted to analyze the effect of local water condition on the risk of gastrointestinal cancer in Dayao County. Results from logistic regression analysis suggested the longer of asbestos furnace use over time, the higher the mortality risk of gastrointestinal cancer (6 - 10 years: OR = 2.920, 95% CI 1.501 - 5.604. 11 - 15 years: OR = 3.966, 95% CI 2.156 -7.950. Over 15 years: OR = 4.122, 95% CI 1.211 - 7. 584). Drinking unboiled water leaded to an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.07 - 1.88). Type of drinking water was associated with gastrointestinal cancer. When compared with drinking tap water, OR for drinking well water was 1.770 (95% CI 1.001 - 2.444), 2.442 for drinking river water (95% CI 0.956 - 3.950), 2.554 for drinking house and field ditch water (95% CI 1.961 - 6.584), and 3.121 for drinking pond water (95% CI 1.872 - 6.566). Related factors of drinking water in crocidolite-contaminated area in Dayao County were significantly associated with the mortality of gastrointestinal cancer.

An upper-bound assessment of the benefits of reducing perchlorate in drinking water.

PubMed

Lutter, Randall

2014-10-01

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to issue new federal regulations to limit drinking water concentrations of perchlorate, which occurs naturally and results from the combustion of rocket fuel. This article presents an upper-bound estimate of the potential benefits of alternative maximum contaminant levels for perchlorate in drinking water. The results suggest that the economic benefits of reducing perchlorate concentrations in drinking water are likely to be low, i.e., under $2.9 million per year nationally, for several reasons. First, the prevalence of detectable perchlorate in public drinking water systems is low. Second, the population especially sensitive to effects of perchlorate, pregnant women who are moderately iodide deficient, represents a minority of all pregnant women. Third, and perhaps most importantly, reducing exposure to perchlorate in drinking water is a relatively ineffective way of increasing iodide uptake, a crucial step linking perchlorate to health effects of concern. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Frequent water drinking by Zanzibar red colobus (Procolobus kirkii) in a mangrove forest refuge.

PubMed

Nowak, Katarzyna

2008-11-01

Isolated populations of Procolobus kirkii on Uzi Island, Zanzibar, use Rhizophora mucronata-dominated mangrove forest for refuge. Three groups, observed over 14 months, spent up to 85% of total observation time in mangroves with brief excursions to adjacent upland coral rag forest, habitat degraded by human cutting. A large proportion of monkeys' diets consisted of plant parts of five mangrove species. Water drinking was common and 326 water-drinking events were recorded at a rate of up to 0.87 drinks hr(-1). Groups used different strategies to obtain water including licking dew, drinking from treeholes, licking rain off leaves and tree trunks, and drinking from coral rock crevices with Cercopithecus mitis albogularis. Drinking frequency increased with time spent in and consumption of mangroves. Strategies for obtaining water were group-specific and likely the result of learning. Drinking appeared to be an acquired behavior in movement-restricted groups living in a habitat with low plant species diversity and limited salty foods. Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Long-term dynamics of dissolved organic carbon: implications for drinking water supply.

PubMed

Ledesma, José L J; Köhler, Stephan J; Futter, Martyn N

2012-08-15

Surface waters are the main source of drinking water in many regions. Increasing organic carbon concentrations are a cause for concern in Nordic countries since both dissolved and particulate organic carbon can transport contaminants and adversely affect drinking water treatment processes. We present a long-term study of dynamics of total (particulate and dissolved) organic carbon (TOC) concentrations in the River Fyris. This river supplies drinking water to approximately 200000 people in Uppsala, Sweden. The River Fyris is a main tributary to Lake Mälaren, which supplies drinking water to approximately 2 million people in the greater Stockholm area. Utilities responsible for drinking water supply in both Uppsala and Stockholm have expressed concerns about possible increases in TOC. We evaluate organic carbon dynamics within the Fyris catchment by calculating areal mass exports using observed TOC concentrations and modeled flows and by modeling dissolved organic carbon (as a proxy for TOC) using the dynamic, process based INCA-C model. Exports of TOC from the catchment ranged from 0.8 to 5.8 g m(-2) year(-1) in the period 1995-2010. The variation in annual exports was related to climatic variability which influenced seasonality and amount of runoff. Exports and discharge uncoupled at the end of 2008. A dramatic increase in TOC concentrations was observed in 2009, which gradually declined in 2010-2011. INCA-C successfully reproduced the intra- and inter-annual variation in concentrations during 1996-2008 and 2010-2011 but failed to capture the anomalous increase in 2009. We evaluated a number of hypotheses to explain the anomaly in 2009 TOC values, ultimately none proved satisfactory. We draw two main conclusions: there is at least one unknown or unmeasured process controlling or influencing surface water TOC and INCA-C can be used as part of the decision-making process for current and future use of rivers for drinking water supply. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seasonal Variation in Drinking and Domestic Water Sources and Quality in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

PubMed Central

Kumpel, Emily; Cock-Esteb, Alicea; Duret, Michel; de Waal, Dominick; Khush, Ranjiv

2017-01-01

We compared dry and rainy season water sources and their quality in the urban region of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Representative sampling indicated that municipal water supplies represent < 1% of the water sources. Residents rely on privately constructed and maintained boreholes that are supplemented by commercially packaged bottled and sachet drinking water. Contamination by thermotolerant coliforms increased from 21% of drinking water sources in the dry season to 42% of drinking water sources in the rainy season (N = 356 and N = 397). The most significant increase was in sachet water, which showed the lowest frequencies of contamination in the dry season compared with other sources (15%, N = 186) but the highest frequencies during the rainy season (59%, N = 76). Only half as many respondents reported drinking sachet water in the rainy season as in the dry season. Respondents primarily used flush or pour-flush toilets connected to septic tanks (85%, N = 399). The remainder relied on pit latrines and hanging (pier) latrines that drained into surface waters. We found significant associations between fecal contamination in boreholes and the nearby presence of hanging latrines. Sanitary surveys of boreholes showed that more than half were well-constructed, and we did not identify associations between structural or site deficiencies and microbial water quality. The deterioration of drinking water quality during the rainy season is a serious public health risk for both untreated groundwater and commercially packaged water, highlighting a need to address gaps in monitoring and quality control. PMID:27821689

Cardiovascular protection of deep-seawater drinking water in high-fat/cholesterol fed hamsters.

PubMed

Hsu, Chin-Lin; Chang, Yuan-Yen; Chiu, Chih-Hsien; Yang, Kuo-Tai; Wang, Yu; Fu, Shih-Guei; Chen, Yi-Chen

2011-08-01

Cardiovascular protection of deep-seawater (DSW) drinking water was assessed using high-fat/cholesterol-fed hamsters in this study. All hamsters were fed a high-fat/cholesterol diet (12% fat/0.2% cholesterol), and drinking solutions were normal distiled water (NDW, hardness: 2.48ppm), DSW300 (hardness: 324.5ppm), DSW900 (hardness: 858.5ppm), and DSW1500 (hardness: 1569.0ppm), respectively. After a 6-week feeding period, body weight, heart rates, and blood pressures of hamsters were not influenced by DSW drinking waters. Serum total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TAG), atherogenic index, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were decreased (p<0.05) in the DSW-drinking-water groups, as compared to those in the NDW group. Additionally, increased (p<0.05) serum Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and faecal TC, TAG, and bile acid outputs were measured in the DSW-drinking-water groups. Hepatic low-density-lipoprotein receptor (LDL receptor) and cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) gene expressions were upregulated (p<0.05) by DSW drinking waters. These results demonstrate that DSW drinking water benefits the attenuation of high-fat/cholesterol-diet-induced cardiovascular disorders in hamsters. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Middle School Student Attitudes about School Drinking Fountains and Water Intake

PubMed Central

Patel, Anisha I.; Bogart, Laura M.; Klein, David J.; Cowgill, Burt; Uyeda, Kimberly E.; Hawes-Dawson, Jennifer; Schuster, Mark A.

2014-01-01

Objective Describe middle school student attitudes about school drinking fountains, investigate whether such attitudes are associated with intentions to drink water at school, and determine how intentions relate to overall water intake. Methods Students (n=3,211) in 9 California middle schools completed surveys between 2009–2011. We used multivariate linear regression, adjusting for school sociodemographic characteristics, to examine how attitudes about fountains (5-point scale; higher scores indicating more positive attitudes) were associated with intentions to drink water at school and how intentions to drink water at school were related to overall water intake. Results Mean age of students was 12.3 (SD=0.7) years; 75% were Latino, 89% low-income, and 39% foreign-born. Fifty-two percent reported lower than recommended overall water intake (<3 glasses/day), and 30% reported that they were unlikely or extremely unlikely to drink water at school. Fifty-nine percent reported that school fountains were unclean, 48% that fountain water does not taste good, 33% that fountains could make them sick, 31% that it was not okay to drink from fountains, and 24% that fountain water is contaminated. In adjusted analyses, attitudes about school drinking fountains were related to intentions to drink water at school (B=0.41; p-value <0.001); intentions to drink water at school were also associated with overall water intake (B=0.20; p-value <0.001). Conclusions and Relevance Students have negative attitudes about school fountains. To increase overall water intake, it may be important to promote and improve drinking water sources not only at school, but also at home and in other community environments. What’s New Although most schools provide water via fountains, little is known about student attitudes about fountains. In this study, middle school students had negative attitudes about fountains; such attitudes were associated with lower intentions to drink water at school. PMID:25169158

Perceptions about availability and adequacy of drinking water in a large California school district.

PubMed

Patel, Anisha I; Bogart, Laura M; Uyeda, Kimberly E; Rabin, Alexa; Schuster, Mark A

2010-03-01

Concerns about the influence of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on obesity have led experts to recommend that water be freely available in schools. We explored perceptions about the adequacy of drinking water provision in a large California school district to develop policies and programs to encourage student water consumption. From March to September 2007, we used semistructured interviews to ask 26 California key stakeholders - including school administrators and staff, health and nutrition agency representatives, and families - about school drinking water accessibility; attitudes about, facilitators of, and barriers to drinking water provision; and ideas for increasing water consumption. Interviews were analyzed to determine common themes. Although stakeholders said that water was available from school drinking fountains, they expressed concerns about the appeal, taste, appearance, and safety of fountain water and worried about the affordability and environmental effect of bottled water sold in schools. Stakeholders supported efforts to improve free drinking water availability in schools, but perceived barriers (eg, cost) and mistaken beliefs that regulations and beverage contracts prohibit serving free water may prevent schools from doing so. Some schools provide water through cold-filtered water dispensers and self-serve water coolers. This is the first study to explore stakeholder perceptions about the adequacy of drinking water in US schools. Although limited in scope, our study suggests that water available in at least some schools may be inadequate. Collaborative efforts among schools, communities, and policy makers are needed to improve school drinking water provision.

Extreme weather events: Should drinking water quality management systems adapt to changing risk profiles?

PubMed

Khan, Stuart J; Deere, Daniel; Leusch, Frederic D L; Humpage, Andrew; Jenkins, Madeleine; Cunliffe, David

2015-11-15

Among the most widely predicted and accepted consequences of global climate change are increases in both the frequency and severity of a variety of extreme weather events. Such weather events include heavy rainfall and floods, cyclones, droughts, heatwaves, extreme cold, and wildfires, each of which can potentially impact drinking water quality by affecting water catchments, storage reservoirs, the performance of water treatment processes or the integrity of distribution systems. Drinking water guidelines, such as the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and the World Health Organization Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, provide guidance for the safe management of drinking water. These documents present principles and strategies for managing risks that may be posed to drinking water quality. While these principles and strategies are applicable to all types of water quality risks, very little specific attention has been paid to the management of extreme weather events. We present a review of recent literature on water quality impacts of extreme weather events and consider practical opportunities for improved guidance for water managers. We conclude that there is a case for an enhanced focus on the management of water quality impacts from extreme weather events in future revisions of water quality guidance documents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Colon cancer and content of nitrates and magnesium in drinking water.

PubMed

Chiu, Hui-Fen; Tsai, Shang-Shyue; Wu, Trong-Neng; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2010-06-01

The objective of this study was to explore whether magnesium levels (Mg) in drinking water modify the effects of nitrate on colon cancer risk. A matched case-control study was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of death from colon cancer and exposure to nitrate in drinking water in Taiwan. All colon cancer deaths of Taiwan residents from 2003 through 2007 were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to the cases by gender, year-of-birth, and year-of-death. Information on the levels of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) and Mg in drinking water were collected from Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). The municipality of residence for cases and controls was assumed to be the source of the subject's NO3-N and Mg exposure via drinking water. The results of our study show that there is a significant trend towards an elevated risk of death from colon cancer with increasing nitrate levels in drinking water. Furthermore, we observed evidence of an interaction between drinking water NO3-N and Mg intake via drinking water. This is the first study to report effect modification by Mg intake from drinking water on the association between NO3-N exposure and colon cancer risk.

Consuming untreated water in four southwestern Alaska Native communities: reasons revealed and recommendations for change.

PubMed

Ritter, Troy L; Lopez, Ellen D S; Goldberger, Rachel; Dobson, Jennifer; Hickel, Korie; Smith, Jeffrey; Johnson, Rhonda M; Bersamin, Andrea

2014-12-01

In this article, the authors provide the first in-depth account of why some Alaska Native people drink untreated water when treated water is available. Their qualitative research was conducted in four Alaska Native village communities that have treated water available from a centralized distribution point. Most respondents (n = 172; 82%) reported that some of their household's drinking water came from an untreated source. Motives for drinking untreated water emerged from analysis of open-ended questions about drinking water practice and could be categorized into six themes: chemicals, taste, health, access, tradition, and cost. Importantly, some residents reported consuming untreated water because they both liked untreated water and disliked treated water. As such, interventions to increase safe water consumption should address this dichotomy by providing education about the benefits of treated water alongside the risks involved with drinking untreated water. Based on the findings, the authors provide specific recommendations for developing behavior change interventions that address influences at multiple social-ecological levels.

Measuring sporadic gastrointestinal illness associated with drinking water - an overview of methodologies.

PubMed

Bylund, John; Toljander, Jonas; Lysén, Maria; Rasti, Niloofar; Engqvist, Jannes; Simonsson, Magnus

2017-06-01

There is an increasing awareness that drinking water contributes to sporadic gastrointestinal illness (GI) in high income countries of the northern hemisphere. A literature search was conducted in order to review: (1) methods used for investigating the effects of public drinking water on GI; (2) evidence of possible dose-response relationship between sporadic GI and drinking water consumption; and (3) association between sporadic GI and factors affecting drinking water quality. Seventy-four articles were selected, key findings and information gaps were identified. In-home intervention studies have only been conducted in areas using surface water sources and intervention studies in communities supplied by ground water are therefore needed. Community-wide intervention studies may constitute a cost-effective alternative to in-home intervention studies. Proxy data that correlate with GI in the community can be used for detecting changes in the incidence of GI. Proxy data can, however, not be used for measuring the prevalence of illness. Local conditions affecting water safety may vary greatly, making direct comparisons between studies difficult unless sufficient knowledge about these conditions is acquired. Drinking water in high-income countries contributes to endemic levels of GI and there are public health benefits for further improvements of drinking water safety.

Health and environmental policy issues in Canada: the role of watershed management in sustaining clean drinking water quality at surface sources.

PubMed

Davies, John-Mark; Mazumder, Asit

2003-07-01

Sustaining clean and safe drinking water sources is increasingly becoming a priority because of global pollution. The means of attaining and maintaining clean drinking water sources requires effective policies that identify, document, and reduce watershed risks. These risks are defined by their potential impact to human health. Health and risk are, therefore, indelibly linked because they are in part defined by each other. Understanding pathogen ecology and identifying watershed sources remains a priority because of the associated acute risks. Surface water quality changes resulting from inputs of human waste, nutrients and chemicals are associated with higher drinking water risks. Nutrient input can increase primary production and the resulting increase of organic matter results in greater disinfection by-product formation or requires greater treatment intensity. Many drinking water disease outbreaks have resulted from breaches in treatment facilities, therefore, even with greater treatment intensity poor source water quality intrinsically has greater associated health risks. Government and international agencies play a critical role in developing policy. The goal of maintaining water supplies whose availability is maximized and risks are minimized (i.e. sustainable) should be a vital part of such policy. Health risks are discussed in the context of a multi-barrier perspective and it is concluded that both passive (protection) and active (prescriptive management) management is necessary for sustainability. Canadian aboriginal water systems, British Columbian water policy and US EPA policies are given as examples. The basis for developing effective policies includes a strong reliance on sound science and effective instrumentation with careful consideration of stakeholders' interests. Only with such directed policies can the future availability of clean drinking water sources be ensured.

Arsenic in drinking water and urinary tract cancers: a systematic review of 30 years of epidemiological evidence

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Arsenic in drinking water is a public health issue affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. This review summarizes 30 years of epidemiological studies on arsenic exposure in drinking water and the risk of bladder or kidney cancer, quantifying these risks using a meta-analytical framework. Methods Forty studies met the selection criteria. Seventeen provided point estimates of arsenic concentrations in drinking water and were used in a meta-analysis of bladder cancer incidence (7 studies) and mortality (10 studies) and kidney cancer mortality (2 studies). Risk estimates for incidence and mortality were analyzed separately using Generalized Linear Models. Predicted risks for bladder cancer incidence were estimated at 10, 50 and 150 μg/L arsenic in drinking water. Bootstrap randomizations were used to assess robustness of effect size. Results Twenty-eight studies observed an association between arsenic in drinking water and bladder cancer. Ten studies showed an association with kidney cancer, although of lower magnitude than that for bladder cancer. The meta-analyses showed the predicted risks for bladder cancer incidence were 2.7 [1.2–4.1]; 4.2 [2.1–6.3] and; 5.8 [2.9–8.7] for drinking water arsenic levels of 10, 50, and 150 μg/L, respectively. Bootstrapped randomizations confirmed this increased risk, but, lowering the effect size to 1.4 [0.35–4.0], 2.3 [0.59–6.4], and 3.1 [0.80–8.9]. The latter suggests that with exposures to 50 μg/L, there was an 83% probability for elevated incidence of bladder cancer; and a 74% probability for elevated mortality. For both bladder and kidney cancers, mortality rates at 150 ug/L were about 30% greater than those at 10 μg/L. Conclusion Arsenic in drinking water is associated with an increased risk of bladder and kidney cancers, although at lower levels (<150 μg/L), there is uncertainty due to the increased likelihood of exposure misclassification at the lower end of the exposure curve. Meta-analyses suggest exposure to 10 μg/L of arsenic in drinking water may double the risk of bladder cancer, or at the very least, increase it by about 40%. With the large number of people exposed to these arsenic concentrations worldwide the public health consequences of arsenic in drinking water are substantial. PMID:24889821

Key scientific issues in developing drinking water guidelines for perfluoroalkyl acids: Contaminants of emerging concern.

PubMed

Post, Gloria B; Gleason, Jessie A; Cooper, Keith R

2017-12-01

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a group of synthetic organic chemicals with industrial and commercial uses, are of current concern because of increasing awareness of their presence in drinking water and their potential to cause adverse health effects. PFAAs are distinctive among persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) contaminants because they are water soluble and do not break down in the environment. This commentary discusses scientific and risk assessment issues that impact the development of drinking water guidelines for PFAAs, including choice of toxicological endpoints, uncertainty factors, and exposure assumptions used as their basis. In experimental animals, PFAAs cause toxicity to the liver, the immune, endocrine, and male reproductive systems, and the developing fetus and neonate. Low-dose effects include persistent delays in mammary gland development (perfluorooctanoic acid; PFOA) and suppression of immune response (perfluorooctane sulfonate; PFOS). In humans, even general population level exposures to some PFAAs are associated with health effects such as increased serum lipids and liver enzymes, decreased vaccine response, and decreased birth weight. Ongoing exposures to even relatively low drinking water concentrations of long-chain PFAAs substantially increase human body burdens, which remain elevated for many years after exposure ends. Notably, infants are a sensitive subpopulation for PFAA's developmental effects and receive higher exposures than adults from the same drinking water source. This information, as well as emerging data from future studies, should be considered in the development of health-protective and scientifically sound guidelines for PFAAs in drinking water.

Key scientific issues in developing drinking water guidelines for perfluoroalkyl acids: Contaminants of emerging concern

PubMed Central

Gleason, Jessie A.; Cooper, Keith R.

2017-01-01

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a group of synthetic organic chemicals with industrial and commercial uses, are of current concern because of increasing awareness of their presence in drinking water and their potential to cause adverse health effects. PFAAs are distinctive among persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) contaminants because they are water soluble and do not break down in the environment. This commentary discusses scientific and risk assessment issues that impact the development of drinking water guidelines for PFAAs, including choice of toxicological endpoints, uncertainty factors, and exposure assumptions used as their basis. In experimental animals, PFAAs cause toxicity to the liver, the immune, endocrine, and male reproductive systems, and the developing fetus and neonate. Low-dose effects include persistent delays in mammary gland development (perfluorooctanoic acid; PFOA) and suppression of immune response (perfluorooctane sulfonate; PFOS). In humans, even general population level exposures to some PFAAs are associated with health effects such as increased serum lipids and liver enzymes, decreased vaccine response, and decreased birth weight. Ongoing exposures to even relatively low drinking water concentrations of long-chain PFAAs substantially increase human body burdens, which remain elevated for many years after exposure ends. Notably, infants are a sensitive subpopulation for PFAA’s developmental effects and receive higher exposures than adults from the same drinking water source. This information, as well as emerging data from future studies, should be considered in the development of health-protective and scientifically sound guidelines for PFAAs in drinking water. PMID:29261653

Behaviors and attitudes associated with low drinking water intake among US adults, Food Attitudes and Behaviors Survey, 2007.

PubMed

Goodman, Alyson B; Blanck, Heidi M; Sherry, Bettylou; Park, Sohyun; Nebeling, Linda; Yaroch, Amy L

2013-04-11

Water is vital for life, and plain water is a calorie-free option for hydration. Increasing consumption of drinking water is a strategy to reduce energy intake and lose or maintain weight; however, information on the characteristics of consumers who drink water is limited. Our objective was to describe the characteristics of people who have a low intake of drinking water and to determine associations between their behaviors and attitudes and their intake of water. We analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of 3,397 US adults who participated in the National Cancer Institute's 2007 Food Attitudes and Behaviors Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic characteristics and health-related behaviors and attitudes associated with self-reported drinking water intake of less than 4 cups per day. Overall, 7% of adults reported no daily consumption of drinking water, 36% reported drinking 1 to 3 cups, 35% reported drinking 4 to 7 cups, and 22% reported drinking 8 cups or more. The likelihood of drinking less than 4 cups of water daily was significantly higher among participants aged 55 years or older than among those aged 18 to 34 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.3), among residents of the Northeast than among residents of the South (AOR, 1.4), among participants who consumed 1 cup or less of fruits or vegetables per day than among those who consumed 4.5 cups or more (AOR, 3.0), among participants who did not exercise than among those who exercised 150 minutes or more per week (AOR, 1.7), and among participants who were neither trying to gain nor lose weight than among those trying to lose weight (AOR, 1.3). Low drinking water intake was associated with age, region of residence, and several unhealthful behaviors and attitudes. Understanding characteristics associated with low drinking water intake may help to identify populations that could benefit from interventions to help adults drink more water.

Effects of drinking water monochloramine on lipid and thyroid metabolism in healthy men.

PubMed Central

Wones, R G; Deck, C C; Stadler, B; Roark, S; Hogg, E; Frohman, L A

1993-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a 4-week consumption of 1.5L per day of drinking water containing monochloramine at a concentration of 2 ppm (ppm = mg/L) or 15 ppm under controlled conditions would alter parameters of lipid or thyroid metabolism in healthy men. Forty-eight men completed an 8-week protocol during which diet (600 mg cholesterol per day, 40% calories as fat) and other factors known to affect lipid metabolism were controlled. During the first 4 weeks of the protocol, all subjects consumed distilled water. During the second 4 weeks, one-third of the subjects were assigned randomly to drink 1.5 L per day of water containing 2 ppm of monochloramine, to drink 1.5 L per day of water containing 15 ppm monochloramine, or to continue drinking distilled water. Four blood samples were collected from each subject at the end of each 4-week study period. Subjects drinking monochloramine at a concentration of 2 ppm showed no significant changes in total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apolipoproteins A1, A2, or B when compared to the distilled water group. Parameters of thyroid function also were unchanged by exposure to monochloramine at this concentration. However, subjects drinking monochloramine at a concentration of 15 ppm experienced an increase in the level of apolipoprotein B. Other parameters of lipid and thyroid metabolism did not change. We conclude that consumption of drinking water containing 2 ppm of monochloramine does not alter parameters of lipid and thyroid metabolism in healthy men. Consumption of water containing 15 ppm monochloramine may be associated with increased levels of plasma apolipoprotein B. PMID:8319653

A national cross-sectional study on effects of fluoride-safe water supply on the prevalence of fluorosis in China.

PubMed

Wang, Cheng; Gao, Yanhui; Wang, Wei; Zhao, Lijun; Zhang, Wei; Han, Hepeng; Shi, Yuxia; Yu, Guangqian; Sun, Dianjun

2012-01-01

To assess the effects of provided fluoride-safe drinking-water for the prevention and control of endemic fluorosis in China. A national cross-sectional study in China. In 1985, randomly selected villages in 27 provinces (or cities and municipalities) in 5 geographic areas all over China. Involved 81 786 children aged from 8 to 12 and 594 698 adults aged over 16. The prevalence of dental fluorosis and clinical skeletal fluorosis, the fluoride concentrations in the drinking-water in study villages and in the urine of subjects. The study showed that in the villages where the drinking-water fluoride concentrations were higher than the government standard of 1.2 mg/l, but no fluoride-safe drinking-water supply scheme was provided (FNB areas), the prevalence rate and index of dental fluorosis in children, and prevalence rate of clinical skeletal fluorosis in adults were all significantly higher than those in the historical endemic fluorosis villages after the fluoride-safe drinking-water were provided (FSB areas). Additionally, the prevalence rate of dental fluorosis as well as clinical skeletal fluorosis, and the concentration of fluoride in urine were found increased with the increase of fluoride concentration in drinking-water, with significant positive correlations in the FNB areas. While, the prevalence rate of dental fluorosis and clinical skeletal fluorosis in different age groups and their degrees of prevalence were significantly lower in the FSB areas than those in the FNB areas. The provision of fluoride-safe drinking-water supply schemes had significant effects on the prevention and control of dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis. The study also indicated that the dental and skeletal fluorosis is still prevailing in the high-fluoride drinking-water areas in China.

Changes in Biofilm Community Structure Associated with Monochloramine-treated Drinking Water Biofilms

EPA Science Inventory

Monochloramine is increasingly used as a drinking water disinfectant because it forms lower levels of traditional disinfectant by-products compared to free-chlorine disinfection treatment. The use of monochloramine has been shown to increase ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and the pr...

Establishment and Early Succession of Bacterial Communities in Monochloramine-Treated Drinking Water Biofilms

EPA Science Inventory

Monochloramine is increasingly used as a drinking water disinfectant because it forms lower levels of regulated disinfection by-products. While its use has been shown to increase nitrifying bacteria, little is known about the bacterial succession within biofilms in monochloramin...

Quality of drinking-water at source and point-of-consumption--drinking cup as a high potential recontamination risk: a field study in Bolivia.

PubMed

Rufener, Simonne; Mäusezahl, Daniel; Mosler, Hans-Joachim; Weingartner, Rolf

2010-02-01

In-house contamination of drinking-water is a persistent problem in developing countries. This study aimed at identifying critical points of contamination and determining the extent of recontamination after water treatment. In total, 81 households were visited, and 347 water samples from their current sources of water, transport vessels, treated water, and drinking vessels were analyzed. The quality of water was assessed using Escherichia coli as an indicator for faecal contamination. The concentration of E. coli increased significantly from the water source [median=0 colony-forming unit (CFU)/100 mL, interquartile range (IQR: 0-13)] to the drinking cup (median=8 CFU/100 mL; IQR: 0-550; n=81, z=-3.7, p<0.001). About two-thirds (34/52) of drinking vessels were contaminated with E. coli. Although boiling and solar disinfection of water (SODIS) improved the quality of drinking-water (median=0 CFU/100 mL; IQR: 0-0.05), recontamination at the point-of-consumption significantly reduced the quality of water in the cups (median=8, IQR: 0-500; n=45, z=-2.4, p=0.015). Home-based interventions in disinfection of water may not guarantee health benefits without complementary hygiene education due to the risk of posttreatment contamination.

The genetic basis of novel water utilisation and drinking behaviour traits and their relationship with biological performance in turkeys.

PubMed

Rusakovica, Julija; Kremer, Valentin D; Plötz, Thomas; Rohlf, Paige; Kyriazakis, Ilias

2017-09-29

There is increasing interest in the definition, measurement and use of traits associated with water use and drinking behaviour, mainly because water is a finite resource and its intake is an important part of animal health and well-being. Analysis of such traits has received little attention, due in part to the lack of appropriate technology to measure drinking behaviour. We exploited novel equipment to collect water intake data in two lines of turkey (A: 27,415 and B: 12,956 birds). The equipment allowed continuous recording of individual visits to the water station in a group environment. Our aim was to identify drinking behaviour traits of biological relevance, to estimate their genetic parameters and their genetic relationships with performance traits, and to identify drinking behaviour strategies among individuals. Visits to the drinkers were clustered into bouts, i.e. time intervals spent in drinking-related activity. Based on this, biologically relevant traits were defined: (1) number of visits per bout, (2) water intake per bout, (3) drinking time per bout, (4) drinking rate, (5) daily bout frequency, (6) daily bout duration, (7) daily drinking time and (8) daily water intake. Heritability estimates for most drinking behaviour traits were moderate to high and the most highly heritable traits were drinking rate (0.49 and 0.50) and daily drinking time (0.35 and 0.46 in lines A and B, respectively). Genetic correlations between drinking behaviour and performance traits were low except for moderate correlations between daily water intake and weight gain (0.46 and 0.47 in lines A and B, respectively). High estimates of breeding values for weight gain were found across the whole range of estimated breeding values for daily water intake, daily drinking time and water intake per bout. We show for the first time that drinking behaviour traits are moderately to highly heritable. Low genetic and phenotypic correlations with performance traits suggest that current breeding goals have not and will not affect normal water drinking behaviour. Birds express a wide range of different drinking behaviour strategies, which can be suitable to a wide range of environments and production systems.

Consumption of low-moderate level arsenic contaminated water does not increase spontaneous pregnancy loss: a case control study.

PubMed

Bloom, Michael S; Neamtiu, Iulia A; Surdu, Simona; Pop, Cristian; Lupsa, Ioana Rodica; Anastasiu, Doru; Fitzgerald, Edward F; Gurzau, Eugen S

2014-10-13

Previous work suggests an increased risk for spontaneous pregnancy loss linked to high levels of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in drinking water sources (>10 μg/L). However, there has been little focus to date on the impact of low-moderate levels of iAs in drinking water (<10 μg/L). To address this data gap we conducted a hospital-based case-control study in Timis County, Romania. We recruited women with incident spontaneous pregnancy loss of 5-20 weeks completed gestation as cases (n = 150), and women with ongoing pregnancies matched by gestational age (±1 week) as controls (n = 150). Participants completed a physician-administered questionnaire and we collected water samples from residential drinking sources. We reconstructed residential drinking water exposure histories using questionnaire data weighted by iAs determined using hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS). Logistic regression models were used to generate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between iAs exposure and loss, conditioned on gestational age and adjusted for maternal age, cigarette smoking, education and prenatal vitamin use. We explored potential interactions in a second set of models. Drinking water arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.0 to 175.1 μg/L, with median 0.4 μg/L and 90th%tile 9.4 μg/L. There were no statistically significant associations between loss and average or peak drinking water iAs concentrations (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.01), or for daily iAs intake (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.98-1.02). We detected modest evidence for an interaction between average iAs concentration and cigarette smoking during pregnancy (P = 0.057) and for daily iAs exposure and prenatal vitamin use (P = 0.085). These results suggest no increased risk for spontaneous pregnancy loss in association with low to moderate level drinking water iAs exposure. Though imprecise, our data also raise the possibility for increased risk among cigarette smokers. Given the low exposures overall, these data should reassure pregnant women and policy makers with regard to the potential effect of drinking water iAs on early pregnancy, though a larger more definitive study to investigate the potential risk increase in conjunction with cigarette smoking is merited.

MODELING CONTAMINANT PROPAGATION IN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS.

EPA Science Inventory

The Safe Drinking Water Act and its Amendments (SDWAA) will pose a massive hallenge for the drinking water industry in the United States. As the SDWAA regulations reach implementation, increasing effort will be devoted to understanding the facctors causing deterioration of water...

Biological effects of drinking-water mineral composition on calcium balance and bone remodeling markers.

PubMed

Roux, S; Baudoin, C; Boute, D; Brazier, M; De La Guéronniere, V; De Vernejoul, M C

2004-01-01

To compare the effects of 2 drinking waters containing similar calcium (Ca) concentration in order to analyze the role of ions other than Ca on bone metabolism. These mineral drinking-waters differed by their mineral composition primarily concerning the concentration of bicarbonate (HCO3-), high in the HB, and sulfate, high in HS water. Of 60 included women, 39 completed the study. Patients were randomly assigned to an intake of 1 liter per day of mineral water HB or HS for 28 d, followed by cross-over to the alternative drinking-water for a further 28 d. At baseline and after each period of one month, Ca metabolism parameters, acid-base status, and bone remodeling markers were measured. Changes in Ca metabolism were significant in the HB group where the ionized Ca increased and the PTH decreased. Serum pH showed a similar increase whatever the used drinking water compared to baseline. In the HB group, significant increase in urine pH, and significant decrease in AT-HCO3- and NH4+ were observed. Bone resorption markers, urinary CTx/Cr, Pyr/Cr, and D-Pyr/Cr, significantly decreased in the HB group compared to baseline, and were not significantly modified in the HS group. These results showed a beneficial effect of the bicarbonaterich HB water on bone metabolism. This may account for a better bioavailability of the Ca, a greater alkalinization, and a larger decrease in PTH level secondary to a higher ionized Ca level. The higher content of silica in HB water may have also participated to the positive action on bone balance that was observed. In this short term study, these data underlined the potential role of the mineral drinking water composition on bone metabolism.

High Content of Lead Is Associated with the Softness of Drinking Water and Raised Cardiovascular Morbidity: A Review.

PubMed

Bjørklund, Geir; Dadar, Maryam; Chirumbolo, Salvatore; Aaseth, Jan

2018-04-14

Daily ingestion of lead (Pb), even through piped drinking water, has long time been an important issue of concern, attracting for decades research in environmental science and toxicology, and again comes to prominence because of recent high-profile cases of exposure of populations in several countries to Pb-contaminated water. Numerous studies have reported an association between Pb in water and the risk of cardiovascular pathologies. Low levels of magnesium and calcium, i.e., low degree of hardness of the drinking water, may accentuate Pb leaching from water pipes and furthermore increase Pb absorption. This review evaluates the evidence for an association between Pb exposure from drinking water and cardiovascular end points in human populations.

Influence of water drinking on resting energy expenditure in overweight children.

PubMed

Dubnov-Raz, G; Constantini, N W; Yariv, H; Nice, S; Shapira, N

2011-10-01

It was previously demonstrated that drinking water significantly elevates the resting energy expenditure (REE) in adults, and that low water intake is associated with obesity and lesser success in weight reduction. This study addressed the potential of water drinking to increase the REE in children, as an additional tool for weight management. To examine the effect of drinking water on the REE of overweight children. A total of 21 overweight, otherwise-healthy children (age 9.9±1.4 years, 11 males) drank 10 ml kg(-1) cold water (4 °C). REE was measured before and after water ingestion, for 66 min. The main outcome measure was the change in mean REE from baseline values. Immediately after drinking water, there was a transient decrease in REE, from a baseline value of 3.32±1.15 kilojoule (kJ) per min to 2.56±0.66 kJ per min at minute 3 (P=0.005). A subsequent rise in REE was then observed, which was significantly higher than baseline after 24 min (3.89±0.78 kJ/min (P=0.021)), and at most time points thereafter. Maximal mean REE values were seen at 57 min after water drinking (4.16±1.43 kJ per min (P=0.004)), which were 25% higher than baseline. REE was significantly correlated with age, height, weight and fat-free mass; the correlations with maximal REE values after water drinking were stronger than with baseline REE values. This study demonstrated an increase of up to 25% in REE following the drinking of 10 ml kg(-1) of cold water in overweight children, lasting for over 40 min. Consuming the recommended daily amount of water for children could result in an energy expenditure equivalent to an additional weight loss of about 1.2 kg per year. These findings reinforce the concept of water-induced REE elevation shown in adults, suggesting that water drinking could assist overweight children in weight loss or maintenance, and may warrant emphasis in dietary guidelines against the obesity epidemic.

Effect of turbidity on chlorination efficiency and bacterial persistence in drinking water.

PubMed Central

LeChevallier, M W; Evans, T M; Seidler, R J

1981-01-01

To define interrelationships between elevated turbidities and the efficiency of chlorination in drinking water, experiments were performed to measure bacterial survival, chlorine demand, and interference with microbiological determinations. Experiments were conducted on the surface water supplies for communities which practice chlorination as the only treatment. Therefore, the conclusions of this study apply only to such systems. Results indicated that disinfection efficiency (log10 of the decrease in coliform numbers) was negatively correlated with turbidity and was influenced by season, chlorine demand of the samples, and the initial coliform level. Total organic carbon was found to be associated with turbidity and was shown to interfere with maintenance of a free chlorine residual by creating a chlorine demand. Interference with coliform detection in turbid waters could be demonstrated by the recovery of typical coliforms from apparently negative filters. The incidence of coliform masking in the membrane filter technique was found to increase as the turbidity of the chlorinated samples increased. the magnitude of coliform masking in the membrane filter technique increased from less than 1 coliform per 100 ml in water samples of less than 5 nephelometric turbidity units to greater than 1 coliform per 100 ml in water samples of greater than 5 nephelometric turbidity units. Statistical models were developed to predict the impact of turbidity on drinking water quality. The results justify maximum contaminant levels for turbidity in water entering a distribution system as stated in the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Images PMID:7259162

Is fluoride a risk factor for bone cancer? Small area analysis of osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma diagnosed among 0-49-year-olds in Great Britain, 1980-2005.

PubMed

Blakey, Karen; Feltbower, Richard G; Parslow, Roger C; James, Peter W; Gómez Pozo, Basilio; Stiller, Charles; Vincent, Tim J; Norman, Paul; McKinney, Patricia A; Murphy, Michael F; Craft, Alan W; McNally, Richard J Q

2014-02-01

Artificial fluoridation of drinking water to improve dental health has long been a topic of controversy. Opponents of this public health measure have cited the possibility of bone cancer induction. The study objective was to examine whether increased risk of primary bone cancer was associated with living in areas with higher concentrations of fluoride in drinking water. Case data on osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, diagnosed at ages 0-49 years in Great Britain (GB) (defined here as England, Scotland and Wales) during the period 1980-2005, were obtained from population-based cancer registries. Data on fluoride levels in drinking water in England and Wales were accessed through regional water companies and the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Scottish Water provided data for Scotland. Negative binomial regression was used to examine the relationship between incidence rates and level of fluoride in drinking water at small area level. The study analysed 2566 osteosarcoma and 1650 Ewing sarcoma cases. There was no evidence of an association between osteosarcoma risk and fluoride in drinking water [relative risk (RR) per one part per million increase in the level of fluoride = 1·001; 90% confidence interval (CI) 0·871, 1·151] and similarly there was no association for Ewing sarcoma (RR = 0·929; 90% CI 0·773, 1·115). The findings from this study provide no evidence that higher levels of fluoride (whether natural or artificial) in drinking water in GB lead to greater risk of either osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma.

Evaluation of Current Water Treatment and Distribution System Optimization to Provide Safe Drinking Water from Various Source Water Types and Conditions (Deliverable 5.2.C.1)

EPA Science Inventory

Increasingly, drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) are being challenged by changes in the quality of their source waters and by their aging treatment and distribution system infrastructure. Individually or in combination, factors such as shrinking water and financial resources...

Are Endocrine Disrupting Compounds a Health Risk in Drinking Water?

PubMed Central

Falconer, Ian R.

2006-01-01

There has been a great deal of international discussion on the nature and relevance of endocrine disrupting compounds in the environment. Changes in reproductive organs of fish and mollusks have been demonstrated in rivers downstream of sewage discharges in Europe and in North America, which have been attributed to estrogenic compounds in the effluent. The anatomical and physiological changes in the fauna are illustrated by feminization of male gonads. The compounds of greatest hormonal activity in sewage effluent are the natural estrogens 17β-estradiol, estrone, estriol and the synthetic estrogen ethinylestradiol. Androgens are also widely present in wastewaters. Investigations of anthropogenic chemical contaminants in freshwaters and wastewaters have shown a wide variety of organic compounds, many of which have low levels of estrogenic activity. In many highly populated countries the drinking water is sourced from the same rivers and lakes that are the recipients of sewage and industrial discharge. The River Thames which flows through London, England, has overall passed through drinking water and sewage discharge 5 times from source to mouth of the river. Under these types of circumstance, any accumulation of endocrine disrupting compounds from sewage or industry potentially affects the quality of drinking water. Neither basic wastewater treatment nor basic drinking water treatment will eliminate the estrogens, androgens or detergent breakdown products from water, due to the chemical stability of the structures. Hence a potential risk to health exists; however present data indicate that estrogenic contamination of drinking water is very unlikely to result in physiologically detectable effects in consumers. Pesticide, detergent and industrial contamination remain issues of concern. As a result of this concern, increased attention is being given to enhanced wastewater treatment in locations where the effluent is directly or indirectly in use for drinking water. In some places at which heavy anthropogenic contamination of drinking water sources occurs, advanced drinking water treatment is increasingly being implemented. This treatment employs particle removal, ozone oxidation of organic material and activated charcoal adsorption of the oxidation products. Such processes will remove industrial organic chemicals, pesticides, detergents, pharmaceutical products and hormones. Populations for which only basic wastewater and drinking water treatment are available remain vulnerable. PMID:16823090

Microbial community characterization of ozone-biofiltration systems in drinking water and potable reuse applications.

PubMed

Gerrity, Daniel; Arnold, Mayara; Dickenson, Eric; Moser, Duane; Sackett, Joshua D; Wert, Eric C

2018-05-15

Microbial community structure in the ozone-biofiltration systems of two drinking water and two wastewater treatment facilities was characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Collectively, these datasets enabled comparisons by facility, water type (drinking water, wastewater), pre-oxidation (ozonation, chlorination), media type (anthracite, activated carbon), media depth, and backwash dynamics. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in drinking water filters, whereas Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, and Planctomycetes were differentially abundant in wastewater filters. A positive correlation was observed between media depth and relative abundance of Cyanobacteria in drinking water filters, but there was only a slight increase in one alpha diversity metric with depth in the wastewater filters. Media type had a significant effect on beta but not alpha diversity in drinking water and wastewater filters. Pre-ozonation caused a significant decrease in alpha diversity in the wastewater filters, but the effect on beta diversity was not statistically significant. An evaluation of backwash dynamics resulted in two notable observations: (1) endosymbionts such as Neochlamydia and Legionella increased in relative abundance following backwashing and (2) nitrogen-fixing Bradyrhizobium dominated the microbial community in wastewater filters operated with infrequent backwashing. Bradyrhizobium is known to generate extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which may adversely impact biofilter performance and effluent water quality. These findings have important implications for public health and the operation and resiliency of biofiltration systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Meeting the Access Goal: Strategies for Increasing Access to Safe Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment to American Indian and Alaska Native Villages - March 2008

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document describes the key barriers to improving access to safe drinking water and wastewater disposal in Indian country and offers recommendations on how to reduce these barriers to increase access.

Drinking water arsenic exposure and blood pressure in healthy women of reproductive age in Inner Mongolia, China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kwok, Richard K.; Mendola, Pauline; Liu Zhiyi

2007-08-01

The extremely high exposure levels evaluated in prior investigations relating elevated levels of drinking water arsenic and hypertension prevalence make extrapolation to potential vascular effects at lower exposure levels very difficult. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 8790 women who had recently been pregnant in an area of Inner Mongolia, China known to have a gradient of drinking water arsenic exposure. This study observed increased systolic blood pressure levels with increasing drinking water arsenic, at lower exposure levels than previously reported in the literature. As compared to the referent category (below limit of detection to 20 {mu}g of As/L), themore » overall population mean systolic blood pressure rose 1.29 mm Hg (95% CI 0.82, 1.75), 1.28 mm Hg (95% CI 0.49, 2.07), and 2.22 mm Hg (95% CI 1.46, 2.97) as drinking water arsenic concentration increased from 21 to 50, 51 to 100, and > 100 {mu}g of As/L, respectively. Controlling for age and body weight (n = 3260), the population mean systolic blood pressure rose 1.88 mm Hg (95% CI 1.03, 2.73), 3.90 mm Hg (95% CI 2.52, 5.29), and 6.83 mm Hg (95% CI 5.39, 8.27) as drinking water arsenic concentration increased, respectively. For diastolic blood pressure effect, while statistically significant, was not as pronounced as systolic blood pressure. Mean diastolic blood pressure rose 0.78 mm Hg (95% CI 0.39, 1.16), 1.57 mm Hg (95% CI 0.91, 2.22) and 1.32 mm Hg (95% CI 0.70, 1.95), respectively, for the overall population and rose 2.11 mm Hg (95% CI 1.38, 2.84), 2.74 mm Hg (95% CI 1.55, 3.93), and 3.08 mm Hg (95% CI 1.84, 4.31), respectively, for the adjusted population (n = 3260) at drinking water arsenic concentrations of 21 to 50, 51 to 100, and > 100 {mu}g of As/L. If our study results are confirmed in other populations, the potential burden of cardiovascular disease attributable to drinking water arsenic is significant.« less

Concentration of Fluoride in Cow's and Buffalo's Milk in Relation to Varying Levels of Fluoride Concentration in Drinking Water of Mathura City in India- A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Gupta, Prahlad; Gupta, Nidhi; Meena, Komal; Moon, Ninad Joshirao; Kumar, Puneet; Kaur, Ravneet

2015-05-01

To estimate fluoride concentration in drinking water, cow's milk and buffalo's milk and to correlate the concentration of fluoride in cow's milk and buffalo's milk with varying levels of fluoride concentration in drinking water. Ten households having both cows and buffalo's were selected by convenience in each of the 3 zones (below optimum fluoride <0.7 ppm (parts per million), optimum fluoride 0.7-1.2 ppm and above optimum fluoride areas > 1.2 ppm). From these selected households, 200 ml of fresh milk of both cows and buffaloes was collected along with 200 ml of drinking water for estimation of fluoride concentration by using a fluoride ion selective electrode method. The data was analysed using SPSS, version 11.5 for windows. The mean fluoride concentration of drinking water, cow's milk and buffalo's milk in three different fluoride zones was 0.89±0.39, 0.09±0.07, 0.09±0.08 respectively. Pearson's correlation found a statistically significant correlation between fluoride concentrations in cow's and buffalo's milk with varying levels of fluoride concentration in drinking water in zone B and zone C. However, this correlation was not statistically significant in zone A. With an increase in fluoride concentration in drinking water there was an increase in concentration of fluoride in cow's and buffalo's milk. We conclude that this association is seen in conjunction to not only a single factor but rather due to culmination of several other aspects. So, there is a need to elucidate the other factors that might be contributing to this increase and dental fluorosis.

Levels of exposure from drinking water.

PubMed

van Dijk-Looijaard, A M; van Genderen, J

2000-01-01

The relative exposure from drinking water is generally small, although there is a lack of information on total daily intake of individual organic micropollutants. There are, however, a few exceptions. Materials used in domestic distribution systems (lead, copper and plastics) may cause a deterioration of the water quality, especially in stagnant water. The relative exposure to the related compounds may increase considerably. Monitoring data from the tap (with defined sampling techniques) are needed. Also, disinfection/oxidation by-products (bromate, trihalomethanes) can be present in drinking water in considerable amounts and the relative exposure from drinking water may even approach 100%. Especially for volatile organic micropollutants, exposure routes from drinking water other than ingestion must be taken into account (inhalation, percutaneous uptake). When there is a need for detection of substances at very low levels it is important that the measurements are reliable. International interlaboratory comparisons for organic micropollutants are lacking at the moment.

Changes in water manganese levels and longitudinal assessment of intellectual function in children exposed through drinking water.

PubMed

Dion, Laurie-Anne; Saint-Amour, Dave; Sauvé, Sébastien; Barbeau, Benoit; Mergler, Donna; Bouchard, Maryse F

2018-01-01

Manganese is commonly found in water but potential neurotoxic effects from exposure through drinking water are poorly understood. We previously reported a cross-sectional study showing that drinking water Mn concentration was associated with lower IQ in children aged 6 to 13 years. For this follow-up study, we aimed to re-assess the relation between exposure to Mn from drinking water and IQ at adolescence. In addition, we aimed to examine whether changes in drinking water Mn concentration was associated with changes in IQ scores. From the 380 children enrolled in the baseline study, 287 participated to this follow-up study conducted in average 4.4 years after. Mn concentration was measured in home tap water and children's hair. The relationships between these Mn exposure indicators and IQ scores (Weschsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence) at follow-up were assessed with linear regression analysis, adjusting for potential confounders. Intra-individual differences in IQ scores between the two examinations were compared for children whose Mn concentration in water remained stable between examinations, increased or decreased. The mean age at follow-up was 13.7 years (range, 10.5 to 18.0 years). Geometric mean of Mn concentration in water at follow-up was 14.5μg/L. Higher Mn concentration in water measured at follow-up was associated with lower Performance IQ in girls (β for a 10-fold increase=-2.8, 95% confidence intervals [CI] -4.8 to -0.8) and higher Performance IQ in boys (β=3.9, 95% CI 1.4 to 6.4). IQ scores were not significantly associated with Mn concentration in hair, although similar trends as for concentration in water were observed. For children whose Mn concentration in water increased between baseline and follow-up, Performance IQ scores decreased significantly (intra-individual difference, -2.4 points). Higher levels of Mn in drinking water were associated with lower Performance IQ in girls, whereas the opposite was observed in boys. These findings suggest long-term exposure to Mn through drinking water is associated differently with cognition in boys and girls. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water and beverage consumption patterns among 4 to 13-year-old children in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Vieux, Florent; Maillot, Matthieu; Constant, Florence; Drewnowski, Adam

2017-05-19

The UK government has announced a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. The aim of this study was to assess consumption patterns for plain drinking water relative to sugary beverages among UK children. Dietary intake data for 845 children aged 4-13 years came from the nationally representative cross-sectional National Diet and Nutrition Survey, 2008-2011. Beverage categories were drinking water (tap or bottled), milk, 100% fruit juices, soda, fruit drinks, tea, coffee, sports drinks, flavored waters, and liquid supplements. Consumption patterns were examined by age group, gender, household incomes, time and location of consumption, region and seasonality. Total water consumption from drinking water, beverages, and foods, and the water-to-calorie ratios (L/kcal) were compared to the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) adequate intake standards. Total water intake (1338 ml/d) came from plain water (19%), beverages (48%), and food moisture (33%). Plain drinking water provided 258 g/d (241 g/d for children aged 4-8 years; 274 g/d for 9-13 years), mostly (83.8%) from tap. Water and beverages supplied 901 g /d of water. Tap water consumption increased with income and was highest in the South of England. The consumption of bottled water, soda, tea and coffee increased with age, whereas milk consumption declined. About 88.7% of children did not meet EFSA adequate intake standards. The daily water shortfall ranged from 322 ml/d to 659 ml/d. Water-to-calorie ratio was 0.845 L/1000 kcal short of desirable levels of 1.0-1.5 L/1000 kcal. Total water intake were at 74.8% of EFSA reference values. Drinking water consumption among children in the UK was well below US and French estimates.

[Spatial and seasonal characterization of the drinking water from various sources in a peri-urban town of Salta].

PubMed

Rodriguez-Alvarez, María S; Moraña, Liliana B; Salusso, María M; Seghezzo, Lucas

Drinking water monitoring plans are important to characterize both treated and untreated water used for drinking purposes. Access to drinking water increased in recent years as a response to the Millennium Development Goals set for 2015. The new Sustainable Development Goals aim to ensure universal access to safe drinking water by 2030. Within the framework of these global goals, it is crucial to monitor local drinking water systems. In this paper, treated and untreated water from different sources currently consumed in a specific town in Salta, northern Argentina, was thoroughly assessed. Monitoring extended along several seasons and included the physical, chemical and microbiological variables recommended by the Argentine Food Code. On the one hand, treated water mostly complies with these standards, with some non-compliances detected during the rainy season. Untreated water, on the other hand, never meets microbiological standards and is unfit for human consumption. Monitoring seems essential to detect anomalies and help guarantee a constant provision of safe drinking water. New treatment plants are urgently needed to expand the water grid to the entire population. Copyright © 2017 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of Antioxidant Mechanisms and Reduction of Oxidative Stress in Chickens after the Administration of Drinking Water Enriched with Polyphenolic Powder from Olive Mill Waste Waters.

PubMed

Papadopoulou, Aliki; Petrotos, Konstantinos; Stagos, Dimitrios; Gerasopoulos, Konstantinos; Maimaris, Antonios; Makris, Haralampos; Kafantaris, Ioannis; Makri, Sotiria; Kerasioti, Efthalia; Halabalaki, Maria; Brieudes, Vincent; Ntasi, Georgia; Kokkas, Stylianos; Tzimas, Pavlos; Goulas, Panagiotis; Zakharenko, Alexander M; Golokhvast, Kirill S; Tsatsakis, Aristidis; Kouretas, Demetrios

2017-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a polyphenolic powder from olive mill wastewater (OMWW) administered through drinking water, on chickens' redox status. Thus, 75 chickens were divided into three groups. Group A was given just drinking water, while groups B and C were given drinking water containing 20 and 50  μ g/ml of polyphenols, respectively, for 45 days. The antioxidant effects of the polyphenolic powder were assessed by measuring oxidative stress biomarkers in blood after 25 and 45 days of treatment. These markers were total antioxidant capacity (TAC), protein carbonyls (CARB), thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) and superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) in plasma, and glutathione (GSH) and catalase activity in erythrocytes. The results showed that CARB and TBARS were decreased significantly in groups B and C, and SOD decreased in group B compared to that in group A. TAC was increased significantly in group C and GSH was increased in group B, while catalase activity was increased in groups B and C compared to that in group A. In conclusion, this is the first study showing that supplementation of chickens with polyphenols from OMWW through drinking water enhanced their antioxidant mechanisms and reduced oxidative stress-induced damage.

Legislation and policy for the protection of the drinking water supply in The Netherlands.

PubMed

van Dijk-Looijaard, A M; de Kruijf, H A

1985-12-01

The drinking water supply in The Netherlands is particularly influenced by the pollution of surface water with organic micropollutants as the country is located at the delta of the polluted rivers Rhine and Meuse. Also ground water pollution, resulting from intensive industrial and agricultural activities in this densely populated country, is becoming increasingly important. Consequently the Dutch Government has great interest in international research, discussions and agreements concerning the protection of raw water sources. This paper summarizes the drinking water quality regulations together with the present legislation and activities carried out for the protection of both surface water and ground water. Most measures are now taken in the international frameworks of the EC (European Community) or IRC (International Rhine Commission), but in the Dutch legislation and sanitation policy additional activities are being carried out to safeguard the quality of drinking water in The Netherlands. Finally the policy of the Dutch government to continue the safe and durable provision of drinking water in the future is discussed.

Seasonal Variation in Drinking and Domestic Water Sources and Quality in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

PubMed

Kumpel, Emily; Cock-Esteb, Alicea; Duret, Michel; de Waal, Dominick; Khush, Ranjiv

2017-02-08

We compared dry and rainy season water sources and their quality in the urban region of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Representative sampling indicated that municipal water supplies represent < 1% of the water sources. Residents rely on privately constructed and maintained boreholes that are supplemented by commercially packaged bottled and sachet drinking water. Contamination by thermotolerant coliforms increased from 21% of drinking water sources in the dry season to 42% of drinking water sources in the rainy season ( N = 356 and N = 397). The most significant increase was in sachet water, which showed the lowest frequencies of contamination in the dry season compared with other sources (15%, N = 186) but the highest frequencies during the rainy season (59%, N = 76). Only half as many respondents reported drinking sachet water in the rainy season as in the dry season. Respondents primarily used flush or pour-flush toilets connected to septic tanks (85%, N = 399). The remainder relied on pit latrines and hanging (pier) latrines that drained into surface waters. We found significant associations between fecal contamination in boreholes and the nearby presence of hanging latrines. Sanitary surveys of boreholes showed that more than half were well-constructed, and we did not identify associations between structural or site deficiencies and microbial water quality. The deterioration of drinking water quality during the rainy season is a serious public health risk for both untreated groundwater and commercially packaged water, highlighting a need to address gaps in monitoring and quality control. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

A population-based case-control study of drinking-water nitrate and congenital anomalies using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to develop individual-level exposure estimates.

PubMed

Holtby, Caitlin E; Guernsey, Judith R; Allen, Alexander C; Vanleeuwen, John A; Allen, Victoria M; Gordon, Robert J

2014-02-05

Animal studies and epidemiological evidence suggest an association between prenatal exposure to drinking water with elevated nitrate (NO3-N) concentrations and incidence of congenital anomalies. This study used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to derive individual-level prenatal drinking-water nitrate exposure estimates from measured nitrate concentrations from 140 temporally monitored private wells and 6 municipal water supplies. Cases of major congenital anomalies in Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada, between 1988 and 2006 were selected from province-wide population-based perinatal surveillance databases and matched to controls from the same databases. Unconditional multivariable logistic regression was performed to test for an association between drinking-water nitrate exposure and congenital anomalies after adjusting for clinically relevant risk factors. Employing all nitrate data there was a trend toward increased risk of congenital anomalies for increased nitrate exposure levels though this was not statistically significant. After stratification of the data by conception before or after folic acid supplementation, an increased risk of congenital anomalies for nitrate exposure of 1.5-5.56 mg/L (2.44; 1.05-5.66) and a trend toward increased risk for >5.56 mg/L (2.25; 0.92-5.52) was found. Though the study is likely underpowered, these results suggest that drinking-water nitrate exposure may contribute to increased risk of congenital anomalies at levels below the current Canadian maximum allowable concentration.

A Population-Based Case-Control Study of Drinking-Water Nitrate and Congenital Anomalies Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Develop Individual-Level Exposure Estimates

PubMed Central

Holtby, Caitlin E.; Guernsey, Judith R.; Allen, Alexander C.; VanLeeuwen, John A.; Allen, Victoria M.; Gordon, Robert J.

2014-01-01

Animal studies and epidemiological evidence suggest an association between prenatal exposure to drinking water with elevated nitrate (NO3-N) concentrations and incidence of congenital anomalies. This study used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to derive individual-level prenatal drinking-water nitrate exposure estimates from measured nitrate concentrations from 140 temporally monitored private wells and 6 municipal water supplies. Cases of major congenital anomalies in Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada, between 1988 and 2006 were selected from province-wide population-based perinatal surveillance databases and matched to controls from the same databases. Unconditional multivariable logistic regression was performed to test for an association between drinking-water nitrate exposure and congenital anomalies after adjusting for clinically relevant risk factors. Employing all nitrate data there was a trend toward increased risk of congenital anomalies for increased nitrate exposure levels though this was not statistically significant. After stratification of the data by conception before or after folic acid supplementation, an increased risk of congenital anomalies for nitrate exposure of 1.5–5.56 mg/L (2.44; 1.05–5.66) and a trend toward increased risk for >5.56 mg/L (2.25; 0.92–5.52) was found. Though the study is likely underpowered, these results suggest that drinking-water nitrate exposure may contribute to increased risk of congenital anomalies at levels below the current Canadian maximum allowable concentration. PMID:24503976

Water Drinking Test: Intraocular Pressure Changes after Tube Surgery and Trabeculectomy.

PubMed

Razeghinejad, Mohammad Reza; Tajbakhsh, Zahra; Nowroozzadeh, Mohammad Hossein; Masoumpour, Masoumeh

2017-01-01

To study the effects of filtration surgeries (tube and trabeculectomy) on changes in intraocular pressure after a water-drinking test. In this prospective, non-randomized, comparative clinical study, 30 patients who had tube surgery and 30 age- and sex-matched trabeculectomy patients underwent a water-drinking test. Only one eye of each patient was included. The baseline intraocular pressure was ≤21 mmHg in all enrolled eyes with or without adjunctive topical medications. After the water-drinking test, the intraocular pressure was measured and recorded at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes and the results were compared between the two groups. In both groups, intraocular pressure significantly increased from baseline at all measured time-points ( P < 0.001). In the trabeculectomy group, the average intraocular pressure increased from 14.8 ± 2.9 to 18.8 ± 4.7 mmHg at 30 minutes, but decreased at 60 min (18.0 ± 5.2 mmHg). In the Tube group, intraocular pressure increased incrementally until the last measurement (14.2 ± 3.9, 18.8 ± 5.6, and 19.7 ± 6.0 mmHg at baseline, 30, and 60 minutes, respectively). The end-pressure difference (intraocular pressure at 60 minutes vs. baseline) was significantly greater in the tube group (5.6 ± 3.6 mmHg; 41% change) than in the trabeculectomy group (3.2 ± 4.7; 23% change; P = 0.03). Intraocular pressure significantly increased after the water-drinking test in both the groups. Intraocular pressure started to decline 30 minutes after the water-drinking test in the trabeculectomy group, while it continued to increase up to 60 minutes in the Tube group. This finding may have implications regarding the efficacy or safety of the procedures in advanced glaucoma patients.

The health-related microbiological quality of bottled drinking water sold in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

PubMed

Kassenga, Gabriel R

2007-03-01

The consumption of bottled and plastic-bagged drinking water in Tanzania has increased largely because of the deteriorating quality of tap water. It is uncertain whether these water products are safe for drinking. In this study, the microbiological quality of bottled and plastic-bagged drinking water sold in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was investigated. One hundred and thirty samples representing 13 brands of bottled water collected from shops, supermarkets and street vendors were analysed for total coliform and faecal coliform organisms as well as heterotrophic bacteria. These were compared with 61 samples of tap water. Heterotrophic bacteria were detected in 92% of the bottled water samples analysed. Total and faecal coliform bacteria were present in 4.6% and 3.6%, respectively, of samples analysed with a tendency for higher contamination rates in plastic-bagged drinking water. Microbiological quality of tap water was found to be worse compared with bottled water, with 49.2% and 26.2% of sampling points showing the presence of total coliform and faecal coliform organisms, respectively. The results suggest caution and vigilance to avert outbreaks of waterborne diseases from these types of drinking water.

Drinking water systems, hydrology, and childhood gastrointestinal illness in central and northern Wisconsin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Current United States drinking water regulations create areas with different levels of water quality. Municipalities accessing untreated groundwater and households with unmonitored private wells may be at increased risk for acquiring waterborne disease. Objectives: The study investigat...

APPLICATION OF USEPA'S DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS TOWARDS RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Rainwater harvesting is receiving increased attention worldwide as an alternative source of drinking water. Although federal agencies such as the USEPA acknowledge the existence of rainwater collection systems, the monitoring of this water source is still typically carried out b...

MINIMIZING THE VULNERABILITY OF WATER SUPPLIES TO NATURAL AND TERRORIST THREATS

EPA Science Inventory

There is increasing concern that drinking water utilities may be vulnerable to attacks by terrorists. In the US the President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection has concluded the US drinking water utilities are vulnerable to physical, cyber and biological terroris...

REMOTE MONITORING OF WATER QUALITY IN DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Water is a precious natural resource that Americans enjoy with little thought to contamination or potential tampering. However, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and ensuing threats have increased awareness of the potential for contamination of the nation's drinking w...

SAFE DRINKING WATER FROM SMALL SYSTEMS: TREATMENT OPTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Bringing small water systems into compliance with the ever-increasing number of regulations will require flexibility in terms of technology application and institional procedures. his article looks at the means by which small systems can provide safe drinking water, focusing on t...

The risks of drinking water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichhardt, Tony

1984-04-01

Three researchers from the Energy and Environmental Policy Center at Harvard University have come up with a new method of calculating the risk from contaminants in drinking water, one that they believe takes into account some of the uncertainties in pronouncing water safe or dangerous to drink. The new method concentrates on the risk of cancer, which authors Edmund Crouch, Richard Wilson, and Lauren Zeise believe has not been properly considered in establishing drinking water standards.Writing in the December 1983 issue of Water Resources Research, the authors state that “current [drinking water] standards for a given chemical or class of chemicals do not account for the presence of other pollutants” that could combine to create dangerous substances. According to Wilson, “Over a hundred industrial pollutants and chlorination byproducts have been found in various samples of drinking water, some of which are known carcinogens, others suspected carcinogens.” The same chlorine that solves one major health problem—the threat of bacterial disease—can thus contribute to another, according to the authors, by increasing the long-term risk of cancer. The largest risks are due to halomethanes such as chloroform and bromoform, produced as chlorine reacts with organic matter in drinking water.

Effects of assimilable organic carbon and free chlorine on bacterial growth in drinking water.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaolu; Wang, Jingqi; Liu, Tingting; Kong, Weiwen; He, Xiaoqing; Jin, Yi; Zhang, Bolin

2015-01-01

Assimilable organic carbon (AOC) is one of the most important factors affecting the re-growth of microorganisms in drinking water. High AOC concentrations result in biological instability, but disinfection kills microbes to ensure the safety of drinking water. Free chlorine is an important oxidizing agent used during the disinfection process. Therefore, we explored the combined effects of AOC and free chlorine on bacterial growth in drinking water using flow cytometry (FCM). The initial AOC concentration was 168 μg.L(-1) in all water samples. Without free chlorine, the concentrations of intact bacteria increased but the level of AOC decreased. The addition of sodium hypochlorite caused an increase and fluctuation in AOC due to the oxidation of organic carbon. The concentrations of intact bacteria decreased from 1.1 × 10(5) cells.mL(-1) to 2.6 × 10(4) cells.mL(-1) at an initial free chlorine dose of 0.6 mg.L(-1) to 4.8 × 10(4) cells.mL(-1) at an initial free chlorine dose of 0.3 mg.L(-1) due to free chlorine originating from sodium hypochlorite. Additionally, free chlorine might be more obviously affected AOC concentrations than microbial growth did. These results suggested that AOC and free chlorine might have combined effects on microbial growth. In this study, our results showed concentrations determined by FCM were higher than those by HPC, which indicated that some E. coli detected by FCM might not be detected using HPC in drinking water. The level of free chlorine might restrain the consumption of AOC by inhibiting the growth of E. coli; on the other hand, chlorination might increase the level of AOC, thereby increase the potential for microbial growth in the drinking water network.

Effects of Assimilable Organic Carbon and Free Chlorine on Bacterial Growth in Drinking Water

PubMed Central

Liu, Tingting; Kong, Weiwen; He, Xiaoqing; Jin, Yi; Zhang, Bolin

2015-01-01

Assimilable organic carbon (AOC) is one of the most important factors affecting the re-growth of microorganisms in drinking water. High AOC concentrations result in biological instability, but disinfection kills microbes to ensure the safety of drinking water. Free chlorine is an important oxidizing agent used during the disinfection process. Therefore, we explored the combined effects of AOC and free chlorine on bacterial growth in drinking water using flow cytometry (FCM). The initial AOC concentration was 168 μg.L-1 in all water samples. Without free chlorine, the concentrations of intact bacteria increased but the level of AOC decreased. The addition of sodium hypochlorite caused an increase and fluctuation in AOC due to the oxidation of organic carbon. The concentrations of intact bacteria decreased from 1.1×105 cells.mL-1 to 2.6×104 cells.mL-1 at an initial free chlorine dose of 0.6 mg.L-1 to 4.8×104 cells.mL-1 at an initial free chlorine dose of 0.3 mg.L-1 due to free chlorine originating from sodium hypochlorite. Additionally, free chlorine might be more obviously affected AOC concentrations than microbial growth did. These results suggested that AOC and free chlorine might have combined effects on microbial growth. In this study, our results showed concentrations determined by FCM were higher than those by HPC, which indicated that some E. coli detected by FCM might not be detected using HPC in drinking water. The level of free chlorine might restrain the consumption of AOC by inhibiting the growth of E. coli; on the other hand, chlorination might increase the level of AOC, thereby increase the potential for microbial growth in the drinking water network. PMID:26034988

Food preparation methods, drinking water source, and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the high-risk area of Golestan, Northeast Iran.

PubMed

Golozar, Asieh; Etemadi, Arash; Kamangar, Farin; Fazeltabar Malekshah, Akbar; Islami, Farhad; Nasrollahzadeh, Dariush; Abedi-Ardekani, Behnoosh; Khoshnia, Masoud; Pourshams, Akram; Semnani, Shahriar; Marjani, Haji Amin; Shakeri, Ramin; Sotoudeh, Masoud; Brennan, Paul; Taylor, Philip; Boffetta, Paolo; Abnet, Christian; Dawsey, Sanford; Malekzadeh, Reza

2016-03-01

Cooking practices and water sources have been associated with an increased risk of cancer, mainly through exposure to carcinogens such as heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and nitrates. Using data from the Golestan case-control study, carried out between 2003 and 2007 in a high-risk region for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), we sought to investigate the association between food preparation and drinking water sources and ESCC. Information on food preparation methods, sources of drinking water, and dietary habits was gathered from 300 cases and 571 controls matched individually for age, sex, and neighborhood using a structured questionnaire and a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for potential confounders and other known risk factors including socioeconomic status and smoking. More than 95% of the participants reported eating meat, mostly red meat. Red meat consumption above the 75th percentile increased the odds of ESCC by 2.82-fold (95% CI: 1.21-6.57). Fish intake was associated with a significant 68% decrease in ESCC odds (26%, 86%). Among meat eaters, ORs (95% CI) for frying meat (red or white) and fish were 3.34 (1.32-8.45) and 2.62 (1.24-5.5). Drinking unpiped water increased ESCC odds by 4.25 times (2.23-8.11). The OR for each 10-year increase in the duration of drinking unpiped water was 1.47 (1.22-1.78). Our results suggest roles for red meat intake, drinking water source, and food preparation methods in ESCC, even after adjusting for a large number of potential confounders.

Assessment of potential climate change impacts on peatland dissolved organic carbon release and drinking water treatment from laboratory experiments.

PubMed

Tang, R; Clark, J M; Bond, T; Graham, N; Hughes, D; Freeman, C

2013-02-01

Catchments draining peat soils provide the majority of drinking water in the UK. Over the past decades, concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) have increased in surface waters. Residual DOC can cause harmful carcinogenic disinfection by-products to form during water treatment processes. Increased frequency and severity of droughts combined with and increased temperatures expected as the climate changes, have potentials to change water quality. We used a novel approach to investigate links between climate change, DOC release and subsequent effects on drinking water treatment. We designed a climate manipulation experiment to simulate projected climate changes and monitored releases from peat soil and litter, then simulated coagulation used in water treatment. We showed that the 'drought' simulation was the dominant factor altering DOC release and affected the ability to remove DOC. Our results imply that future short-term drought events could have a greater impact than increased temperature on DOC treatability. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity assessment in lake drinking water produced in a treatment plant.

PubMed

Buschini, Annamaria; Carboni, Pamela; Frigerio, Silvia; Furlini, Mariangela; Marabini, Laura; Monarca, Silvano; Poli, Paola; Radice, Sonia; Rossi, Carlo

2004-09-01

Chemical analyses and short-term mutagenicity bioassays have revealed the presence of genotoxic disinfection by-products in drinking water. In this study, the influence of the different steps of surface water treatment on drinking water mutagen content was evaluated. Four different samples were collected at a full-scale treatment plant: raw lake water (A), water after pre-disinfection with chlorine dioxide and coagulation (B), water after pre-disinfection, coagulation and granular activated carbon filtration (C) and tap water after post-disinfection with chlorine dioxide just before its distribution (D). Water samples, concentrated by solid phase adsorption on silica C18 columns, were tested in human leukocytes and HepG2 hepatoma cells using the comet assay and in HepG2 cells in the micronuclei test. A significant increase in DNA migration was observed in both cell types after 1 h treatment with filtered and tap water, and, to a lesser extent, chlorine dioxide pre-disinfected water. Similar findings were observed for the induction of "ghost" cells. Overloading of the carbon filter, with a consequent peak release, might explain the high genotoxicity found in water samples C and D. Cell toxicity and DNA damage increases were also detected in metabolically competent HepG2 cells treated with a lower concentration of tap water extract for a longer exposure time (24 h). None of the water extracts significantly increased micronuclei frequencies. Our monitoring approach appears to be able to detect contamination related to the different treatment stages before drinking water consumption and the results suggest the importance of improving the technologies for drinking water treatment to prevent human exposure to potential genotoxic compounds.

Trihalomethanes in drinking water and the risk of death from rectal cancer: does hardness in drinking water matter?

PubMed

Kuo, Hsin-Wei; Chen, Pei-Shih; Ho, Shu-Chen; Wang, Li-Yu; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2010-01-01

The objectives of this study were (1) to examine the relationship between total trihalomethanes (TTHM) levels in public water supplies and risk of rectal cancer development and (2) to determine whether calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) levels in drinking water might modify the effects of TTHM on risk of developing rectal cancer. A matched cancer case-control study was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of death attributed to rectal cancer and exposure to TTHM in drinking water in 53 municipalities in Taiwan. All rectal cancer deaths in the 53 municipalities from 1998 through 2007 were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to cancer cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each cancer case. Data on TTHM levels in drinking water were collected from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration. Information on the levels of Ca and Mg in drinking water was obtained from the Taiwan Water Supply Corporation. The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was presumed to be the source of the subject's TTHM, Ca, and Mg exposure via drinking water. Relative to individuals whose TTHM exposure level was <4.9 ppb, the adjusted OR (95% CI) for rectal cancer occurrence was 1.04 (0.88-1.22) for individuals who resided in municipalities served by drinking water with a TTHM exposure >or=4.9 ppb. There was no evidence of an interaction of drinking-water TTHM levels with low Ca intake via drinking water. However, evidence of an interaction was noted between drinking-water TTHM concentrations and Mg intake via drinking water. Our findings showed that the correlation between TTHM exposure and risk of rectal cancer is influenced by Mg in drinking water. Increased knowledge of the interaction between Mg and TTHM in reducing rectal cancer risk will aid in public policymaking and standard setting.

Association between Precipitation Upstream of a Drinking Water Utility and Nurse Advice Calls Relating to Acute Gastrointestinal Illnesses

PubMed Central

Tornevi, Andreas; Axelsson, Gösta; Forsberg, Bertil

2013-01-01

Background The River Göta Älv is a source of fresh-water for the City of Gothenburg (Sweden). We recently identified a clear association between upstream precipitation and indicator bacteria concentrations in the river water outside the intake to the drinking water utility. This study aimed to determine if variation in the incidence of acute gastrointestinal illnesses is associated with upstream precipitation. Methods We acquired data, covering 1494 days, on the daily number of telephone calls to the nurse advice line from citizens in Gothenburg living in areas with Göta Älv as a fresh-water supply. We separated calls relating to gastrointestinal illnesses from other medical concerns, and analyzed their association with precipitation using a distributed lag non-linear Poisson regression model, adjusting for seasonal patterns and covariates. We used a 0–21-day lag period for precipitation to account for drinking water delivery times and incubation periods of waterborne pathogens. Results The study period contained 25,659 nurse advice calls relating to gastrointestinal illnesses. Heavy rainfall was associated with increased calls the same day and around 5–6 days later. Consecutive days of wet weather were also found to be associated with an increase in the daily number of gastrointestinal concerns. No associations were identified between precipitation and nurse advice calls relating to other medical concerns. Conclusion An increase in nurse advice calls relating to gastrointestinal illnesses around 5–6 days after heavy rainfall is consistent with a hypothesis that the cause could be related to drinking water due to insufficient barriers in the drinking water production, suggesting the need for improved drinking water treatment. PMID:23875009

Association between precipitation upstream of a drinking water utility and nurse advice calls relating to acute gastrointestinal illnesses.

PubMed

Tornevi, Andreas; Axelsson, Gösta; Forsberg, Bertil

2013-01-01

The River Göta Älv is a source of fresh-water for the City of Gothenburg (Sweden). We recently identified a clear association between upstream precipitation and indicator bacteria concentrations in the river water outside the intake to the drinking water utility. This study aimed to determine if variation in the incidence of acute gastrointestinal illnesses is associated with upstream precipitation. We acquired data, covering 1494 days, on the daily number of telephone calls to the nurse advice line from citizens in Gothenburg living in areas with Göta Älv as a fresh-water supply. We separated calls relating to gastrointestinal illnesses from other medical concerns, and analyzed their association with precipitation using a distributed lag non-linear Poisson regression model, adjusting for seasonal patterns and covariates. We used a 0-21-day lag period for precipitation to account for drinking water delivery times and incubation periods of waterborne pathogens. The study period contained 25,659 nurse advice calls relating to gastrointestinal illnesses. Heavy rainfall was associated with increased calls the same day and around 5-6 days later. Consecutive days of wet weather were also found to be associated with an increase in the daily number of gastrointestinal concerns. No associations were identified between precipitation and nurse advice calls relating to other medical concerns. An increase in nurse advice calls relating to gastrointestinal illnesses around 5-6 days after heavy rainfall is consistent with a hypothesis that the cause could be related to drinking water due to insufficient barriers in the drinking water production, suggesting the need for improved drinking water treatment.

Implications of land disturbance on drinking water treatability in a changing climate: demonstrating the need for "source water supply and protection" strategies.

PubMed

Emelko, Monica B; Silins, Uldis; Bladon, Kevin D; Stone, Micheal

2011-01-01

Forests form the critical source water areas for downstream drinking water supplies in many parts of the world, including the Rocky Mountain regions of North America. Large scale natural disturbances from wildfire and severe insect infestation are more likely because of warming climate and can significantly impact water quality downstream of forested headwaters regions. To investigate potential implications of changing climate and wildfire on drinking water treatment, the 2003 Lost Creek Wildfire in Alberta, Canada was studied. Four years of comprehensive hydrology and water quality data from seven watersheds were evaluated and synthesized to assess the implications of wildfire and post-fire intervention (salvage-logging) on downstream drinking water treatment. The 95th percentile turbidity and DOC remained low in streams draining unburned watersheds (5.1 NTU, 3.8 mg/L), even during periods of potential treatment challenge (e.g., stormflows, spring freshet); in contrast, they were elevated in streams draining burned (15.3 NTU, 4.6 mg/L) and salvage-logged (18.8 NTU, 9.9 mg/L) watersheds. Persistent increases in these parameters and observed increases in other contaminants such as nutrients, heavy metals, and chlorophyll-a in discharge from burned and salvage-logged watersheds present important economic and operational challenges for water treatment; most notably, a potential increased dependence on solids and DOC removal processes. Many traditional source water protection strategies would fail to adequately identify and evaluate many of the significant wildfire- and post-fire management-associated implications to drinking water "treatability"; accordingly, it is proposed that "source water supply and protection strategies" should be developed to consider a suppliers' ability to provide adequate quantities of potable water to meet demand by addressing all aspects of drinking water "supply" (i.e., quantity, timing of availability, and quality) and their relationship to "treatability" in response to land disturbance. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimates of microbial quality and concentration of copper in distributed drinking water are highly dependent on sampling strategy.

PubMed

Lehtola, Markku J; Miettinen, Ilkka T; Hirvonen, Arja; Vartiainen, Terttu; Martikainen, Pertti J

2007-12-01

The numbers of bacteria generally increase in distributed water. Often household pipelines or water fittings (e.g., taps) represent the most critical location for microbial growth in water distribution systems. According to the European Union drinking water directive, there should not be abnormal changes in the colony counts in water. We used a pilot distribution system to study the effects of water stagnation on drinking water microbial quality, concentration of copper and formation of biofilms with two commonly used pipeline materials in households; copper and plastic (polyethylene). Water stagnation for more than 4h significantly increased both the copper concentration and the number of bacteria in water. Heterotrophic plate counts were six times higher in PE pipes and ten times higher in copper pipes after 16 h of stagnation than after only 40 min stagnation. The increase in the heterotrophic plate counts was linear with time in both copper and plastic pipelines. In the distribution system, bacteria originated mainly from biofilms, because in laboratory tests with water, there was only minor growth of bacteria after 16 h stagnation. Our study indicates that water stagnation in the distribution system clearly affects microbial numbers and the concentration of copper in water, and should be considered when planning the sampling strategy for drinking water quality control in distribution systems.

[Constant fluoridation of drinking water and the incidence of dental caries in children and juveniles (author's transl)].

PubMed

Künzel, W

1980-01-01

The regular examination of 20,000 children and juveniles aged 6 to 15 (permanent teeth) and some 12.500 three- to eight-year-olds (deciduous teeth) has shown that the incidence of dental caries (DMF/T and df/t indices) is directly dependent upon the constant fluoridation of drinking water (1.0 +/- 0.1 ppm F). The reduction in dental caries observed on both deciduous and permanent teeth as a result of twelve years of fluoridation of drinking water, which was started in Karl-Marx-Stadt in 1959, was followed, because of the necessity to temporarily discontinue the addition of fluorine salts to the drinking water, by a slight increase in caries which could be checked through refluorination. After eighteen years of fluoridation of drinking water, the situation can again be considered to be in equilibrium. The need for proper fluoridation and regular control thereof through analyzing the fluorine content of drinking water is pointed out.

Exposure to low level of arsenic and lead in drinking water from Antofagasta city induces gender differences in glucose homeostasis in rats.

PubMed

Palacios, Javier; Roman, Domingo; Cifuentes, Fredi

2012-08-01

Populations chronically exposed to arsenic in drinking water often have increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study was to compare the glucose homeostasis of male and female rats exposed to low levels of heavy metals in drinking water. Treated groups were Sprague-Dawley male and female rats exposed to drinking water from Antofagasta city, with total arsenic of 30 ppb and lead of 53 ppb for 3 months; control groups were exposed to purified water by reverse osmosis. The two treated groups in both males and females showed arsenic and lead in the hair of rats. The δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase was used as a sensitive biomarker of arsenic toxicity and lead. The activity of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase was reduced only in treated male rats, compared to the control group. Treated males showed a significantly sustained increase in blood glucose and plasma insulin levels during oral glucose tolerance test compared to control group. The oral glucose tolerance test and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance demonstrated that male rats were insulin resistant, and females remained sensitive to insulin after treatment. The total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol increased in treated male rats vs. the control, and triglyceride increased in treated female rats vs. the control. The activity of intestinal Na+/glucose cotransporter in male rats increased compared to female rats, suggesting a significant increase in intestinal glucose absorption. The findings indicate that exposure to low levels of arsenic and lead in drinking water could cause gender differences in insulin resistance.

Occurrence and Control of Tularemia in Drinking Water ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Journal Article This review article will focus on tularemia acquired from contaminated drinking water and the adequacy of control measures for preventing waterborne transmission. Contaminated drinking water can serve as a vehicle for the spread of tularemia. Disease occurrence has been most commonly associated with untreated community and domestic water supplies. F. tularensis is of interest both from the standpoint of natural occurring waterborne outbreaks and in regards to its potential use as a bio-threat organism. The organism can persist in the aquatic environment and methods exist for detection in water. While capable of being inactivated by commonly used drinking water disinfectants, F. tularensis does exhibit an increased resistance to chlorination in comparison to other waterborne vegetative bacterial pathogens.

College Cafeteria Signage Increases Water Intake but Water Position on the Soda Dispenser Encourages More Soda Consumption.

PubMed

Montuclard, Astrid Linn; Park-Mroch, Jennifer; O'Shea, Amy M J; Wansink, Brian; Irvin, Jill; Laroche, Helena H

2017-10-01

To evaluate the effects of improved water location visibility and water dispenser position on the soda dispenser on undergraduate students' beverage choices. Two focus groups with pilot intervention surveys before and after, adding a small sign above the soda dispensers' water button for 6 weeks in a large US university's all-you-can-eat, prepaid dining hall (measured with chi-square tests and logistic and ordinal logistic regression). Focus groups included 15 students. Survey participants included 357 students before and 301 after the intervention. After the intervention, more students reported ever having drunk water with the meal (66.4% to 77.0%; P = .003) and water consumption frequency increased (P = .005). Postintervention, the odds of drinking water increased by 1.57. Preference for other drinks was the main reason for not drinking water. A total of 59% of students had ever changed their preference from water to soda. The clear indication of the water's location increased students' reported water consumption. Further investigation is needed into how a non-independent water dispenser influences students' beverage choice. Clearly labeled, independent water dispensers are recommended. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. All rights reserved.

Performance of pond-wetland complexes as a preliminary processor of drinking water sources.

PubMed

Wang, Weidong; Zheng, Jun; Wang, Zhongqiong; Zhang, Rongbin; Chen, Qinghua; Yu, Xinfeng; Yin, Chengqing

2016-01-01

Shijiuyang Constructed Wetland (110 hm(2)) is a drinking water source treatment wetland with primary structural units of ponds and plant-bed/ditch systems. The wetland can process about 250,000 tonnes of source water in the Xincheng River every day and supplies raw water for Shijiuyang Drinking Water Plant. Daily data for 28 months indicated that the major water quality indexes of source water had been improved by one grade. The percentage increase for dissolved oxygen and the removal rates of ammonia nitrogen, iron and manganese were 73.63%, 38.86%, 35.64%, and 22.14% respectively. The treatment performance weight of ponds and plant-bed/ditch systems was roughly equal but they treated different pollutants preferentially. Most water quality indexes had better treatment efficacy with increasing temperature and inlet concentrations. These results revealed that the pond-wetland complexes exhibited strong buffering capacity for source water quality improvement. The treatment cost of Shijiuyang Drinking Water Plant was reduced by about 30.3%. Regional rainfall significantly determined the external river water levels and adversely deteriorated the inlet water quality, thus suggesting that the "hidden" diffuse pollution in the multitudinous stream branches as well as their catchments should be the controlling emphases for river source water protection in the future. The combination of pond and plant-bed/ditch systems provides a successful paradigm for drinking water source pretreatment. Three other drinking water source treatment wetlands with ponds and plant-bed/ditch systems are in operation or construction in the stream networks of the Yangtze River Delta and more people will be benefited. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

NDMA formation during drinking water treatment: A multivariate analysis of factors influencing formation.

PubMed

Leavey-Roback, Shannon L; Sugar, Catherine A; Krasner, Stuart W; Suffet, Irwin H Mel

2016-05-15

The formation of the carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) during drinking water treatment has raised concerns in the drinking water industry. Many bench-scale laboratory tests and pilot plant studies have been completed to try to determine which factors during water treatment increase or decrease the amount of NDMA formed in drinking water. This study used data from over 20 drinking water treatment plants in the United States and Canada to determine which factors are most highly correlated with the NDMA concentration in delivered water using a mixed effects model with a random intercept. This type of analysis has not been used previously with trihalomethane (THM) models due to the fact that those studies did not sample such a large number and range of plants as was done in this NDMA study. Ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) in the plant influent and pre-chlorination time used at the plant were highly correlated in all models with NDMA concentration in finished water as well as the percentage change between NDMA formation potential in the plant influent and actual formation in the finished water. Specifically, an increase in UV254 absorbance in a model was associated with an increase in NDMA and an increase in pre-chlorination time in a model was associated with a decrease in NDMA. Other water quality parameters including sucralose concentration in the plant influent, polyDADMAC polymer dose, pH, and chlorine-to-ammonia weight ratio used in the plant were also correlated with NDMA concentration in the distribution system. Lastly, NDMA precursor loading was correlated with the use of polyDADMAC (where precursors were added) and the use of ozone and granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment (where precursors were removed). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced carcinogenicity by coexposure to arsenic and iron and a novel remediation system for the elements in well drinking water.

PubMed

Kumasaka, Mayuko Y; Yamanoshita, Osamu; Shimizu, Shingo; Ohnuma, Shoko; Furuta, Akio; Yajima, Ichiro; Nizam, Saika; Khalequzzaman, Md; Shekhar, Hossain U; Nakajima, Tamie; Kato, Masashi

2013-03-01

Various carcinomas including skin cancer are explosively increasing in arsenicosis patients who drink arsenic-polluted well water, especially in Bangladesh. Although well drinking water in the cancer-prone areas contains various elements, very little is known about the effects of elements except arsenic on carcinogenicity. In order to clarify the carcinogenic effects of coexposure to arsenic and iron, anchorage-independent growth and invasion in human untransformed HaCaT and transformed A431 keratinocytes were examined. Since the mean ratio of arsenic and iron in well water was 1:10 in cancer-prone areas of Bangladesh, effects of 1 μM arsenic and 10 μM iron were investigated. Iron synergistically promoted arsenic-mediated anchorage-independent growth in untransformed and transformed keratinocytes. Iron additionally increased invasion in both types of keratinocytes. Activities of c-SRC and ERK that regulate anchorage-independent growth and invasion were synergistically enhanced in both types of keratinocytes. Our results suggest that iron promotes arsenic-mediated transformation of untransformed keratinocytes and progression of transformed keratinocytes. We then developed a low-cost and high-performance adsorbent composed of a hydrotalcite-like compound for arsenic and iron. The adsorbent rapidly reduced concentrations of both elements from well drinking water in cancer-prone areas of Bangladesh to levels less than those in WHO health-based guidelines for drinking water. Thus, we not only demonstrated for the first time increased carcinogenicity by coexposure to arsenic and iron but also proposed a novel remediation system for well drinking water.

Tracing dissolved organic carbon and trihalomethane formation potential between source water and finished drinking water at a lowland and an upland UK catchment.

PubMed

Brooks, Emma; Freeman, Christopher; Gough, Rachel; Holliman, Peter J

2015-12-15

Rising dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in many upland UK catchments represents a challenge for drinking water companies, in particular due to the role of DOC as a precursor in the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs). Whereas traditionally, the response of drinking water companies has been focussed on treatment processes, increasingly, efforts have been made to better understanding the role of land use and catchment processes in affecting drinking water quality. In this study, water quality, including DOC and THM formation potential (THMFP) was assessed between the water source and finished drinking water at an upland and a lowland catchment. Surprisingly, the lowland catchment showed much higher reservoir DOC concentrations apparently due to the influence of a fen within the catchment from where a major reservoir inflow stream originated. Seasonal variations in water quality were observed, driving changes in THMFP. However, the reservoirs in both catchments appeared to dampen these temporal fluctuations. Treatment process applied in the 2 catchments were adapted to reservoir water quality with much higher DOC and THMFP removal rates observed at the lowland water treatment works where coagulation-flocculation was applied. However, selectivity during this DOC removal stage also appeared to increase the proportion of brominated THMs produced. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Change of water consumption and its potential influential factors in Shanghai: A cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Different water choices affect access to drinking water with different quality. Previous studies suggested social-economic status may affect the choice of domestic drinking water. The aim of this study is to investigate whether recent social economic changes in China affect residents’ drinking water choices. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey to investigate residents’ water consumption behaviour in 2011. Gender, age, education, personal income, housing condition, risk perception and personal preference of a certain type of water were selected as potential influential factors. Univariate and backward stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed to analyse the relation between these factors and different drinking water choices. Basic information was compared with that of a historical survey in the same place in 2001. Self-reported drinking-water-related diarrhoea was found correlated with different water choices and water hygiene treatment using chi-square test. Results The percentage of tap water consumption remained relatively stable and a preferred choice, with 58.99% in 2001 and 58.25% in 2011. The percentage of bottled/barrelled water consumption was 36.86% in 2001 and decreased to 25.75% in 2011. That of household filtrated water was 4.15% in 2001 and increased to 16.00% in 2011. Logistic regression model showed strong correlation between one’s health belief and drinking water choices (P < 0.001). Age, personal income, education, housing condition, risk perception also played important roles (P < 0.05) in the models. Drinking-water-related diarrhoea was found in all types of water and improper water hygiene behaviours still existed among residents. Conclusions Personal health belief, housing condition, age, personal income, education, taste and if worm ever founded in tap water affected domestic drinking water choices in Shanghai. PMID:22708830

Change of water consumption and its potential influential factors in Shanghai: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Chen, Hanyi; Zhang, Yaying; Ma, Linlin; Liu, Fangmin; Zheng, Weiwei; Shen, Qinfeng; Zhang, Hongmei; Wei, Xiao; Tian, Dajun; He, Gengsheng; Qu, Weidong

2012-06-18

Different water choices affect access to drinking water with different quality. Previous studies suggested social-economic status may affect the choice of domestic drinking water. The aim of this study is to investigate whether recent social economic changes in China affect residents' drinking water choices. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to investigate residents' water consumption behaviour in 2011. Gender, age, education, personal income, housing condition, risk perception and personal preference of a certain type of water were selected as potential influential factors. Univariate and backward stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed to analyse the relation between these factors and different drinking water choices. Basic information was compared with that of a historical survey in the same place in 2001. Self-reported drinking-water-related diarrhoea was found correlated with different water choices and water hygiene treatment using chi-square test. The percentage of tap water consumption remained relatively stable and a preferred choice, with 58.99% in 2001 and 58.25% in 2011. The percentage of bottled/barrelled water consumption was 36.86% in 2001 and decreased to 25.75% in 2011. That of household filtrated water was 4.15% in 2001 and increased to 16.00% in 2011. Logistic regression model showed strong correlation between one's health belief and drinking water choices (P < 0.001). Age, personal income, education, housing condition, risk perception also played important roles (P < 0.05) in the models. Drinking-water-related diarrhoea was found in all types of water and improper water hygiene behaviours still existed among residents. Personal health belief, housing condition, age, personal income, education, taste and if worm ever founded in tap water affected domestic drinking water choices in Shanghai.

Effect of home-used water purifier on fluoride concentration of drinking water in southern Iran

PubMed Central

Jaafari-Ashkavandi, Zohreh; Kheirmand, Mehdi

2013-01-01

Background: Fluoride in drinking water plays a key role in dental health. Due to the increasing use of water-purifier, the effect of these devices on fluoride concentration of drinking water was evaluated. Materials and Methods: Drinking water samples were collected before and after passing through a home water-purifier, from four different water sources. The fluoride, calcium and magnesium concentration of the samples were measured using the quantitative spectrophotometery technique. Data were analyzed by the Wilcoxon test. P value < 0.1 was considered as significant. Results: The result showed that the concentration of fluoride was 0.05-0.61 ppm before purification and was removed completely afterward. Furthermore, other ions reduced significantly after treatment by the water purifier. Conclusion: This study revealed that this device decreases the fluoride content of water, an issue which should be considered in low and high-fluoridated water sources. PMID:24130584

Fluoride content in bottled drinking waters, carbonated soft drinks and fruit juices in Davangere city, India.

PubMed

Thippeswamy, H M; Kumar, Nanditha; Anand, S R; Prashant, G M; Chandu, G N

2010-01-01

The regular ingestion of fluoride lowers the prevalence of dental caries. The total daily intake of fluoride for optimal dental health should be 0.05-0.07 mg fluoride/kg body weight and to avoid the risk of dental fluorosis, the daily intake should not exceed a daily level of 0.10 mg fluoride/kg body weight. The main source of fluoride is from drinking water and other beverages. As in other countries, consumption of bottled water, juices and carbonated beverages has increased in our country. To analyze the fluoride content in bottled water, juices and carbonated soft drinks that were commonly available in Davangere city. Three samples of 10 commercially available brands of bottled drinking water, 12 fruit juices and 12 carbonated soft drinks were purchased. Bottled water and carbonated soft drinks were stored at a cold place until fluoride analysis was performed and a clear juice was prepared using different fruits without the addition of water. Then, the fluoride analysis was performed. The mean and standard deviation of fluoride content of bottled water, fruit juices and carbonated soft drinks were measured, which were found to be 0.20 mg (±0.19) F/L, 0.29 mg (±0.06) F/L and 0.22 mg (±0.05) F/L, respectively. In viewing the results of the present study, it can be concluded that regulation of the optimal range of fluoride in bottled drinking water, carbonated soft drinks and fruit juices should be drawn for the Indian scenario.

Drinking water systems, hydrology, and childhood gastrointestinal illness in Central and Northern Wisconsin.

PubMed

Uejio, Christopher K; Yale, Steven H; Malecki, Kristen; Borchardt, Mark A; Anderson, Henry A; Patz, Jonathan A

2014-04-01

This study investigated if the type of drinking water source (treated municipal, untreated municipal, and private well water) modifies the effect of hydrology on childhood (aged < 5 years) gastrointestinal illness. We conducted a time series study to assess the relationship between hydrologic and weather conditions with childhood gastrointestinal illness from 1991 to 2010. The Central and Northern Wisconsin study area includes households using all 3 types of drinking water systems. Separate time series models were created for each system and half-year period (winter/spring, summer/fall). More precipitation (summer/fall) systematically increased childhood gastrointestinal illness in municipalities accessing untreated water. The relative risk of contracting gastrointestinal illness was 1.4 in weeks with 3 centimeters of precipitation and 2.4 in very wet weeks with 12 centimeters of precipitation. By contrast, gastrointestinal illness in private well and treated municipal areas was not influenced by hydrologic conditions, although warmer winter temperatures slightly increased incidence. Our study suggests that improved drinking water protection, treatment, and delivery infrastructure may improve public health by specifically identifying municipal water systems lacking water treatment that may transmit waterborne disease.

Removal of bromide and bromate from drinking water using granular activated carbon.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong-Qing; Wu, Qing-Ping; Zhang, Ju-Mei; Yang, Xiu-Hua

2015-03-01

Granular activated carbon (GAC) was used to remove bromide (Br⁻) and bromate (BrO(3)(-)) from drinking water in both bench- and pilot-scale experiments. The present study aims to minimize BrO(3)(-) formation and eliminate BrO(3)(-) generated during the ozonation of drinking water, particularly in packaged drinking water. Results show that the Br⁻ and BrO(3)(-) levels in GAC-treated water decreased in both bench- and pilot-scale experiments. In the bench-scale experiments, when the empty bed contact time (EBCT) was 5 min, the highest reduction rates of Br(-) in the mineral and ultrapure water were found to be 74.9% and 91.2%, respectively, and those of BrO(3)(-) were 94.4% and 98.8%, respectively. The GAC capacity for Br⁻ and BrO(3)(-) removal increased with the increase in EBCT. Reduction efficiency was better in ultrapure water than in mineral water. In the pilot-scale experiments, the minimum reduction rates of Br⁻ and BrO(3)(-) were 38.5% and 73.2%, respectively.

GIS-based analysis of drinking-water supply structures: a module for microbial risk assessment.

PubMed

Kistemann, T; Herbst, S; Dangendorf, F; Exner, M

2001-05-01

Water-related infections constitute an important health impact world-wide. A set of tools serving for Microbial Risk Assessment (MRA) of waterborne diseases should comprise the entire drinking-water management system and take into account the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) concept which provides specific Critical Control Points (CCPs) reflecting each step of drinking-water provision. A Geographical Information System (GIS) study concerning water-supply structure (WSS) was conducted in the Rhein-Berg District (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany). As a result, suitability of the existing water databases HYGRIS (hydrological basis geo-information system) and TEIS (drinking-water recording and information system) for the development of a WSS-GIS module could be demonstrated. Spatial patterns within the integrated raw and drinking-water data can easily be uncovered by GIS-specific options. The application of WSS-GIS allows a rapid visualization and analysis of drinking-water supply structure and offers huge advantages concerning microbial monitoring of raw and drinking water as well as recognition and investigation of incidents and outbreaks. Increasing requests regarding health protection and health reporting, demands for a better outbreak management and water-related health impacts of global climate change are major challenges of future water management to be tackled with methods including spatial analysis. GIS is assumed to be a very useful tool to meet these requirements.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Medrano, Ma Jose, E-mail: pmedrano@isciii.es; Boix, Raquel; Pastor-Barriuso, Roberto

Background: High-chronic arsenic exposure in drinking water is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. At low-chronic levels, as those present in Spain, evidence is scarce. In this ecological study, we evaluated the association of municipal drinking water arsenic concentrations during the period 1998-2002 with cardiovascular mortality in the population of Spain. Methods: Arsenic concentrations in drinking water were available for 1721 municipalities, covering 24.8 million people. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for cardiovascular (361,750 deaths), coronary (113,000 deaths), and cerebrovascular (103,590 deaths) disease were analyzed for the period 1999-2003. Two-level hierarchical Poisson models were used to evaluate the association of municipalmore » drinking water arsenic concentrations with mortality adjusting for social determinants, cardiovascular risk factors, diet, and water characteristics at municipal or provincial level in 651 municipalities (200,376 cardiovascular deaths) with complete covariate information. Results: Mean municipal drinking water arsenic concentrations ranged from <1 to 118 {mu}g/L. Compared to the overall Spanish population, sex- and age-adjusted mortality rates for cardiovascular (SMR 1.10), coronary (SMR 1.18), and cerebrovascular (SMR 1.04) disease were increased in municipalities with arsenic concentrations in drinking water >10 {mu}g/L. Compared to municipalities with arsenic concentrations <1 {mu}g/L, fully adjusted cardiovascular mortality rates were increased by 2.2% (-0.9% to 5.5%) and 2.6% (-2.0% to 7.5%) in municipalities with arsenic concentrations between 1-10 and>10 {mu}g/L, respectively (P-value for trend 0.032). The corresponding figures were 5.2% (0.8% to 9.8%) and 1.5% (-4.5% to 7.9%) for coronary heart disease mortality, and 0.3% (-4.1% to 4.9%) and 1.7% (-4.9% to 8.8%) for cerebrovascular disease mortality. Conclusions: In this ecological study, elevated low-to-moderate arsenic concentrations in drinking water were associated with increased cardiovascular mortality at the municipal level. Prospective cohort studies with individual measures of arsenic exposure, standardized cardiovascular outcomes, and adequate adjustment for confounders are needed to confirm these ecological findings. Our study, however, reinforces the need to implement arsenic remediation treatments in water supply systems above the World Health Organization safety standard of 10 {mu}g/L.« less

Behaviour and fate of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in drinking water treatment: a review.

PubMed

Rahman, Mohammad Feisal; Peldszus, Sigrid; Anderson, William B

2014-03-01

This article reviews perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) characteristics, their occurrence in surface water, and their fate in drinking water treatment processes. PFASs have been detected globally in the aquatic environment including drinking water at trace concentrations and due, in part, to their persistence in human tissue some are being investigated for regulation. They are aliphatic compounds containing saturated carbon-fluorine bonds and are resistant to chemical, physical, and biological degradation. Functional groups, carbon chain length, and hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity are some of the important structural properties of PFASs that affect their fate during drinking water treatment. Full-scale drinking water treatment plant occurrence data indicate that PFASs, if present in raw water, are not substantially removed by most drinking water treatment processes including coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, biofiltration, oxidation (chlorination, ozonation, AOPs), UV irradiation, and low pressure membranes. Early observations suggest that activated carbon adsorption, ion exchange, and high pressure membrane filtration may be effective in controlling these contaminants. However, branched isomers and the increasingly used shorter chain PFAS replacement products may be problematic as it pertains to the accurate assessment of PFAS behaviour through drinking water treatment processes since only limited information is available for these PFASs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exposure to high-fluoride drinking water and risk of dental caries and dental fluorosis in Haryana, India.

PubMed

Marya, Charu Mohan; Ashokkumar, B R; Dhingra, Sonal; Dahiya, Vandana; Gupta, Anil

2014-05-01

The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of and relationship between dental caries and dental fluorosis at varying levels of fluoride in drinking water. The study was conducted among 3007 school children in the age group of 12 to 16 years in 2 districts of Haryana having varying fluoride levels in drinking water. Type III examination for dental caries according to the WHO index and dental fluorosis estimation according to Dean's index was done. The prevalence of dental caries decreased from 48.02% to 28.07% as fluoride levels increased from 0.5 to 1.13 ppm, but as the fluoride level increased further to 1.51 ppm, there was no further reduction in caries prevalence, but there was a substantial increase in fluorosis prevalence. The optimum level of fluoride in drinking water was found to be 1.13 ppm, at which there was maximum caries reduction with minimum amount of esthetically objectionable fluorosis. © 2012 APJPH.

Trends in the occurrence of MTBE in drinking water in the Northeast United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, M.J.

2007-01-01

Public water systems in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Rhode Island sampled treated drinking water from 1993-2006 and analyzed the samples for MTBE. The US Geological Survey examined trends in the occurrence of MTBE in drinking water derived from ground water in these States for two near-decadal time steps; 1993-1999 and 2000-2006. MTBE was detected in 14% of drinking water samples collected in all States from 1993-1999 and in 19% of drinking water samples collected from the same systems from 2000-2006 and this difference was statistically significant. Trends in the occurrence of MTBE in each State by individual year indicated significant positive trends in Maryland and New Hampshire. Significant, increasing trends in MTBE concentrations were observed in Maryland and Rhode Island by individual year. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 2007 Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water: Prevention, Assessment and Remediation Conference (Houston, TX 11/5-6/2007).

Projected impact of climate change and chemical emissions on the water quality of the European rivers Rhine and Meuse: A drinking water perspective.

PubMed

Sjerps, Rosa M A; Ter Laak, Thomas L; Zwolsman, Gertjan J J G

2017-12-01

Low river discharges of the rivers Rhine and Meuse are expected to occur more often and more prolonged in a changing climate. During these dry periods the dilution of point sources such as sewage effluents is reduced leading to a decline in chemical water quality. This study projects chemical water quality of the rivers Rhine and Meuse in the year 2050, based on projections of chemical emissions and two climate scenarios: moderate and fast climate change. It focuses on specific compounds known to be relevant to drinking water production, i.e. four pharmaceuticals, a herbicide and its metabolite and an artificial sweetener. Hydrological variability, climate change, and increased emission show a significant influence on the water quality in the Rhine and Meuse. The combined effect of changing future emissions of these compounds and reduced dilution due to climate change has leaded to increasing (peak) concentrations in the river water by a factor of two to four. Current water treatment efficiencies in the Netherlands are not sufficient to reduce these projected concentrations in drinking water produced from surface water below precautionary water target values. If future emissions are not sufficiently reduced or treatment efficiencies are not improved, these compounds will increasingly be found in drinking water, albeit at levels which pose no threat to human health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Behaviors and Attitudes Associated With Low Drinking Water Intake Among US Adults, Food Attitudes and Behaviors Survey, 2007

PubMed Central

Blanck, Heidi M.; Sherry, Bettylou; Park, Sohyun; Nebeling, Linda; Yaroch, Amy L.

2013-01-01

Introduction Water is vital for life, and plain water is a calorie-free option for hydration. Increasing consumption of drinking water is a strategy to reduce energy intake and lose or maintain weight; however, information on the characteristics of consumers who drink water is limited. Our objective was to describe the characteristics of people who have a low intake of drinking water and to determine associations between their behaviors and attitudes and their intake of water. Methods We analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of 3,397 US adults who participated in the National Cancer Institute’s 2007 Food Attitudes and Behaviors Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic characteristics and health-related behaviors and attitudes associated with self-reported drinking water intake of less than 4 cups per day. Results Overall, 7% of adults reported no daily consumption of drinking water, 36% reported drinking 1 to 3 cups, 35% reported drinking 4 to 7 cups, and 22% reported drinking 8 cups or more. The likelihood of drinking less than 4 cups of water daily was significantly higher among participants aged 55 years or older than among those aged 18 to 34 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.3), among residents of the Northeast than among residents of the South (AOR, 1.4), among participants who consumed 1 cup or less of fruits or vegetables per day than among those who consumed 4.5 cups or more (AOR, 3.0), among participants who did not exercise than among those who exercised 150 minutes or more per week (AOR, 1.7), and among participants who were neither trying to gain nor lose weight than among those trying to lose weight (AOR, 1.3). Conclusion Low drinking water intake was associated with age, region of residence, and several unhealthful behaviors and attitudes. Understanding characteristics associated with low drinking water intake may help to identify populations that could benefit from interventions to help adults drink more water. PMID:23578399

A hydrodynamics-based approach to evaluating the risk of waterborne pathogens entering drinking water intakes in a large, stratified lake.

PubMed

Hoyer, Andrea B; Schladow, S Geoffrey; Rueda, Francisco J

2015-10-15

Pathogen contamination of drinking water lakes and reservoirs is a severe threat to human health worldwide. A major source of pathogens in surface sources of drinking waters is from body-contact recreation in the water body. However, dispersion pathways of human waterborne pathogens from recreational beaches, where body-contact recreation is known to occur to drinking water intakes, and the associated risk of pathogens entering the drinking water supply remain largely undocumented. A high spatial resolution, three-dimensional hydrodynamic and particle tracking modeling approach has been developed to analyze the risk and mechanisms presented by pathogen dispersion. The pathogen model represents the processes of particle release, transport and survival. Here survival is a function of both water temperature and cumulative exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Pathogen transport is simulated using a novel and computationally efficient technique of tracking particle trajectories backwards, from a drinking water intake toward their source areas. The model has been applied to a large, alpine lake - Lake Tahoe, CA-NV (USA). The dispersion model results reveal that for this particular lake (1) the risk of human waterborne pathogens to enter drinking water intakes is low, but significant; (2) this risk is strongly related to the depth of the thermocline in relation to the depth of the intake; (3) the risk increases with the seasonal deepening of the surface mixed layer; and (4) the risk increases at night when the surface mixed layer deepens through convective mixing and inactivation by UV radiation is eliminated. While these risk factors will quantitatively vary in different lakes, these same mechanisms will govern the process of transport of pathogens. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is fluoride a risk factor for bone cancer? Small area analysis of osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma diagnosed among 0–49-year-olds in Great Britain, 1980–2005

PubMed Central

Blakey, Karen; Feltbower, Richard G; Parslow, Roger C; James, Peter W; Gómez Pozo, Basilio; Stiller, Charles; Vincent, Tim J; Norman, Paul; McKinney, Patricia A; Murphy, Michael F; Craft, Alan W; McNally, Richard JQ

2014-01-01

Background: Artificial fluoridation of drinking water to improve dental health has long been a topic of controversy. Opponents of this public health measure have cited the possibility of bone cancer induction. The study objective was to examine whether increased risk of primary bone cancer was associated with living in areas with higher concentrations of fluoride in drinking water. Methods: Case data on osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, diagnosed at ages 0–49 years in Great Britain (GB) (defined here as England, Scotland and Wales) during the period 1980–2005, were obtained from population-based cancer registries. Data on fluoride levels in drinking water in England and Wales were accessed through regional water companies and the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Scottish Water provided data for Scotland. Negative binomial regression was used to examine the relationship between incidence rates and level of fluoride in drinking water at small area level. Results: The study analysed 2566 osteosarcoma and 1650 Ewing sarcoma cases. There was no evidence of an association between osteosarcoma risk and fluoride in drinking water [relative risk (RR) per one part per million increase in the level of fluoride = 1·001; 90% confidence interval (CI) 0·871, 1·151] and similarly there was no association for Ewing sarcoma (RR = 0·929; 90% CI 0·773, 1·115). Conclusions: The findings from this study provide no evidence that higher levels of fluoride (whether natural or artificial) in drinking water in GB lead to greater risk of either osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma. PMID:24425828

Effects of water uptake on melamine renal stone formation in mice.

PubMed

Peng, Jiao; Li, Daxu; Chan, Yee Kwan; Chen, Yan; Lamb, Jonathan R; Tam, Paul K H; El-Nezami, Hani

2012-06-01

Melamine-tainted food can induce kidney stones both in humans and animals and in domestic animals, severe cases caused acute kidney failure and death. Although increasing water intake can ameliorate kidney stone formation, its effect on melamine (Mel)-induced kidney stones has not been studied. We have analysed the effect of restricted ingestion of drinking water on melamine stone formation in mice. They were given melamine and cyanuric acid orally and received drinking water either freely or for a restricted time. Kidney stone formation and renal function were monitored. Mice receiving drinking water for a restricted 10-h period initially lost body weight, which returned to normal within 2 days. No other abnormalities were observed. Ingestion of melamine alone failed to induce kidney stones even under conditions of restricted drinking water. In mice treated with melamine together with cyanuric acid for 3 days, no renal stones were formed when the supply of drinking was normal. However, when drinking water was limited, stone formation was observed and accompanied by high levels of serum urea and creatinine. An increase in urine haemoglobin and glucose levels was also found. The administration resulted in up-regulated tissue osteopontin, kidney injury molecule-1 and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin messenger RNA expression and macrophage infiltration. Our results indicate the importance of water intake in the formation of melamine-induced renal stone formation in the mouse and provide new information on the mechanisms of melamine stone formation.

Do Iodine Contrast Media Compounds Used for Medical Imaging Contribute to the Formation of Iodinated Disinfection By-Products in Drinking Water?

EPA Science Inventory

Iodinated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) have recently gained attention due to their cyto- and genotoxicity and increased formation in drinking water treated with chloramine, which has become an increasingly popular disinfectant in the United States. One of these—iodoacetic acid...

Purchase of drinking water is associated with increased child morbidity and mortality among urban slum-dwelling families in Indonesia.

PubMed

Semba, Richard D; de Pee, Saskia; Kraemer, Klaus; Sun, Kai; Thorne-Lyman, Andrew; Moench-Pfanner, Regina; Sari, Mayang; Akhter, Nasima; Bloem, Martin W

2009-07-01

In developing countries, poor families in urban slums often do not receive municipal services including water. The objectives of our study were to characterize families who purchased drinking water and to examine the relation between purchasing drinking water and child morbidity and mortality in urban slums of Indonesia, using data collected between 1999 and 2003. Of 143,126 families, 46.8% purchased inexpensive drinking water from street vendors, 47.4% did not purchase water, i.e., had running or spring/well water within household, and 5.8% purchased more expensive water in the previous 7 days. Families that purchased inexpensive drinking water had less educated parents, a more crowded household, a father who smoked, and lower socioeconomic level compared with the other families. Among children of families that purchased inexpensive drinking water, did not purchase drinking water, or purchased more expensive water, the prevalence was, respectively, for diarrhea in last 7 days (11.2%, 8.1%, 7.7%), underweight (28.9%, 24.1%, 24.1%), stunting (35.6%, 30.5%, 30.5%), wasting (12.0%, 10.5%, 10.9%), family history of infant mortality (8.0%, 5.6%, 5.1%), and of under-five child mortality (10.4%, 7.1%, 6.4%) (all P<0.0001). Use of inexpensive drinking water was associated with under-five child mortality (Odds Ratio [O.R.] 1.32, 95% Confidence Interval [C.I.] 1.20-1.45, P<0.0001) and diarrhea (O.R. 1.43, 95% C.I. 1.29-1.60, P<0.0001) in multivariate logistic regression models, adjusting for potential confounders. Purchase of inexpensive drinking water was common and associated with greater child malnutrition, diarrhea, and infant and under-five child mortality in the family. Greater efforts must be made to ensure access to safe drinking water, a basic human right and target of the Millennium Development Goals, in urban slums.

Feasibility of the Hydrogen Sulfide Test for the Assessment of Drinking Water Quality in Post-Earthquake Haiti

PubMed Central

Weppelmann, Thomas A.; Alam, Meer T.; Widmer, Jocelyn; Morrissey, David; Rashid, Mohammed H.; Beau De Rochars, Valery M.; Morris, J. Glenn; Ali, Afsar; Johnson, Judith A.

2014-01-01

In 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, severely damaging the drinking and waste water infrastructure and leaving millions homeless. Compounding this problem, the introduction of Vibrio cholera resulted in a massive cholera outbreak that infected over 700,000 people and threatened the safety of Haiti’s drinking water. To mitigate this public health crisis, non-government organizations installed thousands of wells to provide communities with safe drinking water. However, despite increased access, Haiti currently lacks the monitoring capacity to assure the microbial safety of any of its water resources. For these reasons, this study was designed to assess the feasibility of using a simple, low cost method to detect indicators of fecal contamination of drinking water that could be implemented at the community level. Water samples from 358 sources of drinking water in the Léogâne flood basin were screened with a commercially available hydrogen sulfide test and a standard membrane method for the enumeration of thermotolerant coliforms. When compared with the gold standard method, the hydrogen sulfide test had a sensitivity of 65% and a specificity of 93%. While the sensitivity of the assay increased at higher fecal coliform concentrations, it never exceeded 88%, even with fecal coliform concentrations greater than 100 colony forming units per 100 milliliters. While its simplicity makes the hydrogen sulfide test attractive for assessing water quality in low resource settings, the low sensitivity raises concerns about its use as the sole indicator of the presence or absence of fecal coliforms in individual or community water sources. PMID:25182685

Bacterial Community Shift Drives Antibiotic Resistance Promotion during Drinking Water Chlorination.

PubMed

Jia, Shuyu; Shi, Peng; Hu, Qing; Li, Bing; Zhang, Tong; Zhang, Xu-Xiang

2015-10-20

For comprehensive insights into the effects of chlorination, a widely used disinfection technology, on bacterial community and antibiotic resistome in drinking water, this study applied high-throughput sequencing and metagenomic approaches to investigate the changing patterns of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and bacterial community in a drinking water treatment and distribution system. At genus level, chlorination could effectively remove Methylophilus, Methylotenera, Limnobacter, and Polynucleobacter, while increase the relative abundance of Pseudomonas, Acidovorax, Sphingomonas, Pleomonas, and Undibacterium in the drinking water. A total of 151 ARGs within 15 types were detectable in the drinking water, and chlorination evidently increased their total relative abundance while reduced their diversity in the opportunistic bacteria (p < 0.05). Residual chlorine was identified as the key contributing factor driving the bacterial community shift and resistome alteration. As the dominant persistent ARGs in the treatment and distribution system, multidrug resistance genes (mainly encoding resistance-nodulation-cell division transportation system) and bacitracin resistance gene bacA were mainly carried by chlorine-resistant bacteria Pseudomonas and Acidovorax, which mainly contributed to the ARGs abundance increase. The strong correlation between bacterial community shift and antibiotic resistome alteration observed in this study may shed new light on the mechanism behind the chlorination effects on antibiotic resistance.

Drinking Water Quality of Water Vending Machines in Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, N. H.; Yusop, H. M.

2016-07-01

An increased in demand from the consumer due to their perceptions on tap water quality is identified as one of the major factor on why they are mentally prepared to pay for the price of the better quality drinking water. The thought that filtered water quality including that are commercially available in the market such as mineral and bottled drinking water and from the drinking water vending machine makes they highly confident on the level of hygiene, safety and the mineral content of this type of drinking water. This study was investigated the vended water quality from the drinking water vending machine in eight locations in Parit Raja are in terms of pH, total dissolve solids (TDS), turbidity, mineral content (chromium, arsenic, cadmium, lead and nickel), total organic carbon (TOC), pH, total colony-forming units (CFU) and total coliform. All experiments were conducted in one month duration in triplicate samples for each sampling event. The results indicated the TDS and all heavy metals in eight vended water machines in Parit Raja area were found to be below the Food Act 1983, Regulation 360C (Standard for Packaged Drinking Water and Vended water, 2012) and Malaysian Drinking Water Quality, Ministry of Health 1983. No coliform was presence in any of the vended water samples. pH was found to be slightly excess the limit provided while turbidity was found to be 45 to 95 times more higher than 0.1 NTU as required by the Malaysian Food Act Regulation. The data obtained in this study would suggest the important of routine maintenance and inspection of vended water provider in order to maintain a good quality, hygienic and safety level of vended water.

Influence of Asellus aquaticus on Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Campylobacter jejuni and naturally occurring heterotrophic bacteria in drinking water.

PubMed

Christensen, Sarah C B; Nissen, Erling; Arvin, Erik; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen

2012-10-15

Water lice, Asellus aquaticus (isopoda), frequently occur in drinking water distribution systems where they are a nuisance to consumers and water utilities. Whether they are solely an aesthetic problem or also affect the microbial water quality is a matter of interest. We studied the influence of A. aquaticus on microbial water quality in non-chlorinated drinking water in controlled laboratory experiments. Pure cultures of the indicator organisms Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae and the pathogen Campylobacter jejuni as well as naturally occurring heterotrophic drinking water bacteria (measured as heterotrophic plate counts, HPC) were investigated in microcosms at 7 °C, containing non-sterilised drinking water, drinking water sediment and A. aquaticus collected from a non-chlorinated ground water based drinking water supply system. Concentrations of E. coli, K. pneumoniae and C. jejuni decreased over time, following a first order decay with half lives of 5.3, 18.4 and 1.3 days, respectively. A. aquaticus did not affect survival of indicators and pathogens substantially whereas HPC were influenced by presence of dead A. aquaticus. Growth rates increased with an average of 48% for bacteria grown on R-2A agar and an average of 83% for bacteria grown on yeast extract agar when dead A. aquaticus were present compared to no and living A. aquaticus present. A. aquaticus associated E. coli, K. pneumoniae and C. jejuni were measured (up to 25 per living and 500 per dead A. aquaticus) and so were A. aquaticus associated heterotrophic bacteria (>1.8*10(4) CFU per living and >6*10(4) CFU per dead A. aquaticus). A. aquaticus did not serve as an optimised habitat that increased survival of indicators and pathogens, since A. aquaticus associated E. coli, K. pneumoniae and C. jejuni were only measured as long as the bacteria were also present in the water and sediment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect modification of the association between trihalomethanes and pancreatic cancer by drinking water hardness: evidence from an ecological study.

PubMed

Chiu, Hui-Fen; Tsai, Shang-Shyue; Wu, Trong-Neng; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2010-07-01

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between total trihalomethanes (TTHM) levels in public water supplies and risk of pancreatic cancer and to determine whether calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) levels in drinking water modify the effects of TTHM on risk to develop pancreatic cancer. A matched case-control study was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of death attributed to pancreatic cancer and exposure to TTHM in drinking water in 53 municipalities in Taiwan. All pancreatic cancer deaths in the 53 municipalities from 1998 through 2007 were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair matched to the cancer cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each cancer case. Data on TTHM levels in drinking water were collected from Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration. Information on the levels of Ca and Mg in drinking water was obtained from the Taiwan Water Supply Corporation. The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was presumed to be the source of the subject's TTHM, Ca, and Mg exposure via drinking water. Relative to individuals whose TTHM exposure level < 4.9ppb, the adjusted OR (95% CI) for pancreatic cancer was 1.01 (0.85-1.21) for individuals who resided in municipalities served by drinking water with a TTHM exposure > 4.9ppb. There was no evidence of an interaction of drinking water TTHM levels with low Ca intake via drinking water. However, we observed evidence of an interaction between drinking water TTHM concentrations and Mg intake via drinking water. Our findings showed that the correlation between TTHM exposure and risk of pancreatic cancer is influenced by Mg in drinking water. Increased knowledge of the interaction between Mg and TTHM in reducing pancreatic cancer risk will aid in public policy making and standard setting. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trihalomethanes in drinking water and the risk of death from esophageal cancer: does hardness in drinking water matter?

PubMed

Tsai, Shang-Shyue; Chiu, Hui-Fen; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2013-01-01

The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the relationship between total trihalomethanes (TTHM) levels in public water supplies and risk of esophageal cancer occurrence and (2) determine whether calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) levels in drinking water modify the effects of TTHM on risk to develop esophageal cancer. A matched case-control study was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of death attributed to esophageal cancer and exposure to TTHM in drinking water in 53 municipalities in Taiwan. All esophageal cancer deaths in the 53 municipalities from 2006 through 2010 were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to the cancer cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each cancer case. Data on TTHM levels in drinking water were collected from Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration. Information on the levels of Ca and Mg in drinking water was obtained from the Taiwan Water Supply Corporation. The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was presumed to be the source of the subject's TTHM, Ca, and Mg exposure via drinking water. Relative to individuals whose TTHM exposure level <4.9 ppb, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for esophageal cancer was 1.02 (0.84-1.23) for individuals who resided in municipalities served by drinking water with a TTHM exposure ≥4.9 ppb. There was evidence of an interaction between drinking-water TTHM levels and low Ca and Mg intake. Our findings showed that the correlation between TTHM exposure and risk of esophageal cancer development was influenced by Ca and Mg levels in drinking water. This is the first study to report effect modification by Ca and Mg intake from drinking water on the correlation between TTHM exposure and risk of esophageal cancer occurrence. Increased knowledge of the interaction between Ca, Mg, and TTHM in reducing risk of esophageal cancer development will aid in public policymaking and standard setting for drinking water.

Enhancement of Antioxidant Mechanisms and Reduction of Oxidative Stress in Chickens after the Administration of Drinking Water Enriched with Polyphenolic Powder from Olive Mill Waste Waters

PubMed Central

Papadopoulou, Aliki; Petrotos, Konstantinos; Gerasopoulos, Konstantinos; Maimaris, Antonios; Makris, Haralampos; Makri, Sotiria; Kerasioti, Efthalia; Halabalaki, Maria; Brieudes, Vincent; Ntasi, Georgia; Kokkas, Stylianos; Tzimas, Pavlos; Goulas, Panagiotis; Tsatsakis, Aristidis

2017-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a polyphenolic powder from olive mill wastewater (OMWW) administered through drinking water, on chickens' redox status. Thus, 75 chickens were divided into three groups. Group A was given just drinking water, while groups B and C were given drinking water containing 20 and 50 μg/ml of polyphenols, respectively, for 45 days. The antioxidant effects of the polyphenolic powder were assessed by measuring oxidative stress biomarkers in blood after 25 and 45 days of treatment. These markers were total antioxidant capacity (TAC), protein carbonyls (CARB), thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) and superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) in plasma, and glutathione (GSH) and catalase activity in erythrocytes. The results showed that CARB and TBARS were decreased significantly in groups B and C, and SOD decreased in group B compared to that in group A. TAC was increased significantly in group C and GSH was increased in group B, while catalase activity was increased in groups B and C compared to that in group A. In conclusion, this is the first study showing that supplementation of chickens with polyphenols from OMWW through drinking water enhanced their antioxidant mechanisms and reduced oxidative stress-induced damage. PMID:29138680

Water-loss dehydration and aging.

PubMed

Hooper, Lee; Bunn, Diane; Jimoh, Florence O; Fairweather-Tait, Susan J

2014-01-01

This review defines water-loss and salt-loss dehydration. For older people serum osmolality appears the most appropriate gold standard for diagnosis of water-loss dehydration, but clear signs of early dehydration have not been developed. In older adults, lower muscle mass, reduced kidney function, physical and cognitive disabilities, blunted thirst, and polypharmacy all increase dehydration risk. Cross-sectional studies suggest a water-loss dehydration prevalence of 20-30% in this population. Water-loss dehydration is associated with higher mortality, morbidity and disability in older people, but evidence is still needed that this relationship is causal. There are a variety of ways we may be able to help older people reduce their risk of dehydration by recognising that they are not drinking enough, and being helped to drink more. Strategies to increase fluid intake in residential care homes include identifying and overcoming individual and institutional barriers to drinking, such as being worried about not reaching the toilet in time, physical inability to make or to reach drinks, and reduced social drinking and drinking pleasure. Research needs are discussed, some of which will be addressed by the FP7-funded NU-AGE (New dietary strategies addressing the specific needs of elderly population for a healthy ageing in Europe) trial. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The effect of mineral water on serotonin and insulin production (an experimental study)].

PubMed

Polushina, N D

1998-01-01

Radioimmunoassay (DRG kits) and orthotoluidine test were conducted to measure blood serotonin, insulin and glucose in 70 intact Wistar rat males before and after a course of drinking mineral water Essentuki 17 (MW). After the MW drinking course, a single dose of mineral water increases basal levels of serotonin and insulin, sensitivity of endocrine cells to MW. Serotonin and insulin rose maximally on minute 5 after the drink while in contrast to minute 15 and 30 before initiation of the MW drinking course. A direct correlation was found between blood concentrations of serotonin and insulin.

THE PERSISTENCE OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM IN A DRINKING WATER SYSTEM AFTER THE ADDITION OF FILTRATION

EPA Science Inventory

Drinking water is increasingly recognized as a major source of pathogenic nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) associated with human infection. Our goal was to determine if the prevalence of NTM would decrease after the addition of filtration treatment to an unfiltered surface water...

SURVEILLANCE FOR WATERBORNE DISEASE AND OUTBREAKS ASSOCIATED WITH DRINKING WATER AND WATER NOT INTENDED FOR DRINKING WATER-UNITED STATES 2003-2004

EPA Science Inventory

Hypertension and cancer are prevalent diseases. Epidemiological studies suggest that hypertension may increase the long term risk of cancer. Identification of resistance and/or susceptibility genes using rodent models could provide important insights into the management and treat...

Drinking Water Intake Is Associated with Higher Diet Quality among French Adults

PubMed Central

Gazan, Rozenn; Sondey, Juliette; Maillot, Matthieu; Guelinckx, Isabelle; Lluch, Anne

2016-01-01

This study aimed to examine the association between drinking water intake and diet quality, and to analyse the adherence of French men and women to the European Food Safety Authority 2010 Adequate Intake (EFSA AI). A representative sample of French adults (≥18) from the Individual and National Survey on Food Consumption (INCA2) was classified, by sex, into small, medium, and large drinking water consumers. Diet quality was assessed with several nutritional indices (mean adequacy ratio (MAR), mean excess ratio (MER), probability of adequate intakes (PANDiet), and solid energy density (SED)). Of the total sample, 72% of men and 46% of women were below the EFSA AI. This percentage of non-adherence decreased from the small to the large drinking water consumers (from 95% to 34% in men and from 81% to 9% in women). For both sexes, drinking water intake was associated with higher diet quality (greater MAR and PANDiet). This association remained significant independently of socio-economic status for women only. Low drinking water consumers did not compensate with other sources (beverages and food moisture) and a high drinking water intake was not a guarantee for reaching the EFSA AI, meaning that increasing consumption of water should be encouraged in France. PMID:27809236

Drinking Water Intake Is Associated with Higher Diet Quality among French Adults.

PubMed

Gazan, Rozenn; Sondey, Juliette; Maillot, Matthieu; Guelinckx, Isabelle; Lluch, Anne

2016-10-31

This study aimed to examine the association between drinking water intake and diet quality, and to analyse the adherence of French men and women to the European Food Safety Authority 2010 Adequate Intake (EFSA AI). A representative sample of French adults (≥18) from the Individual and National Survey on Food Consumption (INCA2) was classified, by sex, into small, medium, and large drinking water consumers. Diet quality was assessed with several nutritional indices (mean adequacy ratio (MAR), mean excess ratio (MER), probability of adequate intakes (PANDiet), and solid energy density (SED)). Of the total sample, 72% of men and 46% of women were below the EFSA AI. This percentage of non-adherence decreased from the small to the large drinking water consumers (from 95% to 34% in men and from 81% to 9% in women). For both sexes, drinking water intake was associated with higher diet quality (greater MAR and PANDiet). This association remained significant independently of socio-economic status for women only. Low drinking water consumers did not compensate with other sources (beverages and food moisture) and a high drinking water intake was not a guarantee for reaching the EFSA AI, meaning that increasing consumption of water should be encouraged in France.

Magnesium in drinking water modifies the association between nitrate ingestion and risk of death from esophageal cancer.

PubMed

Liao, Yen-Hsiung; Chen, Pei-Shih; Chiu, Hui-Fen; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore whether magnesium (Mg) levels in drinking water modified the effects of nitrate on esophageal cancer risk occurrence. A matched cancer case-control study was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of death from esophageal cancer and exposure to nitrate in drinking water in Taiwan. All esophageal cancer deaths of Taiwan residents from 2006 through 2010 were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to cancer cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Information on the levels of nitrate-nitrogen (NO(3)-N) and Mg in drinking water were collected from Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was presumed to be the source of the subject's NO(3)-N and Mg exposure via drinking water. Evidence of an interaction was noted between drinking water NO(3)-N and Mg intake. This is the first study to report effect modification by Mg intake originating from drinking water on an association between NO(3)-N exposure and increased risk mortality attributed to esophageal cancer.

A national cross-sectional study on effects of fluoride-safe water supply on the prevalence of fluorosis in China

PubMed Central

Wang, Cheng; Gao, Yanhui; Wang, Wei; Zhao, Lijun; Zhang, Wei; Han, Hepeng; Shi, Yuxia; Yu, Guangqian; Sun, Dianjun

2012-01-01

Objective To assess the effects of provided fluoride-safe drinking-water for the prevention and control of endemic fluorosis in China. Design A national cross-sectional study in China. Setting In 1985, randomly selected villages in 27 provinces (or cities and municipalities) in 5 geographic areas all over China. Participants Involved 81 786 children aged from 8 to 12 and 594 698 adults aged over 16. Main outcome measure The prevalence of dental fluorosis and clinical skeletal fluorosis, the fluoride concentrations in the drinking-water in study villages and in the urine of subjects. Results The study showed that in the villages where the drinking-water fluoride concentrations were higher than the government standard of 1.2 mg/l, but no fluoride-safe drinking-water supply scheme was provided (FNB areas), the prevalence rate and index of dental fluorosis in children, and prevalence rate of clinical skeletal fluorosis in adults were all significantly higher than those in the historical endemic fluorosis villages after the fluoride-safe drinking-water were provided (FSB areas). Additionally, the prevalence rate of dental fluorosis as well as clinical skeletal fluorosis, and the concentration of fluoride in urine were found increased with the increase of fluoride concentration in drinking-water, with significant positive correlations in the FNB areas. While, the prevalence rate of dental fluorosis and clinical skeletal fluorosis in different age groups and their degrees of prevalence were significantly lower in the FSB areas than those in the FNB areas. Conclusions The provision of fluoride-safe drinking-water supply schemes had significant effects on the prevention and control of dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis. The study also indicated that the dental and skeletal fluorosis is still prevailing in the high-fluoride drinking-water areas in China. PMID:23015601

Reported care giver strategies for improving drinking water for young children.

PubMed

McLennan, John D; Farrelly, Ashley

2010-11-01

Care givers may engage in a variety of strategies to try and improve drinking water for children. However, the pattern of these efforts is not well known, particularly for young children in high-risk situations. The objective of this study was to determine care giver-reported strategies for young children with (1) undernutrition and (2) living in an unplanned poor peri-urban community in the Dominican Republic. Practices reported by care givers of young children from a community and clinic group were extracted from interviews conducted between 2004 and 2008 (n = 563). These results were compared to two previous similar samples interviewed in 1997 (n = 341). Bottled water is currently the most prevalent reported strategy for improving drinking water for young children. Its use increased from 6% to 69% in the community samples over the last decade and from 13% to 79% in the clinic samples. Boiling water continues to be a common strategy, particularly for the youngest children, though its overall use has decreased over time. Household-level chlorination is infrequently used and has dropped over time. Care givers are increasingly turning to bottled water in an attempt to provide safe drinking water for their children. While this may represent a positive trend for protecting children from water-transmitted diseases, it may represent an inefficient approach to safe drinking water provision that may place a financial burden on low-income families.

Limited school drinking water access for youth

PubMed Central

Kenney, Erica L.; Gortmaker, Steven L.; Cohen, Juliana F.W.; Rimm, Eric B.; Cradock, Angie L.

2016-01-01

PURPOSE Providing children and youth with safe, adequate drinking water access during school is essential for health. This study utilized objectively measured data to investigate the extent to which schools provide drinking water access that meets state and federal policies. METHODS We visited 59 middle and high schools in Massachusetts during spring 2012. Trained research assistants documented the type, location, and working condition of all water access points throughout each school building using a standard protocol. School food service directors (FSDs) completed surveys reporting water access in cafeterias. We evaluated school compliance with state plumbing codes and federal regulations and compared FSD self-reports of water access with direct observation; data were analyzed in 2014. RESULTS On average, each school had 1.5 (SD: 0.6) water sources per 75 students; 82% (SD: 20) were functioning, and fewer (70%) were both clean and functioning. Less than half of the schools met the federal Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act requirement for free water access during lunch; 18 schools (31%) provided bottled water for purchase but no free water. Slightly over half (59%) met the Massachusetts state plumbing code. FSDs overestimated free drinking water access compared to direct observation (96% FSD-reported versus 48% observed, kappa=0.07, p=0.17). CONCLUSIONS School drinking water access may be limited. In this study, many schools did not meet state or federal policies for minimum student drinking water access. School administrative staff may not accurately report water access. Public health action is needed to increase school drinking water access. IMPLICATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS Adolescents’ water consumption is lower than recommended. In a sample of Massachusetts middle and high schools, about half did not meet federal and state minimum drinking water access policies. Direct observation may improve assessments of drinking water access and could be integrated into routine school food service monitoring protocols. PMID:27235376

Bethanechol-Induced Water Intake in Rats: Possible Mechanisms of Induction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fregly, Melvin J.; Kikta, Dianne C.; Greenleaf, John E.

1982-01-01

Acute administration of the parasympathomimetic agent, bethanechol, at 2, 4, 8 and 12 mg/kg body wt, IP, induced drinking and increased urine output of rats in a dose-dependent fashion. The first significant increases in both water intake and urine output above that of controls occurred when 4 mg/kg was administered. The drinking and increased urine output in response to administration of 8 mg bethanechol/kg was inhibited by atropine sulfate (3 and 6 mg/kg, IP). In addition, the 0-adrenergic antagonist, propranolol (6 mg/kg, IP, administered 30 min prior to treatment with bethanechol), inhibited bethanechol (8 mg/kg, IP)-induced drinking. Urine output, however, was unaffected by propranolol. Further, the angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril, inhibited significantly the drinking response, but not the increased urine output, accompanying administration of bethanechol (8 mg/kg). The effect of bethanechol and the beta-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol (25 Ag/kg) separately and in combination, on water intake was also studied. Both compounds increased water intake but they exerted no interactive effect when administered simultaneously. Administration of bethanechol (8 mg/kg) to conscious rats was also accompanied by a significant reduction in both mean blood pressure and heart rate that reached minimal levels within 10 min after treatment. Both responses had returned to control level by one hour after treatment. These results suggest that bethanechol induces drinking in rats by way of the renin-angiotensin system.

Feasibility of the hydrogen sulfide test for the assessment of drinking water quality in post-earthquake Haiti.

PubMed

Weppelmann, Thomas A; Alam, Meer T; Widmer, Jocelyn; Morrissey, David; Rashid, Mohammed H; De Rochars, Valery M Beau; Morris, J Glenn; Ali, Afsar; Johnson, Judith A

2014-12-01

In 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, severely damaging the drinking and wastewater infrastructure and leaving millions homeless. Compounding this problem, the introduction of Vibrio cholerae resulted in a massive cholera outbreak that infected over 700,000 people and threatened the safety of Haiti's drinking water. To mitigate this public health crisis, non-government organizations installed thousands of wells to provide communities with safe drinking water. However, despite increased access, Haiti currently lacks the monitoring capacity to assure the microbial safety of any of its water resources. For these reasons, this study was designed to assess the feasibility of using a simple, low-cost method to detect indicators of fecal contamination of drinking water that could be implemented at the community level. Water samples from 358 sources of drinking water in the Léogâne flood basin were screened with a commercially available hydrogen sulfide test and a standard membrane method for the enumeration of thermotolerant coliforms. When compared with the gold standard method, the hydrogen sulfide test had a sensitivity of 65 % and a specificity of 93 %. While the sensitivity of the assay increased at higher fecal coliform concentrations, it never exceeded 88 %, even with fecal coliform concentrations greater than 100 colony-forming units per 100 ml. While its simplicity makes the hydrogen sulfide test attractive for assessing water quality in low-resource settings, the low sensitivity raises concerns about its use as the sole indicator of the presence or absence of fecal coliforms in individual or community water sources.

Estimating effects of improved drinking water and sanitation on cholera.

PubMed

Leidner, Andrew J; Adusumilli, Naveen C

2013-12-01

Demand for adequate provision of drinking-water and sanitation facilities to promote public health and economic growth is increasing in the rapidly urbanizing countries of the developing world. With a panel of data on Asia and Africa from 1990 to 2008, associations are estimated between the occurrence of cholera outbreaks, the case rates in given outbreaks, the mortality rates associated with cholera and two disease control mechanisms, drinking-water and sanitation services. A statistically significant and negative effect is found between drinking-water services and both cholera case rates as well as cholera-related mortality rates. A relatively weak statistical relationship is found between the occurrence of cholera outbreaks and sanitation services.

Availability of drinking water in US public school cafeterias.

PubMed

Hood, Nancy E; Turner, Lindsey; Colabianchi, Natalie; Chaloupka, Frank J; Johnston, Lloyd D

2014-09-01

This study examined the availability of free drinking water during lunchtime in US public schools, as required by federal legislation beginning in the 2011-2012 school year. Data were collected by mail-back surveys in nationally representative samples of US public elementary, middle, and high schools from 2009-2010 to 2011-2012. Overall, 86.4%, 87.4%, and 89.4% of students attended elementary, middle, and high schools, respectively, that met the drinking water requirement. Most students attended schools with existing cafeteria drinking fountains and about one fourth attended schools with water dispensers. In middle and high schools, respondents were asked to indicate whether drinking fountains were clean, and whether they were aware of any water-quality problems at the school. The vast majority of middle and high school students (92.6% and 90.4%, respectively) attended schools where the respondent perceived drinking fountains to be clean or very clean. Approximately one in four middle and high school students attended a school where the survey respondent indicated that there were water-quality issues affecting drinking fountains. Although most schools have implemented the requirement to provide free drinking water at lunchtime, additional work is needed to promote implementation at all schools. School nutrition staff at the district and school levels can play an important role in ensuring that schools implement the drinking water requirement, as well as promote education and behavior-change strategies to increase student consumption of water at school. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Climate change influence on drinking water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovacs, Melinda Haydee; Ristoiu, Dumitru; Voica, Cezara; Moldovan, Zaharie

2013-11-01

Although it are quite well known the possible effects of climate changes on surface waters availability and their hydrological risks, their consequences on drinking water quality is not well defined yet. Disinfection agents (as Cl2, O3, etc.) or multiple combinations of them for water treatment and disinfection purposes are applied by water treatment plants at worldwide level. Unfortunately, besides the benefits of these processes were also highlighted some undesirable effects such as formation of several disinfection by-products (DBPs) after reaction of disinfection agent with natural organic matter (NOM) from water body. DBPs formation in drinking water, suspected to posses adverse health effects to humans are strongly regulated in our days. Thus, throughout this study kinetics experiments both the main physicochemical factors that influencing the quality of drinking waters were evaluated as well how they act through possible warming or the consequences of extreme events. Increasing water temperatures with 1 - 5 °C above its normal value has showed that NOMs are presented in higher amount which led to the need for greater amount of disinfectant agent (5 - 15 %). Increasing the amount of disinfecting agent resulted in the formation of DBPs in significantly higher concentrations (between 5 - 30 %).

DRINKING WATER DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS: WHAT IS KNOWN

EPA Science Inventory

Chlorine, ozone, chlorine dioxide, and chloramine are currently the major disinfectants being used to disinfect drinking water. Although the alternative disinfectants (ozone, chlorine dioxide, and chloramine) are increasing in popularity in the United States, chlorine is still us...

Microbiological effectiveness of locally produced ceramic filters for drinking water treatment in Cambodia.

PubMed

Brown, Joe; Sobsey, Mark D

2010-03-01

Low-cost options for the treatment of drinking water at the household level are being explored by the Cambodian government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Cambodia, where many lack access to improved drinking water sources and diarrhoeal diseases are the most prevalent cause of death in children under 5 years of age. The ceramic water purifier (CWP), a locally produced, low-cost ceramic filter, is now being implemented by several NGOs, and an estimated 100,000+households in the country now use them for drinking water treatment. Two candidate filters were tested for the reduction of bacterial and viral surrogates for waterborne pathogens using representative Cambodian drinking water sources (rainwater and surface water) spiked with Escherichia coli and bacteriophage MS2. Results indicate that filters were capable of reducing key microbes in the laboratory with mean reductions of E. coli of approximately 99% and mean reduction of bacteriophages of 90-99% over >600 litres throughput. Increased effectiveness was not observed in filters with an AgNO3 amendment. At under US$10 per filter, locally produced ceramic filters may be a promising option for drinking water treatment and safe storage at the household level.

Associations between extreme precipitation and acute gastro-intestinal illness due to cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in an urban Canadian drinking water system (1997-2009).

PubMed

Chhetri, Bimal K; Takaro, Tim K; Balshaw, Robert; Otterstatter, Michael; Mak, Sunny; Lem, Marcus; Zubel, Marc; Lysyshyn, Mark; Clarkson, Len; Edwards, Joanne; Fleury, Manon D; Henderson, Sarah B; Galanis, Eleni

2017-10-01

Drinking water related infections are expected to increase in the future due to climate change. Understanding the current links between these infections and environmental factors is vital to understand and reduce the future burden of illness. We investigated the relationship between weekly reported cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis (n = 7,422), extreme precipitation (>90th percentile), drinking water turbidity, and preceding dry periods in a drinking water system located in greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (1997-2009) using distributed lag non-linear Poisson regression models adjusted for seasonality, secular trend, and the effect of holidays on reporting. We found a significant increase in cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis 4-6 weeks after extreme precipitation. The effect was greater following a dry period. Similarly, extreme precipitation led to significantly increased turbidity only after prolonged dry periods. Our results suggest that the risk of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis increases with extreme precipitation, and that the effects are more pronounced after a prolonged dry period. Given that extreme precipitation events are expected to increase with climate change, it is important to further understand the risks from these events, develop planning tools, and build resilience to these future risks.

Regional brain responses associated with drinking water during thirst and after its satiation

PubMed Central

Saker, Pascal; Farrell, Michael J.; Adib, Faiz R. M.; Egan, Gary F.; McKinley, Michael J.; Denton, Derek A.

2014-01-01

The instinct of thirst was a cardinal element in the successful colonization by vertebrates of the dry land of the planet, which began in the Ordovician period about 400 million y ago. It is a commonplace experience in humans that drinking water in response to thirst following fluid loss is a pleasant experience. However, continuing to drink water once thirst has been satiated becomes unpleasant and, eventually, quite aversive. Functional MRI experiments reported here show pleasantness of drinking is associated with activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann area 32) and the orbitofrontal cortex. The unpleasantness and aversion of overdrinking is associated with activation in the midcingulate cortex, insula, amygdala, and periaqueductal gray. Drinking activations in the putamen and cerebellum also correlated with the unpleasantness of water, and the motor cortex showed increased activation during overdrinking compared with drinking during thirst. These activations in motor regions may possibly reflect volitional effort to conduct compliant drinking in the face of regulatory mechanisms inhibiting intake. The results suggestive of a specific inhibitory system in the control of drinking are unique. PMID:24706817

Regional brain responses associated with drinking water during thirst and after its satiation.

PubMed

Saker, Pascal; Farrell, Michael J; Adib, Faiz R M; Egan, Gary F; McKinley, Michael J; Denton, Derek A

2014-04-08

The instinct of thirst was a cardinal element in the successful colonization by vertebrates of the dry land of the planet, which began in the Ordovician period about 400 million y ago. It is a commonplace experience in humans that drinking water in response to thirst following fluid loss is a pleasant experience. However, continuing to drink water once thirst has been satiated becomes unpleasant and, eventually, quite aversive. Functional MRI experiments reported here show pleasantness of drinking is associated with activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann area 32) and the orbitofrontal cortex. The unpleasantness and aversion of overdrinking is associated with activation in the midcingulate cortex, insula, amygdala, and periaqueductal gray. Drinking activations in the putamen and cerebellum also correlated with the unpleasantness of water, and the motor cortex showed increased activation during overdrinking compared with drinking during thirst. These activations in motor regions may possibly reflect volitional effort to conduct compliant drinking in the face of regulatory mechanisms inhibiting intake. The results suggestive of a specific inhibitory system in the control of drinking are unique.

Drinking water fluoridation and bone.

PubMed

Allolio, B; Lehmann, R

1999-01-01

Drinking water fluoridation has an established role in the prevention of dental caries, but may also positively or negatively affect bone. In bone fluoride is incorporated into hydroxylapatite to form the less soluble fluoroapatite. In higher concentrations fluoride stimulates osteoblast activity leading to an increase in cancellous bone mass. As optimal drinking water fluoridation (1 mg/l) is widely used, it is of great interest, whether long-term exposition to artificial water fluoridation has any impact on bone strength, bone mass, and -- most importantly -- fracture rate. Animal studies suggest a biphasic pattern of the effect of drinking water fluoridation on bone strength with a peak strength at a bone fluoride content of 1200 ppm followed by a decline at higher concentrations eventually leading to impaired bone quality. These changes are not paralleled by changes in bone mass suggesting that fluoride concentrations remain below the threshold level required for activation of osteoblast activity. Accordingly, in most epidemiological studies in humans bone mass was not altered by optimal drinking water fluoridation. In contrast, studies on the effect on hip fracture rate gave conflicting results ranging from an increased fracture incidence to no effect, and to a decreased fracture rate. As only ecological studies have been performed, they may be biased by unknown confounding factors -- the so-called ecological fallacy. However, the combined results of these studies indicate that any increase or decrease in fracture rate is likely to be small. It has been calculated that appropriately designed cohort studies to solve the problem require a sample size of >400,000 subjects. Such studies will not be performed in the foreseeable future. Future investigations in humans should, therefore, concentrate on the effect of long-term drinking water fluoridation on bone fluoride content and bone strength.

Application of bimodal distribution to the detection of changes in uranium concentration in drinking water collected by random daytime sampling method from a large water supply zone.

PubMed

Garboś, Sławomir; Święcicka, Dorota

2015-11-01

The random daytime (RDT) sampling method was used for the first time in the assessment of average weekly exposure to uranium through drinking water in a large water supply zone. Data set of uranium concentrations determined in 106 RDT samples collected in three runs from the water supply zone in Wroclaw (Poland), cannot be simply described by normal or log-normal distributions. Therefore, a numerical method designed for the detection and calculation of bimodal distribution was applied. The extracted two distributions containing data from the summer season of 2011 and the winter season of 2012 (nI=72) and from the summer season of 2013 (nII=34) allowed to estimate means of U concentrations in drinking water: 0.947 μg/L and 1.23 μg/L, respectively. As the removal efficiency of uranium during applied treatment process is negligible, the effect of increase in uranium concentration can be explained by higher U concentration in the surface-infiltration water used for the production of drinking water. During the summer season of 2013, heavy rains were observed in Lower Silesia region, causing floods over the territory of the entire region. Fluctuations in uranium concentrations in surface-infiltration water can be attributed to releases of uranium from specific sources - migration from phosphate fertilizers and leaching from mineral deposits. Thus, exposure to uranium through drinking water may increase during extreme rainfall events. The average chronic weekly intakes of uranium through drinking water, estimated on the basis of central values of the extracted normal distributions, accounted for 3.2% and 4.1% of tolerable weekly intake. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the bacterial communities associated with different drinking water treatment processes.

PubMed

Zeng, Dan-Ning; Fan, Zhen-Yu; Chi, Liang; Wang, Xia; Qu, Wei-Dong; Quan, Zhe-Xue

2013-09-01

A drinking water plant was surveyed to determine the bacterial composition of different drinking water treatment processes (DWTP). Water samples were collected from different processing steps in the plant (i.e., coagulation, sedimentation, sand filtration, and chloramine disinfection) and from distantly piped water. The samples were pyrosequensed using sample-specific oligonucleotide barcodes. The taxonomic composition of the microbial communities of different DWTP and piped water was dominated by the phylum Proteobacteria. Additionally, a large proportion of the sequences were assigned to the phyla Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The piped water exhibited increasing taxonomic diversity, including human pathogens such as the Mycobacterium, which revealed a threat to the safety of drinking water. Surprisingly, we also found that a sister group of SAR11 (LD12) persisted throughout the DWTP, which was always detected in freshwater aquatic systems. Moreover, Polynucleobacter, Rhodoferax, and a group of Actinobacteria, hgcI clade, were relatively consistent throughout the processes. It is concluded that smaller-size microorganisms tended to survive against the present treatment procedure. More improvement should be made to ensure the long-distance transmission drinking water.

The quality of our Nation's waters: Water quality in basin-fill aquifers of the southwestern United States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, 1993-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thiros, Susan A.; Paul, Angela P.; Bexfield, Laura M.; Anning, David W.

2015-01-01

The Southwest Principal Aquifers consist of many basin-fill aquifers in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. Demands for irrigation and drinking water have substantially increased groundwater withdrawals and irrigation return flow to some of these aquifers. These changes have increased the movement of contaminants from geologic and human sources to depths used to supply drinking water in several basin-fill aquifers in the Southwest.

Forecasting land cover change impacts on drinking water treatment costs in Minneapolis, Minnesota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woznicki, S. A.; Wickham, J.

2017-12-01

Source protection is a critical aspect of drinking water treatment. The benefits of protecting source water quality in reducing drinking water treatment costs are clear. However, forecasting the impacts of environmental change on source water quality and its potential to influence future treatment processes is lacking. The drinking water treatment plant in Minneapolis, MN has recognized that land cover change threatens water quality in their source watershed, the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB). Over 1,000 km2 of forests, wetlands, and grasslands in the UMRB were lost to agriculture from 2008-2013. This trend, coupled with a projected population increase of one million people in Minnesota by 2030, concerns drinking water treatment plant operators in Minneapolis with respect to meeting future demand for clean water in the UMRB. The objective of this study is to relate land cover change (forest and wetland loss, agricultural expansion, urbanization) to changes in treatment costs for the Minneapolis, MN drinking water utility. To do this, we first developed a framework to determine the relationship between land cover change and water quality in the context of recent historical changes and projected future changes in land cover. Next we coupled a watershed model, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to projections of land cover change from the FOREcasting SCEnarios of Land-use Change (FORE-SCE) model for the mid-21st century. Using historical Minneapolis drinking water treatment data (chemical usage and costs), source water quality in the UMRB was linked to changes in treatment requirements as a function of projected future land cover change. These analyses will quantify the value of natural landscapes in protecting drinking water quality and future treatment processes requirements. In addition, our study provides the Minneapolis drinking water utility with information critical to their planning and capital improvement process.

Impact of effects of acid precipitation on toxicity of metals.

PubMed Central

Nordberg, G F; Goyer, R A; Clarkson, T W

1985-01-01

Acid precipitation may increase human exposure to several potentially toxic metals by increasing metal concentrations in major pathways to man, particularly food and water, and in some instances by enhancing the conversion of metal species to more toxic forms. Human exposures to methylmercury are almost entirely by way of consumption of fish and seafood. In some countries, intakes by this route may approach the levels that can give rise to adverse health effects for population groups with a high consumption of these food items. A possible increase in methylmercury concentrations in fish from lakes affected by acid precipitation may thus be of concern to selected population groups. Human exposures to lead reach levels that are near those associated with adverse health effects in certain sensitive segments of the general population in several countries. The possibility exists that increased exposures to lead may be caused by acid precipitation through a mobilization of lead from soils into crops. A route of exposure to lead that may possibly be influenced by acid precipitation is an increased deterioration of surface materials containing lead and a subsequent ingestion by small children. A similar situation with regard to uptake from food exists for cadmium (at least in some countries). Human metal exposures via drinking water may be increased by acid precipitation. Decreasing pH increases corrosiveness of water enhancing the mobilization of metal salts from soil; metallic compounds may be mobilized from minerals, which may eventually reach drinking water. Also, the dissolution of metals (Pb, Cd, Cu) from piping systems for drinking water by soft acidic waters of high corrosivity may increase metal concentrations in drinking water. Exposures have occasionally reached concentrations which are in the range where adverse health effects may be expected in otherwise healthy persons. Dissolution from piping systems can be prevented by neutralizing the water before distribution. Increased aluminum concentrations in water is a result mainly of the occurrence of Al in acidified natural waters and the use of Al chemicals in drinking water purification. If such water is used for dialysis in patients with chronic renal failure, it may give rise to cases of dialysis dementia and other disorders. A possible influence on health of persons with normal renal function (e.g., causing Alzheimer's disease) is uncertain and requires further investigation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) PMID:3908087

Removal of natural organic matter from drinking water by advanced oxidation processes.

PubMed

Matilainen, Anu; Sillanpää, Mika

2010-06-01

Over the past 10-20years the amount of the natural organic matter (NOM) has been increased in raw water supplies on several areas. The presence of NOM causes many problems in drinking water treatment processes, including: (i) negative effect on water quality by colour, taste and odor problems, (ii) increased coagulant and disinfectant dose requirements (which in turn results increased sludge and potential harmful disinfection by-product formation), (iii) promoted biological growth in distribution system, and (iv) increased levels of complexed heavy metals and adsorbed organic pollutants. Thus, more efficient methods for the removal of NOM have emerged. Among these are advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). These include O(3)/H(2)O(2), O(3)/UV, UV/H(2)O(2), TiO(2)/UV, H(2)O(2)/catalyst, Fenton and photo-Fenton prosesses as well as ultrasound. In the present work, an overview of the recent research studies dealing with AOP methods for the removal of NOM and related compounds from drinking water is presented.

Water and Sanitation in Schools: A Systematic Review of the Health and Educational Outcomes

PubMed Central

Jasper, Christian; Le, Thanh-Tam; Bartram, Jamie

2012-01-01

A systematic review of the literature on the effects of water and sanitation in schools was performed. The goal was to characterize the impacts of water and sanitation inadequacies in the academic environment. Published peer reviewed literature was screened and articles that documented the provision of water and sanitation at schools were considered. Forty-one peer-reviewed papers met the criteria of exploring the effects of the availability of water and/or sanitation facilities in educational establishments. Chosen studies were divided into six fields based on their specific foci: water for drinking, water for handwashing, water for drinking and handwashing, water for sanitation, sanitation for menstruation and combined water and sanitation. The studies provide evidence for an increase in water intake with increased provision of water and increased access to water facilities. Articles also report an increase in absenteeism from schools in developing countries during menses due to inadequate sanitation facilities. Lastly, there is a reported decrease in diarrheal and gastrointestinal diseases with increased access to adequate sanitation facilities in schools. Ensuring ready access to safe drinking water, and hygienic toilets that offer privacy to users has great potential to beneficially impact children’s health. Additional studies that examine the relationship between sanitation provisions in schools are needed to more adequately characterize the impact of water and sanitation on educational achievements. PMID:23066396

Arsenic in public water supplies and cardiovascular mortality in Spain.

PubMed

Medrano, M A José; Boix, Raquel; Pastor-Barriuso, Roberto; Palau, Margarita; Damián, Javier; Ramis, Rebeca; Del Barrio, José Luis; Navas-Acien, Ana

2010-07-01

High-chronic arsenic exposure in drinking water is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. At low-chronic levels, as those present in Spain, evidence is scarce. In this ecological study, we evaluated the association of municipal drinking water arsenic concentrations during the period 1998-2002 with cardiovascular mortality in the population of Spain. Arsenic concentrations in drinking water were available for 1721 municipalities, covering 24.8 million people. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for cardiovascular (361,750 deaths), coronary (113,000 deaths), and cerebrovascular (103,590 deaths) disease were analyzed for the period 1999-2003. Two-level hierarchical Poisson models were used to evaluate the association of municipal drinking water arsenic concentrations with mortality adjusting for social determinants, cardiovascular risk factors, diet, and water characteristics at municipal or provincial level in 651 municipalities (200,376 cardiovascular deaths) with complete covariate information. Mean municipal drinking water arsenic concentrations ranged from <1 to 118 microg/L. Compared to the overall Spanish population, sex- and age-adjusted mortality rates for cardiovascular (SMR 1.10), coronary (SMR 1.18), and cerebrovascular (SMR 1.04) disease were increased in municipalities with arsenic concentrations in drinking water > 10 microg/L. Compared to municipalities with arsenic concentrations < 1 microg/L, fully adjusted cardiovascular mortality rates were increased by 2.2% (-0.9% to 5.5%) and 2.6% (-2.0% to 7.5%) in municipalities with arsenic concentrations between 1-10 and >10 microg/L, respectively (P-value for trend 0.032). The corresponding figures were 5.2% (0.8% to 9.8%) and 1.5% (-4.5% to 7.9%) for coronary heart disease mortality, and 0.3% (-4.1% to 4.9%) and 1.7% (-4.9% to 8.8%) for cerebrovascular disease mortality. In this ecological study, elevated low-to-moderate arsenic concentrations in drinking water were associated with increased cardiovascular mortality at the municipal level. Prospective cohort studies with individual measures of arsenic exposure, standardized cardiovascular outcomes, and adequate adjustment for confounders are needed to confirm these ecological findings. Our study, however, reinforces the need to implement arsenic remediation treatments in water supply systems above the World Health Organization safety standard of 10 microg/L. 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The risk of cancer as a result of elevated levels of nitrate in drinking water and vegetables in Central India.

PubMed

Taneja, Pinky; Labhasetwar, Pawan; Nagarnaik, Pranav; Ensink, Jeroen H J

2017-08-01

The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of nitrates on the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer development. Nitrate converted to nitrite under reducing conditions of gut results in the formation of N-nitrosamines which are linked to an increased gastric cancer risk. A population of 234 individuals with 78 cases of GI cancer and 156 controls residing at urban and rural settings in Nagpur and Bhandara districts of India were studied for 2 years using a case-control study. A detailed survey of 16 predictor variables using Formhub software was carried out. Nitrate concentrations in vegetables and primary drinking water supplies were measured. The logistic regression model showed that nitrate was statistically significant in predicting increasing risk of cancer when potential confounders were kept at base level (P value of 0.001 nitrate in drinking water; 0.003 for nitrate in vegetable) at P < 0.01. Exposure to nitrate in drinking water at >45 mg/L level of nitrate was associated with a higher risk of GI cancers. Analysis suggests that nitrate concentration in drinking water was found statistically significant in predicting cancer risk with an odds ratio of 1.20.

Power Plant Bromide Discharges and Downstream Drinking Water Systems in Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Good, Kelly D; VanBriesen, Jeanne M

2017-10-17

Coal-fired power plants equipped with wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems have been implicated in increasing bromide levels and subsequent increases in disinfection byproducts at downstream drinking water plants. Bromide was not included as a regulated constituent in the recent steam electric effluent limitations guidelines and standards (ELGs) since the U.S. EPA analysis suggested few drinking water facilities would be affected by bromide discharges from power plants. The present analysis uses a watershed approach to identify Pennsylvania drinking water intakes downstream of wet FGD discharges and to assess the potential for bromide discharge effects. Twenty-two (22) public drinking water systems serving 2.5 million people were identified as being downstream of at least one wet FGD discharge. During mean August conditions (generally low-flow, minimal dilution) in receiving rivers, the median predicted bromide concentrations contributed by wet FGD at Pennsylvania intake locations ranged from 5.2 to 62 μg/L for the Base scenario (including only natural bromide in coal) and from 16 to 190 μg/L for the Bromide Addition scenario (natural plus added bromide for mercury control); ranges depend on bromide loads and receiving stream dilution capacity.

Monitoring of PAEMs and beta-agonists in urine for a small group of experimental subjects and PAEs and beta-agonists in drinking water consumed by the same subjects.

PubMed

Liou, Saou-Hsing; Yang, Gordon C C; Wang, Chih-Lung; Chiu, Yu-Han

2014-07-30

This 5-month study contains two parts: (1) to monitor the concentrations of 11 phthalate esters metabolites (PAEMs) and two beta-agonists in human urine samples collected from a small group of consented participants including 16 females and five males; and (2) to analyze the residues of phthalate esters (PAEs) and beta-agonists in various categories of drinking water consumed by the same group of subjects. Each category of human urine and drinking water had 183 samples of its own. The analytical results showed that nine PAEMs were detected in human urine and eight PAEs were detected in drinking water samples. It was found that average concentrations of PAEMs increased as the age increased, but no significant difference between sexes. Further, using the principal component analysis, the loadings of age effect were found to be two times greater than that of gender effect in terms of four DEHP metabolites. Regarding beta-agonists of concern (i.e., ractopamine and salbutamol), they were neither detected in human urine nor drinking water samples in this study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water-drinking test in primary angle-closure suspect before and after laser peripheral iridotomy.

PubMed

Waisbourd, Michael; Savant, Shravan V; Sun, Yi; Martinez, Patricia; Myers, Jonathan S

2016-03-01

This study aimed to investigate whether performing a laser peripheral iridotomy in primary angle-closure suspects had an effect on the intraocular pressure response during the water-drinking test. Prospective study in a hospital setting. Primary angle-closure suspects scheduled for a laser peripheral iridotomy. Primary angle-closure suspects were evaluated before the laser peripheral iridotomy and 2 weeks after. On each visit, subjects underwent the water-drinking test. Intraocular pressure was measured every 15 min within a 1-h period. Intraocular pressure fluctuations during the water drinking test. Twenty patients were enrolled. The mean age was 58.1 years (±10.2 SD), predominantly female (n = 14, 70%). Average intraocular pressure range (maximum-minimum) during the water-drinking test increased significantly from 2.6 ± 1.1 mmHg before the laser peripheral iridotomy to 3.5 ± 1.5 mmHg after (P = 0.04). The mean difference between peak and last intraocular pressure measurements increased after the laser peripheral iridotomy was performed, from 2.5 mmHg (±1.27 SD) to 3.3 mmHg (±1.66 SD), (P = 0.057). There was no change in mean peak intraocular pressure (maximum-baseline) before and after the laser peripheral iridotomy (P = 0.87). Primary angle-closure suspects who underwent the water-drinking test had a slightly more pronounced recovery of intraocular pressure after the laser peripheral iridotomy was performed, which may be attributed to increase in the area of exposed trabecular meshwork following treatment. Differences in intraocular pressure curves before and after laser peripheral iridotomy were minimal, and therefore, the water-drinking test had limited value as a provocative test in this patient population. © 2015 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Limited School Drinking Water Access for Youth.

PubMed

Kenney, Erica L; Gortmaker, Steven L; Cohen, Juliana F W; Rimm, Eric B; Cradock, Angie L

2016-07-01

Providing children and youth with safe, adequate drinking water access during school is essential for health. This study used objectively measured data to investigate the extent to which schools provide drinking water access that meets state and federal policies. We visited 59 middle and high schools in Massachusetts during spring 2012. Trained research assistants documented the type, location, and working condition of all water access points throughout each school building using a standard protocol. School food service directors (FSDs) completed surveys reporting water access in cafeterias. We evaluated school compliance with state plumbing codes and federal regulations and compared FSD self-reports of water access with direct observation; data were analyzed in 2014. On average, each school had 1.5 (standard deviation: .6) water sources per 75 students; 82% (standard deviation: 20) were functioning and fewer (70%) were both clean and functioning. Less than half of the schools met the federal Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act requirement for free water access during lunch; 18 schools (31%) provided bottled water for purchase but no free water. Slightly over half (59%) met the Massachusetts state plumbing code. FSDs overestimated free drinking water access compared to direct observation (96% FSD reported vs. 48% observed, kappa = .07, p = .17). School drinking water access may be limited. In this study, many schools did not meet state or federal policies for minimum student drinking water access. School administrative staff may not accurately report water access. Public health action is needed to increase school drinking water access. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pairings of ethanol sipper with food induces Pavlovian autoshaping of ethanol drinking in rats: evidence of long-term retention and effects of sipper duration.

PubMed

Tomie, Arthur; Sparta, Dennis R; Silberman, Yuval; Interlandi, Jeneen; Mynko, Alise; Patterson-Buckendahl, Patricia; Pohorecky, Larissa A

2002-01-01

This study asks if repeated Pavlovian pairings of a sipper tube (conditioned stimulus, CS) with food (unconditioned stimulus, US) will induce Pavlovian autoshaping conditioned responses (CRs), consisting of drinking of either 6% ethanol or water from the sipper CS. This study also tests predictions derived from the autoshaping model by asking if sipper CS-directed drinking will be retained, despite the absence of training for several weeks, and, in addition, if drinking rate is a negative function of sipper CS duration. Autoshaping procedures, conducted in two daily sessions, consisted of the brief insertion of the sipper tube CS followed by the response-independent presentation of food US. For the Ethanol group (n = 8), the sipper CS contained 6% ethanol, whereas for the Water group (n = 8), the sipper CS contained tap water. Saccharin fading procedures were employed, whereas for both groups, during days 1-19, the sipper CS contained 0.1% saccharin, and thereafter across training days the concentration of saccharin was gradually reduced (0.07, 0.035, 0.0%). Following elimination of saccharin, both groups were maintained in their home cages during a 27-day retention interval, and then re-evaluated for autoshaping of drinking of unsweetened ethanol and water. Thereafter, across days, the duration of access to the sipper CS (5.0, 7.5, 10.0, 15.0 s) during each autoshaping trial was increased. Both groups increased drinking across the first 19 days of training with sipper CS-food US pairings, and, at 0.0% saccharin, the Ethanol group consumed 14.76 ml of 6% ethanol per day, resulting in a daily ethanol consumption of 2.77 g/kg. For both groups, daily levels of drinking before and after the 27-day retention interval were comparable, attesting to the durability of the acquired drinking effects. At each CS duration, the Ethanol group consumed more millilitres of fluid per day than did the Water group, and for the Ethanol group, peak drinking of 24.0 ml of 6% ethanol per day was observed at the 10 s CS duration. For both groups, drinking rate (millilitres of fluid consumed per second of CS duration), was a declining monotonic function of CS duration, resulting in a daily ethanol consumption of approximately 4.2 g/kg for the Ethanol group. These data reveal that these sipper CS-food US autoshaping procedures induce drinking in rats that is durable and negatively related to increasing CS duration. The effects of both variables are consistent with the hypothesis that drinking from the sipper CS is a Pavlovian autoshaping CR. Autoshaping of drinking in the Water group is observed despite the absence of water deprivation, and even more fluid is consumed by the Ethanol group than by the Water group. The high volumes of ethanol consumed during brief daily sessions suggest that Pavlovian autoshaping procedures may provide an animal learning model of binge drinking.

Groundwater quality in the Yuba River and Bear River Watersheds, Sierra Nevada, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fram, Miranda S.; Jasper, Monica; Taylor, Kimberly A.

2017-09-27

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Program’s Priority Basin Project assesses the quality of groundwater resources used for drinking water supply and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. In the Yuba River and Bear River Watersheds of the Sierra Nevada, many rural households rely on private wells for their drinking water supplies. 

Groundwater quality in the Mokelumne, Cosumnes, and American River Watersheds, Sierra Nevada, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fram, Miranda S.; Shelton, Jennifer L.

2018-03-23

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Program’s Priority Basin Project assesses the quality of groundwater resources used for drinking water supply and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. In the Mokelumne, Cosumnes, and American River Watersheds of the Sierra Nevada, many rural households rely on private wells for their drinking-water supplies.

Emerging Contaminants in the Drinking Water Cycle

EPA Science Inventory

In the past decade, the scientific community and general public have become increasingly aware of the potential for the presence of unregulated, and generally unmonitored contaminants, found at low concentrations (sub-µg/L) in surface, ground and drinking water. The most common...

An approach to monitoring cyanobacteria blooms at surface drinking water intakes using satellite imagery (10th National Monitoring Conference)

EPA Science Inventory

Cyanobacterial blooms occur worldwide and are associated with human respiratory irritation, undesirable taste and odor of potable water, increased drinking water treatment costs, loss of revenue from recreational use, and human illness as a result of ingestion or skin exposure du...

Towards health impact assessment of drinking-water privatization--the example of waterborne carcinogens in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany).

PubMed Central

Fehr, Rainer; Mekel, Odile; Lacombe, Martin; Wolf, Ulrike

2003-01-01

Worldwide there is a tendency towards deregulation in many policy sectors - this, for example, includes liberalization and privatization of drinking-water management. However, concerns about the negative impacts this might have on human health call for prospective health impact assessment (HIA) on the management of drinking-water. On the basis of an established generic 10-step HIA procedure and on risk assessment methodology, this paper aims to produce quantitative estimates concerning health effects from increased exposure to carcinogens in drinking-water. Using data from North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany, probabilistic estimates of excess lifetime cancer risk, as well as estimates of additional cases of cancer from increased carcinogen exposure levels are presented. The results show how exposure to contaminants that are strictly within current limits could increase cancer risks and case-loads substantially. On the basis of the current analysis, we suggest that with uniform increases in pollutant levels, a single chemical (arsenic) is responsible for a large fraction of expected additional risk. The study also illustrates the uncertainty involved in predicting the health impacts of changes in water quality. Future analysis should include additional carcinogens, non-cancer risks including those due to microbial contamination, and the impacts of system failures and of illegal action, which may be increasingly likely to occur under changed management arrangements. If, in spite of concerns, water is privatized, it is particularly important to provide adequate surveillance of water quality. PMID:12894324

Source of drinking water and other risk factors for dental fluorosis in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

van der Hoek, Wim; Ekanayake, Lilani; Rajasooriyar, Lorraine; Karunaratne, Ravi

2003-09-01

This study was done to describe the association between source of drinking water and other potential risk factors with dental fluorosis. Prevalence of dental fluorosis among 518 14-year-old students in the south of Sri Lanka was 43.2%. The drinking water sources of the students were described and fluoride samples were taken. There was a strong association between water fluoride level and prevalence of fluorosis. Tea drinking before 7 years of age was also an independent risk factor in a multivariate analysis. Having been fed with formula bottle milk as an infant seemed to increase the risk although the effect was not statistically significant. No clear effects could be found for using fluoridated toothpaste, occupation of the father, and socio-economic status. Drinking water obtained from surface water sources had lower fluoride levels (median 0.22 mg l(-1)) than water from deep tube wells (median 0.80 mg l(-1)). Most families used shallow dug wells and these had a median fluoride value of 0.48 mg l(-1) but with a wide range from 0.09 to 5.90 mg l(-1). Shallow wells located close to irrigation canals or other surface water had lower fluoride values than wells located further away. Fluoride levels have to be taken into account when planning drinking water projects. From the point of view of prevention of dental fluorosis, drinking water from surface sources or from shallow wells located close to surface water would be preferable.

Early Ethanol and Water Consumption: Accumulating Experience Differentially Regulates Drinking Pattern and Bout Parameters in Male Alcohol Preferring (P) vs. Wistar and Sprague Dawley Rats

PubMed Central

Azarov, Alexey V.; Woodward, Donald J.

2013-01-01

Alcohol-preferring (P) rats develop high ethanol intake over several weeks of water/10% ethanol (10E) choice drinking. However, it is not yet clear precisely what components of drinking behavior undergo modification to achieve higher intake. Our concurrent report compared precisely measured daily intake in P vs. non-selected Wistar and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Here we analyze their drinking patterns and bouts to clarify microbehavioral components that are common to rats of different origin, vs. features that are unique to each. Under sole-fluid conditions P, Wistar and SD rats all consumed water at a high initial rate followed by a slow maintenance phase, but 10E - in a distinctly different step-like pattern of evenly distributed bouts. During choice period, 10E vs. water patterns for P rat appeared as an overlap of sole-fluid patterns. The SD rat choice patterns resembled sole-fluid patterns but were less regular. Choice patterns in Wistar differed from both P and SD rats, by consisting of intermixed small frequent episodes of drinking both 10E and water. Wistar and SD rats increased choice ethanol intake by elevating the number of bouts. A key finding was that P rat increased choice ethanol intake through a gradual increase of the bout size and duration, but kept bout number constant. This supports the hypothesis that genetic selection modifies microbehavioral machinery controlling drinking bout initiation, duration, and other pattern features. Precision analysis of drinking patterns and bouts allows differentiation between genetic lines, and provides a venue for study of localized circuit and transmitter influences mediating mesolimbic control over ethanol consumption. PMID:24095931

Pediatric neurobehavioral diseases in Nevada counties with respect to perchlorate in drinking water: an ecological inquiry.

PubMed

Chang, Soju; Crothers, Carol; Lai, Shenghan; Lamm, Steven

2003-10-01

Contamination of drinking water with perchlorate, a known thyrotropic agent, has been demonstrated in areas in the western United States. The health consequences of that exposure have been studied, particularly in the State of Nevada. Previous studies in Nevada, comparing the area with perchlorate in the drinking water and the areas without perchlorate in the drinking water, have found no difference in neonatal thyroxine (T(4)) or thyrotropin (TSH) levels, or in the prevalences of thyroid diseases and thyroid cancer. This same study design has now been applied to the major neurobehavioral diseases of childhood (i.e., attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism) and to school performance in order to determine whether those conditions are more frequent in the area with perchlorate-contaminated water. Medical services data on ADHD and autism were obtained from the Nevada Medicaid system for the period of January 1, 1996, to December 31, 2000, with county of residence used as the basis for residential information. Analyses of fourth-grade school performance results for two recent time periods came from the state government. Perchlorate concentrations in drinking water had been determined by local water authorities. ADHD and autism rates for the area with perchlorate in the drinking water (Clark County) were calculated and compared with the rates for the other areas in the state, as were fourth-grade school performances. Analysis of the data from the Nevada Medicaid program shows that the rates for ADHD and for autism in the area where perchlorate was in the drinking water did not exceed the rates in those areas where there was no perchlorate contamination in the drinking water. Fourth-grade standardized test results for students in Clark County were not different from those of the remainder of the state. This ecological study of children in the exposure area did not find evidence of an increased risk of either ADHD or of autism caused by perchlorate contamination in the drinking water. Furthermore, no difference in overall fourth-grade school performance was observed. No evidence was found that children from the area with perchlorate in the drinking water (up to 24 microg/liter) had either an increase in pediatric neurobehavioral disease (ADHD and autism) or a decrease in fourth-grade academic performance. The limitations of this ecological study relate to diagnostic criteria and ascertainment of geographic and demographic differences and to data on individual residence and water consumption during pregnancy. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Pyrosequencing analysis of the bacterial community in drinking water wells.

PubMed

Navarro-Noya, Yendi E; Suárez-Arriaga, Mayra C; Rojas-Valdes, Aketzally; Montoya-Ciriaco, Nina M; Gómez-Acata, Selene; Fernández-Luqueño, Fabián; Dendooven, Luc

2013-07-01

Wells used for drinking water often have a large biomass and a high bacterial diversity. Current technologies are not always able to reduce the bacterial population, and the threat of pathogen proliferation in drinking water sources is omnipresent. The environmental conditions that shape the microbial communities in drinking water sources have to be elucidated, so that pathogen proliferation can be foreseen. In this work, the bacterial community in nine water wells of a groundwater aquifer in Northern Mexico were characterized and correlated to environmental characteristics that might control them. Although a large variation was observed between the water samples, temperature and iron concentration were the characteristics that affected the bacterial community structure and composition in groundwater wells. Small increases in the concentration of iron in water modified the bacterial communities and promoted the growth of the iron-oxidizing bacteria Acidovorax. The abundance of the genera Flavobacterium and Duganella was correlated positively with temperature and the Acidobacteria Gp4 and Gp1, and the genus Acidovorax with iron concentrations in the well water. Large percentages of Flavobacterium and Pseudomonas bacteria were found, and this is of special concern as bacteria belonging to both genera are often biofilm developers, where pathogens survival increases.

Drinking Water Systems, Hydrology, and Childhood Gastrointestinal Illness in Central and Northern Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Uejio, Christopher K.; Yale, Steven H.; Malecki, Kristen; Borchardt, Mark A.; Anderson, Henry A.; Patz, Jonathan A.

2014-01-01

Objectives. This study investigated if the type of drinking water source (treated municipal, untreated municipal, and private well water) modifies the effect of hydrology on childhood (aged < 5 years) gastrointestinal illness. Methods. We conducted a time series study to assess the relationship between hydrologic and weather conditions with childhood gastrointestinal illness from 1991 to 2010. The Central and Northern Wisconsin study area includes households using all 3 types of drinking water systems. Separate time series models were created for each system and half-year period (winter/spring, summer/fall). Results. More precipitation (summer/fall) systematically increased childhood gastrointestinal illness in municipalities accessing untreated water. The relative risk of contracting gastrointestinal illness was 1.4 in weeks with 3 centimeters of precipitation and 2.4 in very wet weeks with 12 centimeters of precipitation. By contrast, gastrointestinal illness in private well and treated municipal areas was not influenced by hydrologic conditions, although warmer winter temperatures slightly increased incidence. Conclusions. Our study suggests that improved drinking water protection, treatment, and delivery infrastructure may improve public health by specifically identifying municipal water systems lacking water treatment that may transmit waterborne disease. PMID:24524509

Faecal contamination of household drinking water in Rwanda: A national cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kirby, Miles A; Nagel, Corey L; Rosa, Ghislaine; Iyakaremye, Laurien; Zambrano, Laura Divens; Clasen, Thomas F

2016-11-15

Unsafe drinking water is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among young children in low-income settings. We conducted a national survey in Rwanda to determine the level of faecal contamination of household drinking water and risk factors associated therewith. Drinking water samples were collected from a nationally representative sample of 870 households and assessed for thermotolerant coliforms (TTC), a World Health Organization (WHO)-approved indicator of faecal contamination. Potential household and community-level determinants of household drinking water quality derived from household surveys, the 2012 Rwanda Population and Housing Census, and a precipitation dataset were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Widespread faecal contamination was present, and only 24.9% (95% CI 20.9-29.4%, n=217) of household samples met WHO Guidelines of having no detectable TTC contamination, while 42.5% (95% CI 38.0-47.1%, n=361) of samples had >100TTC/100mL and considered high risk. Sub-national differences were observed, with poorer water quality in rural areas and Eastern province. In multivariate analyses, there was evidence for an association between detectable contamination and increased open waste disposal in a sector, lower elevation, and water sources other than piped to household or rainwater/bottled. Risk factors for intermediate/high risk contamination (>10TTC/100mL) included low population density, increased open waste disposal, lower elevation, water sources other than piped to household or rainwater/bottled, and occurrence of an extreme rain event the previous day. Modelling suggests non-household-based risk factors are determinants of water quality in this setting, and these results suggest a substantial proportion of Rwanda's population are exposed to faecal contamination through drinking water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pond bank access as an approach for managing toxic cyanobacteria in beef cattle pasture drinking water ponds.

PubMed

Wilson, Alan E; Chislock, Michael F; Yang, Zhen; Barros, Mário U G; Roberts, John F

2018-03-25

Forty-one livestock drinking water ponds in Alabama beef cattle pastures during were surveyed during the late summer to generally understand water quality patterns in these important water resources. Since livestock drinking water ponds are prone to excess nutrients that typically lead to eutrophication, which can promote blooms of toxigenic phytoplankton such as cyanobacteria, we also assessed the threat of exposure to the hepatotoxin, microcystin. Eighty percent of the ponds studied contained measurable microcystin, while three of these ponds had concentrations above human drinking water thresholds set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (i.e., 0.3 μg/L). Water quality patterns in the livestock drinking water ponds contrasted sharply with patterns typically observed for temperate freshwater lakes and reservoirs. Namely, we found several non-linear relationships between phytoplankton abundance (measured as chlorophyll) and nutrients or total suspended solids. Livestock had direct access to all the study ponds. Consequently, the proportion of inorganic suspended solids (e.g., sediment) increased with higher concentrations of total suspended solids, which underlies these patterns. Unimodal relationships were also observed between microcystin and phytoplankton abundance or nutrients. Euglenoids were abundant in the four ponds with chlorophyll concentrations > 250 μg/L (and dominated three of these ponds), which could explain why ponds with high chlorophyll concentrations would have low microcystin concentrations. Based on observations made during sampling events and available water quality data, livestock-mediated bioturbation is causing elevated total suspended solids that lead to reduced phytoplankton abundance and microcystin despite high concentrations of nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen. Thus, livestock could be used to manage algal blooms, including toxic secondary metabolites, in their drinking water ponds by allowing them to walk in the ponds to increase turbidity.

Water Drinking Test: Intraocular Pressure Changes after Tube Surgery and Trabeculectomy

PubMed Central

Razeghinejad, Mohammad Reza; Tajbakhsh, Zahra; Nowroozzadeh, Mohammad Hossein; Masoumpour, Masoumeh

2017-01-01

Purpose: To study the effects of filtration surgeries (tube and trabeculectomy) on changes in intraocular pressure after a water-drinking test. Methods: In this prospective, non-randomized, comparative clinical study, 30 patients who had tube surgery and 30 age- and sex-matched trabeculectomy patients underwent a water-drinking test. Only one eye of each patient was included. The baseline intraocular pressure was ≤21 mmHg in all enrolled eyes with or without adjunctive topical medications. After the water-drinking test, the intraocular pressure was measured and recorded at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes and the results were compared between the two groups. Results: In both groups, intraocular pressure significantly increased from baseline at all measured time-points (P < 0.001). In the trabeculectomy group, the average intraocular pressure increased from 14.8 ± 2.9 to 18.8 ± 4.7 mmHg at 30 minutes, but decreased at 60 min (18.0 ± 5.2 mmHg). In the Tube group, intraocular pressure increased incrementally until the last measurement (14.2 ± 3.9, 18.8 ± 5.6, and 19.7 ± 6.0 mmHg at baseline, 30, and 60 minutes, respectively). The end-pressure difference (intraocular pressure at 60 minutes vs. baseline) was significantly greater in the tube group (5.6 ± 3.6 mmHg; 41% change) than in the trabeculectomy group (3.2 ± 4.7; 23% change; P = 0.03). Conclusion: Intraocular pressure significantly increased after the water-drinking test in both the groups. Intraocular pressure started to decline 30 minutes after the water-drinking test in the trabeculectomy group, while it continued to increase up to 60 minutes in the Tube group. This finding may have implications regarding the efficacy or safety of the procedures in advanced glaucoma patients. PMID:29090048

New Zealand risk management approach for toxic cyanobacteria in drinking water.

PubMed

Kouzminov, Alexander; Ruck, John; Wood, Susanna A

2007-06-01

Cyanobacterial blooms are common seasonal phenomena occurring worldwide in fresh, estuarine and coastal waters, including those used for drinking-water supplies, recreation and stock watering. In New Zealand, the frequency of blooms and their geographic spread is likely to grow with increasing eutrophication and global climate change. The New Zealand Ministry of Health has recently developed national criteria for assessing and managing the risk of toxic cyanobacteria in drinking-water supplies. This paper investigates a cyanobacterial bloom incident in the summer 2002/03 in the Waikato River and hydro lakes, which are a major drinking-water supply for Hamilton City and many other smaller towns along the river. The procedures invoked by the Hamilton City Council and other authorities to deal with this bloom event are considered in terms of the best practice of the day and compared with the Drinking-Water Standards for New Zealand 2005. The presence of cyanobacteria has significant economic effects because of increases in water supply treatment costs or the need to use an alternative source, and there are also social effects from the disruption of recreational use of water bodies and loss of confidence in the quality of reticulated, treated water supplies. Notional evaluation of economic cost of monitoring regimes and control, based on the Waikato River cyanobacterial bloom incident, is also given. The multi-barrier and process-control risk management approach, reliant on good vertical communication systems between central and local government, is an advanced approach useful for any country that regularly experiences cyanobacterial problems.

Fluoride in the drinking water and the geographical variation of coronary heart disease in Finland.

PubMed

Kaipio, Juhana; Näyhä, Simo; Valtonen, Ville

2004-02-01

Fluoride in drinking water prevents dental disease, which in turn has been reported to increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Since mortality from CHD in Finland is high in the north-east where the fluoride content of drinking water is low, the association was examined here in more detail. Mortality from CHD during the period 1961-1995 in 365 rural areas of Finland (188 888 deaths) was linked with 2131 drinking water fluoride determinations performed in 1958 using negative binomial regression, adjustments being made for sex, age, mean income of the resident commune and drinking water magnesium and calcium. An inverse J-shaped relationship was found between drinking water fluoride and CHD, the association being most pronounced in the 1960s and levelling off consistently as a function of time. In 1961-1970, the adjusted mortality from CHD was 22% (95% confidence interval 18-27%) lower in the fourth quintile of fluoride (0.15-0.30 mg/l) than in the first quintile (0.00-0.06 mg/l) but this deficit reduced to 13% (7-18%) in 1991-1995. Although causality cannot be asserted, the geographical pattern of CHD in Finland is consistent with the concentration of fluoride in drinking water. One mechanism could be that fluoride prevents dental infections, which in turn reduces mortality from CHD. The more widespread use of fluoridated toothpastes, soft drinks and certain food items since the 1960s may have reduced the significance of drinking water as a source of fluoride.

Chloride interference in the determination of bromate in drinking water by reagent free ion chromatography with mass spectrometry detection.

PubMed

Cavalli, Silvano; Polesello, Stefano; Valsecchi, Sara

2005-08-26

Bromate, a well known by-product of the ozonation of drinking water, has been included among the substances which have to be monitored in the drinking water according to the last EC Directive 251/98 on potable water with a regulated limit of 10 microg l(-1). The need of performing routine analysis at this limit is a driving force for the developing of new simple and sensitive methods of detection, which should be also able to overcome the effect of matrix composition. This work explored the use of mass spectrometry detection with electrospray ionisation hyphenated to a reagent free ion chromatograph with hydroxide gradient elution for the determination of bromate in drinking water. The use of a high capacity hydroxide selective column operated in gradient mode allowed to avoid the interference by carbonate peak, which moved to longer retention times. The effect of increasing chloride concentrations from 0 to 250 mg l(-1), which is the guideline limit for drinking water in Directive 251/98/EC, was to decrease absolute mass spectrometric response and chromatographic efficiency and, on the consequence, to increase the effective detection limits. The effect of the chloride concentration on the detection of bromate is discussed.

Liver Afferents Contribute to Water Drinking-Induced Sympathetic Activation in Human Subjects: A Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

May, Marcus; Gueler, Faikah; Barg-Hock, Hannelore; Heiringhoff, Karl-Heinz; Engeli, Stefan; Heusser, Karsten; Diedrich, André; Brandt, André; Strassburg, Christian P.; Tank, Jens; Sweep, Fred C. G. J.; Jordan, Jens

2011-01-01

Water drinking acutely increases sympathetic activity in human subjects. In animals, the response appears to be mediated through transient receptor potential channel TRPV4 activation on osmosensitive hepatic spinal afferents, described as osmopressor response. We hypothesized that hepatic denervation attenuates water drinking-induced sympathetic activation. We studied 20 liver transplant recipients (44±2.6 years, 1.2±0.1 years post transplant) as model of hepatic denervation and 20 kidney transplant recipients (43±2.6 years, 0.8±0.1 years post transplant) as immunosuppressive drug matched control group. Before and after 500 ml water ingestion, we obtained venous blood samples for catecholamine analysis. We also monitored brachial and finger blood pressure, ECG, and thoracic bioimpedance. Plasma norepinephrine concentration had changed by 0.01±0.07 nmol/l in liver and by 0.21±0.07 nmol/l in kidney transplant recipients (p<0.05 between groups) after 30–40 minutes of water drinking. While blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance increased in both groups, the responses tended to be attenuated in liver transplant recipients. Our findings support the idea that osmosensitive hepatic afferents are involved in water drinking-induced sympathetic activation in human subjects. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01237431 PMID:22016786

Drinking water constituents and disease.

PubMed

Rylander, Ragnar

2008-02-01

Several epidemiological investigations over the last 50 y have demonstrated a relation between risk for cardiovascular disease and drinking water hardness or its content of magnesium and calcium. An additional parameter, first suggested in a study from Japan 50 y ago, is the acidity of the water. It is known that acid load influences the reabsorption of calcium and magnesium in the renal tubuli. Intervention studies have shown that acid-base conditions influence the homeostasis of minerals. Data from intervention studies using magnesium, calcium, and hydrogen carbonate are reviewed. It is suggested that the health effects related to drinking water found in some studies may be caused by an increased urinary excretion of minerals induced by acid conditions in the body and that drinking water should contain sufficient amounts of hydrogen carbonate to prevent this effect.

Salinity in drinking water and the risk of (pre)eclampsia and gestational hypertension in coastal Bangladesh: a case-control study.

PubMed

Khan, Aneire Ehmar; Scheelbeek, Pauline Franka Denise; Shilpi, Asma Begum; Chan, Queenie; Mojumder, Sontosh Kumar; Rahman, Atiq; Haines, Andy; Vineis, Paolo

2014-01-01

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are among the leading causes of maternal and perinatal death in low-income countries, but the aetiology remains unclear. We investigated the relationship between salinity in drinking water and the risk of (pre)eclampsia and gestational hypertension in a coastal community. A population-based case-control study was conducted in Dacope, Bangladesh among 202 pregnant women with (pre)eclampsia or gestational hypertension, enrolled from the community served by the Upazilla Health Complex, Dacope and 1,006 matched controls from the same area. Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained from all participants. Urinary sodium and sodium levels in drinking water were measured. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals. Drinking water sources had exceptionally high sodium levels (mean 516.6 mg/L, S.D 524.2). Women consuming tube-well (groundwater) were at a higher disease risk than rainwater users (p<0.001). Adjusted risks for (pre)eclampsia and gestational hypertension considered together increased in a dose-response manner for increasing sodium concentrations (300.01-600 mg/L, 600.1-900 mg/L, >900.01 mg/L, compared to <300 mg/L) in drinking water (ORs 3.30 [95% CI 2.00-5.51], 4.40 [2.70-7.25] and 5.48 [3.30-9.11] (p-trend<0.001). Significant associations were seen for both (pre)eclampsia and gestational hypertension separately. Salinity in drinking water is associated with increased risk of (pre)eclampsia and gestational hypertension in this population. Given that coastal populations in countries such as Bangladesh are confronted with high salinity exposure, which is predicted to further increase as a result of sea level rise and other environmental influences, it is imperative to develop and evaluate affordable approaches to providing water with low salt content.

Salinity in Drinking Water and the Risk of (Pre)Eclampsia and Gestational Hypertension in Coastal Bangladesh: A Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Khan, Aneire Ehmar; Scheelbeek, Pauline Franka Denise; Shilpi, Asma Begum; Chan, Queenie; Mojumder, Sontosh Kumar; Rahman, Atiq; Haines, Andy; Vineis, Paolo

2014-01-01

Background Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are among the leading causes of maternal and perinatal death in low-income countries, but the aetiology remains unclear. We investigated the relationship between salinity in drinking water and the risk of (pre)eclampsia and gestational hypertension in a coastal community. Methods A population-based case-control study was conducted in Dacope, Bangladesh among 202 pregnant women with (pre)eclampsia or gestational hypertension, enrolled from the community served by the Upazilla Health Complex, Dacope and 1,006 matched controls from the same area. Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained from all participants. Urinary sodium and sodium levels in drinking water were measured. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals. Findings Drinking water sources had exceptionally high sodium levels (mean 516.6 mg/L, S.D 524.2). Women consuming tube-well (groundwater) were at a higher disease risk than rainwater users (p<0.001). Adjusted risks for (pre)eclampsia and gestational hypertension considered together increased in a dose-response manner for increasing sodium concentrations (300.01–600 mg/L, 600.1–900 mg/L, >900.01 mg/L, compared to <300 mg/L) in drinking water (ORs 3.30 [95% CI 2.00–5.51], 4.40 [2.70–7.25] and 5.48 [3.30–9.11] (p-trend<0.001). Significant associations were seen for both (pre)eclampsia and gestational hypertension separately. Interpretation Salinity in drinking water is associated with increased risk of (pre)eclampsia and gestational hypertension in this population. Given that coastal populations in countries such as Bangladesh are confronted with high salinity exposure, which is predicted to further increase as a result of sea level rise and other environmental influences, it is imperative to develop and evaluate affordable approaches to providing water with low salt content. PMID:25268785

Occurrence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in drinking water of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and new approach to assess drinking water contamination by shorter-chained C4-C7 PFCs.

PubMed

Wilhelm, Michael; Bergmann, Sabine; Dieter, Hermann H

2010-06-01

After detection of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in drinking water at concentrations up to 0.64 microg/l in Arnsberg, Sauerland, Germany, the German Drinking Water Commission (TWK) assessed perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in drinking water and set for the first time worldwide in June 2006 a health-based guide value for safe lifelong exposure at 0.3 microg/l (sum of PFOA and perfluorooctanesulfonate, PFOS). PFOA and PFOS can be effectively removed from drinking water by percolation over granular activated carbon. Additionally, recent EU-regulations require phasing out use of PFOS and ask to voluntarily reduce the one of PFOA. New and shorter-chained PFCs (C4-C7) and their mixtures are being introduced as replacements. We assume that some of these "new" compounds could be main contributors to total PFC levels in drinking water in future, especially since short-chained PFCs are difficult to remove from drinking water by common treatment techniques and also by filtration over activated carbon. The aims of the study were to summarize the data from the regularly measured PFC levels in drinking water and in the drinking water resources in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) for the sampling period 2008-2009, to give an overview on the general approach to assess PFC mixtures and to assess short-chained PFCs by using toxicokinetic instead of (sub)chronic data. No general increase of substitutes for PFOS and PFOA in wastewater and surface water was detected. Present findings of short-chained PFC in drinking waters in NRW were due to extended analysis and caused by other impacts. Additionally, several PFC contamination incidents in drinking water resources (groundwater and rivers) have been reported in NRW. The new approach to assess short-chained PFCs is based on a ranking of their estimated half-lives for elimination from the human body. Accordingly, we consider the following provisional health-related indication values (HRIV) as safe in drinking water for lifelong exposure: perfluorobutanoate (PFBA) 7 microg/l, perfluoropentanoate (PFPA) 3 microg/l, perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA) 1 microg/l, perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA) 0.3 microg/l, perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) 3 microg/l, perfluoropentanesulfonate (PFPS) 1 microg/l, perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) 0.3 microg/l and perfluoroheptanesulfonate (PFHpS) 0.3 microg/l. For all PFCs the long-term lowest maximal quality goal (general precautionary value, PVg) in drinking water is set to -0.1 microg/l.

Arsenic in drinking water and adverse birth outcomes in Ohio.

PubMed

Almberg, Kirsten S; Turyk, Mary E; Jones, Rachael M; Rankin, Kristin; Freels, Sally; Graber, Judith M; Stayner, Leslie T

2017-08-01

Arsenic in drinking water has been associated with adverse reproductive outcomes in areas with high levels of naturally occurring arsenic. Less is known about the reproductive effects of arsenic at lower levels. This research examined the association between low-level arsenic in drinking water and small for gestational age (SGA), term low birth weight (term LBW), very low birth weight (VLBW), preterm birth (PTB), and very preterm birth (VPTB) in the state of Ohio. Exposure was defined as the mean annual arsenic concentration in drinking water in each county in Ohio from 2006 to 2008 using Safe Drinking Water Information System data. Birth outcomes were ascertained from the birth certificate records of 428,804 births in Ohio from the same time period. Multivariable generalized estimating equation logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between arsenic and each birth outcome separately. Sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the roles of private well use and prenatal care utilization in these associations. Arsenic in drinking water was associated with increased odds of VLBW (AOR 1.14 per µg/L increase; 95% CI 1.04, 1.24) and PTB (AOR 1.10; 95% CI 1.06, 1.15) among singleton births in counties where <10% of the population used private wells. No significant association was observed between arsenic and SGA, or VPTB, but a suggestive association was observed between arsenic and term LBW. Arsenic in drinking water was positively associated with VLBW and PTB in a population where nearly all (>99%) of the population was exposed under the current maximum contaminant level of 10µg/L. Current regulatory standards may not be protective against reproductive effects of prenatal exposure to arsenic. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of drinking water contaminated with perfluoroalkyl substances on a 10-year longitudinal trend of plasma levels in an elderly Uppsala cohort.

PubMed

Stubleski, Jordan; Salihovic, Samira; Lind, P Monica; Lind, Lars; Dunder, Linda; McCleaf, Philip; Eurén, Karin; Ahrens, Lutz; Svartengren, Magnus; van Bavel, Bert; Kärrman, Anna

2017-11-01

In 2012, drinking water contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), foremost perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) at levels over 20ng/L and 40ng/L, respectively, was confirmed in Uppsala, Sweden. We assessed how a longitudinally sampled cohort's temporal trend in PFAS plasma concentration was influenced by their residential location and determined the plausible association or disparity between the PFASs detected in the drinking water and the trend in the study cohort. The Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) cohort provided plasma samples three times from 2001 to 2014. Individuals maintaining the same zip code throughout the study (n = 399) were divided into a reference (no known PFAS exposure), low, intermediate and high exposure area depending on the proportion of contaminated drinking water received. Eight PFASs detected in the majority (75%) of the cohort's plasma samples were evaluated for significant changes in temporal PFAS concentrations using a random effects (mixed) model. PFHxS plasma concentrations continued to significantly increase in individuals living in areas receiving the largest percentage of contaminated drinking water (p < 0.0001), while PFOS showed an overall decrease. The temporal trend of other PFAS plasma concentrations did not show an association to the quality of drinking water received. The distribution of contaminated drinking water had a direct effect on the trend in PFHxS plasma levels among the different exposure groups, resulting in increased concentrations over time, especially in the intermediate and high exposure areas. PFOS and the remaining PFASs did not show the same relationship, suggesting other sources of exposure influenced these PFAS plasma trends. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does the evidence about health risks associated with nitrate ingestion warrant an increase of the nitrate standard for drinking water?

PubMed Central

van Grinsven, Hans JM; Ward, Mary H; Benjamin, Nigel; de Kok, Theo M

2006-01-01

Several authors have suggested that it is safe to raise the health standard for nitrate in drinking water, and save money on measures associated with nitrate pollution of drinking water resources. The major argument has been that the epidemiologic evidence for acute and chronic health effects related to drinking water nitrate at concentrations near the health standard is inconclusive. With respect to the chronic effects, the argument was motivated by the absence of evidence for adverse health effects related to ingestion of nitrate from dietary sources. An interdisciplinary discussion of these arguments led to three important observations. First, there have been only a few well-designed epidemiologic studies that evaluated ingestion of nitrate in drinking water and risk of specific cancers or adverse reproductive outcomes among potentially susceptible subgroups likely to have elevated endogenous nitrosation. Positive associations have been observed for some but not all health outcomes evaluated. Second, the epidemiologic studies of cancer do not support an association between ingestion of dietary nitrate (vegetables) and an increased risk of cancer, because intake of dietary nitrate is associated with intake of antioxidants and other beneficial phytochemicals. Third, 2–3 % of the population in Western Europe and the US could be exposed to nitrate levels in drinking water exceeding the WHO standard of 50 mg/l nitrate, particularly those living in rural areas. The health losses due to this exposure cannot be estimated. Therefore, we conclude that it is not possible to weigh the costs and benefits from changing the nitrate standard for drinking water and groundwater resources by considering the potential consequences for human health and by considering the potential savings due to reduced costs for nitrate removal and prevention of nitrate pollution. PMID:16989661

The importance of waterborne disease outbreak surveillance in the United States.

PubMed

Craun, Gunther Franz

2012-01-01

Analyses of the causes of disease outbreaks associated with contaminated drinking water in the United States have helped inform prevention efforts at the national, state, and local levels. This article describes the changing nature of disease outbreaks in public water systems during 1971-2008 and discusses the importance of a collaborative waterborne outbreak surveillance system established in 1971. Increasing reports of outbreaks throughout the early 1980s emphasized that microbial contaminants remained a health-risk challenge for suppliers of drinking water. Outbreak investigations identified the responsible etiologic agents and deficiencies in the treatment and distribution of drinking water, especially the high risk associated with unfiltered surface water systems. Surveillance information was important in establishing an effective research program that guided government regulations and industry actions to improve drinking water quality. Recent surveillance statistics suggest that prevention efforts based on these research findings have been effective in reducing outbreak risks especially for surface water systems.

Health hazards and mitigation of chronic poisoning from arsenic in drinking water: Taiwan experiences.

PubMed

Chen, Chien-Jen

2014-01-01

There are two endemic areas of long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking water in Taiwan. Residents in the southwestern and northeastern endemic areas started using high-arsenic artesian well water in the early 1910s and late 1940s, respectively. Public water supply system using surface water was implemented in southwestern and northeastern endemic areas in the 1970s and 1990s, respectively. Systemic health hazards of long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water have been intensively investigated since the 1960s, especially after 1985 in Taiwan. Several diseases have been well documented to be associated with chronic arsenic poisoning from drinking water showing a dose-response relation. They include characteristic skin lesions like hyperpigmentation or depigmentation, hyperkeratosis in palms and soles, and Bowen disease, peripheral vascular disease (specifically blackfoot disease), ischemic heart disease, cerebral infarction, microvascular diseases, abnormal peripheral microcirculation, carotid atherosclerosis, QT prolongation and increased dispersion in electrocardiography, hypertension, goiter, diabetes mellitus, cataract (specifically posterior subcapsular lens opacity), pterygium, slow neural conduction, retarded neurobehavioral development, erectile dysfunction, and cancers of the skin, lung, urinary bladder, kidney, and liver. The method of choice to mitigate arsenic poisoning through drinking water is to use safe drinking water from uncontaminated sources.

Autoshaping of ethanol drinking in rats: effects of ethanol concentration and trial spacing.

PubMed

Tomie, Arthur; Wong, Karlvin; Apor, Khristine; Patterson-Buckendahl, Patricia; Pohorecky, Larissa A

2003-11-01

In two studies, we evaluated the effects of ethanol concentration and trial spacing on Pavlovian autoshaping of ethanol drinking in rats. In these studies, the brief insertion of an ethanol sipper conditioned stimulus (CS) was followed by the response-independent presentation of food unconditioned stimulus (US), inducing sipper CS-directed drinking conditioned responses (CRs) in all rats. In Experiment 1, the ethanol concentration in the sipper CS [0%-16% volume/volume (vol./vol.), in increments of 1%] was systematically increased within subjects across autoshaping sessions. Groups of rats received sipper CS-food US pairings (Paired/Ethanol), a CS-US random procedure (Random/Ethanol), or water sipper CS paired with food US (Paired/Water). In Experiment 2, saccharin-fading procedures were used to initiate, in the Ethanol group, drinking of 6% (vol./vol.) ethanol in 0.1% saccharin or, in the Water group, drinking of tap water in 0.1% saccharin. After elimination of saccharin, and across days, the duration of access to the sipper CS during each autoshaping trial was increased (5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, and 20 s), and subsequently, across days, the duration of the mean intertrial interval (ITI) was increased (60, 90, 120, and 150 s). In Experiment 1, Paired/Ethanol and Random/Ethanol groups showed higher intake of ethanol, in terms of grams per kilogram of body weight, at higher ethanol concentrations, with more ethanol intake recorded in the Paired/Ethanol group. In Experiment 2, the Ethanol group drank more than was consumed by the Water group, and, for both groups, fluid intake increased with longer ITIs. Results support the suggestion that autoshaping contributes to sipper CS-directed ethanol drinking.

Biofilm growth in response to various concentrations of biodegradable material in drinking water.

PubMed

Schaule, Gabriela; Moschnitschka, Dania; Schulte, Simone; Tamachkiarow, Adriana; Flemming, Hans-Curt

2007-01-01

Biological stability is one of the most important aspects of safe drinking water. It depends crucially on the availability of biodegradable organic carbon (BDOC). Measurement of BDOC is time-consuming and only performed if an increase is suspected. In this study, a fibre optical sensor (FOS) was used to detect changes in BDOC, detected as an increase in biofilm growth. The FOS consists of a sending and a receiving optical fibre, the latter connected to a detector. When material is deposited at the tip of the fibre, an increase of backscattered light is detected. In a system fed with drinking water, the signal was correlated to biofilm growth which was confirmed by independent surface colonisation determination. When 1 and 3mgL(-1) of BDOC respectively was added, the increment of the FOS signal over a period of 1 week could be distinguished. Interference by planktonic components and humic substances could be excluded. The biofilm on the FOS could be used as a means to detect changes in BDOC in drinking water and the signal has an early warning capacity.

A Trial of the Efficacy and Cost of Water Delivery Systems in San Francisco Bay Area Middle Schools, 2013.

PubMed

Patel, Anisha I; Grummon, Anna H; Hampton, Karla E; Oliva, Ariana; McCulloch, Charles E; Brindis, Claire D

2016-07-07

US legislation requires that schools offer free drinking water where meals are served. However, little information is available about what types of water delivery systems schools should install to meet such requirements. The study objective was to examine the efficacy and cost of 2 water delivery systems (water dispensers and bottleless water coolers) in increasing students' lunchtime intake of water in low-income middle schools. In 2013, twelve middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area participated in a cluster randomized controlled trial in which they received 6 weeks of promotional activities, received provision of cups, and were assigned to 1 of 2 cafeteria water delivery systems: water dispensers or bottleless water coolers (or schools served as a control). Student surveys (n = 595) and observations examined the interventions' effect on students' beverage intake and staff surveys and public data assessed intervention cost. Analysis occurred from 2013 through 2015. Mixed-effects logistic regression, accounting for clustering and adjustment for student sociodemographic characteristics, demonstrated a significant increase in the odds of students drinking water in schools with promotion plus water dispensers and cups (adjusted odds ratio = 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-6.7; P = .004) compared with schools with traditional drinking fountains and no cups or promotion. The cost of dispenser and bottleless water cooler programs was similar ($0.04 per student per day). Instead of relying on traditional drinking fountains, schools should consider installing water sources, such as plastic dispensers with cups, as a low-cost, effective means for increasing students' water intake.

Hypercoagulability after energy drink consumption.

PubMed

Pommerening, Matthew J; Cardenas, Jessica C; Radwan, Zayde A; Wade, Charles E; Holcomb, John B; Cotton, Bryan A

2015-12-01

Energy drink consumption in the United States has more than doubled over the last decade and has been implicated in cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, and even sudden cardiac death. We hypothesized that energy drink consumption may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events by increasing platelet aggregation, thereby resulting in a relatively hypercoagulable state and increased risk of thrombosis. Thirty-two healthy volunteers aged 18-40 y were given 16 oz of bottled water or a standardized, sugar-free energy drink on two separate occasions, 1-wk apart. Beverages were consumed after an overnight fast over a 30-min period. Coagulation parameters and platelet function were measured before and 60 min after consumption using thrombelastography and impedance aggregometry. No statistically significant differences in coagulation were detected using kaolin or rapid thrombelastography. In addition, no differences in platelet aggregation were detected using ristocetin, collagen, thrombin receptor-activating peptide, or adenosine diphosphate-induced multiple impedance aggregometry. However, compared to water controls, energy drink consumption resulted in a significant increase in platelet aggregation via arachidonic acid-induced activation (area under the aggregation curve, 72.4 U versus 66.3 U; P = 0.018). Energy drinks are associated with increased platelet activity via arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation within 1 h of consumption. Although larger clinical studies are needed to further address the safety and health concerns of these drinks, the increased platelet response may provide a mechanism by which energy drinks increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Identification of Systemic Contaminations with Legionella Spec. in Drinking Water Plumbing Systems: Sampling Strategies and Corresponding Parameters].

PubMed

Völker, S; Schreiber, C; Müller, H; Zacharias, N; Kistemann, T

2017-05-01

After the amendment of the Drinking Water Ordinance in 2011, the requirements for the hygienic-microbiological monitoring of drinking water installations have increased significantly. In the BMBF-funded project "Biofilm Management" (2010-2014), we examined the extent to which established sampling strategies in practice can uncover drinking water plumbing systems systemically colonized with Legionella. Moreover, we investigated additional parameters that might be suitable for detecting systemic contaminations. We subjected the drinking water plumbing systems of 8 buildings with known microbial contamination (Legionella) to an intensive hygienic-microbiological sampling with high spatial and temporal resolution. A total of 626 drinking hot water samples were analyzed with classical culture-based methods. In addition, comprehensive hygienic observations were conducted in each building and qualitative interviews with operators and users were applied. Collected tap-specific parameters were quantitatively analyzed by means of sensitivity and accuracy calculations. The systemic presence of Legionella in drinking water plumbing systems has a high spatial and temporal variability. Established sampling strategies were only partially suitable to detect long-term Legionella contaminations in practice. In particular, the sampling of hot water at the calorifier and circulation re-entrance showed little significance in terms of contamination events. To detect the systemic presence of Legionella,the parameters stagnation (qualitatively assessed) and temperature (compliance with the 5K-rule) showed better results. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Nitrate in drinking water and risk of death from pancreatic cancer in Taiwan.

PubMed

Yang, Chun-Yuh; Tsai, Shang-Shyue; Chiu, Hui-Fen

2009-01-01

The relationship between nitrate levels in drinking water and risk of pancreatic cancer development remains inconclusive. A matched case-control and nitrate ecology study was used to investigate the association between mortality attributed to pancreatic cancer and nitrate exposure from Taiwan's drinking water. All pancreatic cancer deaths of Taiwan residents from 2000 through 2006 were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to the cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each case. Data on nitrate-nitrogen (NO(3)-N) levels of drinking water throughout Taiwan were collected from Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was assumed to be the source of the subject's nitrate exposure via drinking water. The adjusted odds ratios and confidence limits for pancreatic cancer death for those with high nitrate levels in their drinking water, as compared to the lowest tertile, were 1.03 (0.9-1.18) and 1.1 (0.96-1.27), respectively. The results of the present study show that there was no statistically significant association between the levels of nitrate in drinking water and increased risk of death from pancreatic cancer.

Calcium and magnesium in drinking-water and risk of death from lung cancer in women.

PubMed

Cheng, Meng-Hsuan; Chiu, Hui-Fen; Tsai, Shang-Shyue; Chen, Chih-Cheng; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2012-01-01

The possible association between the risk of lung cancer in women and the levels of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in drinking-water from municipal supplies was investigated in a matched, case-control study in Taiwan. All eligible female lung cancer deaths (3,532 cases) of Taiwan residents, from 2000 through to 2008, were compared with deaths from other causes (3,532 controls), and the levels of Ca and Mg in drinking-water of these residents were determined. Data on Ca and Mg levels in drinking-water throughout Taiwan were obtained from the Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). The control group consisted of people who died from other causes, and the controls were pair-matched to the cases by sex, year of birth, and year of death. The adjusted odd ratios were not statistically significant for the relationship between Ca levels in drinking-water and lung cancer in women. The adjusted odd ratios for female lung cancer deaths for those with higher Mg levels in their drinking-water, as compared to the lowest tertile, were 0.82 (95% CI = 0.72-0.93) and 0.80 (95% CI = 0.69-0.93), respectively. The results of the present study show that there is a significant trend toward a decreased risk of lung cancer in women with increasing Mg levels in drinking-water.

Emerging Contaminants in the Drinking Water Cycle.

EPA Science Inventory

In the past decade, the scientific community and general public have become increasingly aware of the potential for the presence of unregulated, and generally unmonitored contaminants, found at low concentrations (sub-g/L) in surface, ground and drinking water. The most common...

Impact of Plumbing Age on Copper Levels in Drinking Water

EPA Science Inventory

Theory and limited practical experiences suggest that higher copper levels in drinking water tap samples are typically associated with newer plumbing systems, and levels decrease with increasing plumbing age. Past researchers have developed a conceptual model to explain the “agin...

DRINKING WATER FROM AGRICULTURALLY CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER

EPA Science Inventory

Sharp increases in fertilizer and pesticide use throughout the 1960s and 1970s along with generally less attachment to soil particles may result in more widespread contamination of drinking water supplies. he purpose of this study was to highlight the use of agricultural chemical...

Emerging Contaminants in the Drinking Water Cycle - MCEARD

EPA Science Inventory

In the past decade, the scientific community and general public have become increasingly aware of the potential for the presence of unregulated, and generally unmonitored contaminants, found at low concentrations (sub-g/L) in surface, ground and drinking water. The most common...

Integrated Chemical and Toxicological Investigation of UV-Chlorine/Chloramine Drinking Water Treatment

EPA Science Inventory

As the use of alternative drinking water treatment increases, it is important to understand potential public health•implications associated with these processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and cytotoxicity of ...

Why "improved" water sources are not always safe.

PubMed

Shaheed, Ameer; Orgill, Jennifer; Montgomery, Maggie A; Jeuland, Marc A; Brown, Joe

2014-04-01

Existing and proposed metrics for household drinking-water services are intended to measure the availability, safety and accessibility of water sources. However, these attributes can be highly variable over time and space and this variation complicates the task of creating and implementing simple and scalable metrics. In this paper, we highlight those factors - especially those that relate to so-called improved water sources - that contribute to variability in water safety but may not be generally recognized as important by non-experts. Problems in the provision of water in adequate quantities and of adequate quality - interrelated problems that are often influenced by human behaviour - may contribute to an increased risk of poor health. Such risk may be masked by global water metrics that indicate that we are on the way to meeting the world's drinking-water needs. Given the complexity of the topic and current knowledge gaps, international metrics for access to drinking water should be interpreted with great caution. We need further targeted research on the health impacts associated with improvements in drinking-water supplies.

Persistence of antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial community changes in drinking water treatment system: From drinking water source to tap water.

PubMed

Su, Hao-Chang; Liu, You-Sheng; Pan, Chang-Gui; Chen, Jun; He, Liang-Ying; Ying, Guang-Guo

2018-03-01

As emerging contaminants, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have become a public concern. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and diversity of ARGs, and variation in the composition of bacterial communities in source water, drinking water treatment plants, and tap water in the Pearl River Delta region, South China. Various ARGs were present in the different types of water. Among the 27 target ARGs, floR and sul1 dominated in source water from three large rivers in the region. Pearson correlation analysis suggested that sul1, sul2, floR, and cmlA could be potential indicators for ARGs in water samples. The total abundance of the detected ARGs in tap water was much lower than that in source water. Sand filtration and sedimentation in drinking water treatment plants could effectively remove ARGs; in contrast, granular activated carbon filtration increased the abundance of ARGs. It was found that Pseudomonas may be involved in the proliferation and dissemination of ARGs in the studied drinking water treatment system. Bacteria and ARGs were still present in tap water after treatment, though they were significantly reduced. More research is needed to optimize the water treatment process for ARG removal. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exposure to lithium through drinking water and calcium homeostasis during pregnancy: A longitudinal study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harari, Florencia; Åkesson, Agneta; Casimiro, Esperanza

There is increasing evidence of adverse health effects due to elevated lithium exposure through drinking water but the impact on calcium homeostasis is unknown. This study aimed at elucidating if lithium exposure through drinking water during pregnancy may impair the maternal calcium homeostasis. In a population-based mother-child cohort in the Argentinean Andes (n=178), with elevated lithium concentrations in the drinking water (5–1660 μg/L), blood lithium concentrations (correlating significantly with lithium in water, urine and plasma) were measured repeatedly during pregnancy by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and used as exposure biomarker. Markers of calcium homeostasis included: plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D{sub 3},more » serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), and calcium, phosphorus and magnesium concentrations in serum and urine. The median maternal blood lithium concentration was 25 μg/L (range 1.9–145). In multivariable-adjusted mixed-effects linear regression models, blood lithium was inversely associated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D{sub 3} (−6.1 nmol/L [95%CI −9.5; −2.6] for a 25 μg/L increment in blood lithium). The estimate increased markedly with increasing percentiles of 25-hydroxyvitamin D{sub 3}. In multivariable-adjusted mixed-effects logistic regression models, the odds ratio of having 25-hydroxyvitamin D3<30 nmol/L (19% of the women) was 4.6 (95%CI 1.1; 19.3) for a 25 μg/L increment in blood lithium. Blood lithium was also positively associated with serum magnesium, but not with serum calcium and PTH, and inversely associated with urinary calcium and magnesium. In conclusion, our study suggests that lithium exposure through drinking water during pregnancy may impair the calcium homeostasis, particularly vitamin D. The results reinforce the need for better control of lithium in drinking water, including bottled water. - Highlights: • Elevated drinking water lithium (Li) concentrations are increasingly reported. • We studied a Li-exposed population-based mother-child cohort in northern Argentina. • Li exposure during pregnancy affected maternal calcium homeostasis. • Blood Li was consistently inversely associated with maternal plasma vitamin D{sub 3}. • Associations were independent of season of sampling and lifestyle.« less

Drinking water treatment using a submerged internal-circulation membrane coagulation reactor coupled with permanganate oxidation.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhongguo; Liu, Dan; Qian, Yu; Wu, Yue; He, Peiran; Liang, Shuang; Fu, Xiaozheng; Li, Jiding; Ye, Changqing

2017-06-01

A submerged internal circulating membrane coagulation reactor (MCR) was used to treat surface water to produce drinking water. Polyaluminum chloride (PACl) was used as coagulant, and a hydrophilic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) submerged hollow fiber microfiltration membrane was employed. The influences of trans-membrane pressure (TMP), zeta potential (ZP) of the suspended particles in raw water, and KMnO 4 dosing on water flux and the removal of turbidity and organic matter were systematically investigated. Continuous bench-scale experiments showed that the permeate quality of the MCR satisfied the requirement for a centralized water supply, according to the Standards for Drinking Water Quality of China (GB 5749-2006), as evaluated by turbidity (<1 NTU) and total organic carbon (TOC) (<5mg/L) measurements. Besides water flux, the removal of turbidity, TOC and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the raw water also increased with increasing TMP in the range of 0.01-0.05MPa. High ZP induced by PACl, such as 5-9mV, led to an increase in the number of fine and total particles in the MCR, and consequently caused serious membrane fouling and high permeate turbidity. However, the removal of TOC and DOC increased with increasing ZP. A slightly positive ZP, such as 1-2mV, corresponding to charge neutralization coagulation, was favorable for membrane fouling control. Moreover, dosing with KMnO 4 could further improve the removal of turbidity and DOC, thereby mitigating membrane fouling. The results are helpful for the application of the MCR in producing drinking water and also beneficial to the research and application of other coagulation and membrane separation hybrid processes. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of drinking water quality on urinary parameters in men with and without urinary tract stones.

PubMed

Mirzazadeh, Majid; Nouran, Mina Ghadimi; Richards, Kyle A; Zare, Mariam

2012-03-01

There is some controversy regarding the impact of water hardness on stone risk. Our study addresses this issue in a controlled setting. Fifteen stone-former (SF) and 14 non-stone-former (NSF) males participated in this study in 3 intervals of 2 days each. Subjects collected a 24-hour urine sample while consuming a self-selected diet. They were then administered controlled diets. During the first 2 days, patients consumed water of minimal hardness (WMH), followed by tap water (TW) with moderate hardness on days 3 and 4, and mineral water (MW) on the final 2 days. Calcium (Ca), phosphorus, uric acid, oxalate, citrate, magnesium (Mg), sodium, potassium, and creatinine (Cr) content were measured in 24-hour urine samples on days 2, 4, and 6. Differences in water hardness and analytes were statistically significant among the different water types (P < .05). Urinary output in both groups increased during intervention with all 3 varieties of water (P < .05). Specific gravity of urine decreased in both groups drinking WMH and TW (P < .05) but not with MW. Mg/g Cr level was higher in NSF at baseline (P < .01), WMH (P < .05), and TW (P < .05). With the increase in drinking water hardness, Ca/g Cr ratio increased in SF but not in NSF (P < .05). NSF had significantly higher urinary Mg/g Cr excretion rate before intervention than SF (P < .01). Increasing drinking water hardness while controlling for all other factors increased Ca/g Cr ratio in SF, rendering them at least theoretically more inclined to stone formation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influences of water quality and climate on the water-energy nexus: A spatial comparison of two water systems.

PubMed

Stang, Shannon; Wang, Haiying; Gardner, Kevin H; Mo, Weiwei

2018-07-15

As drinking water supply systems plan for sustainable management practices, impacts from future water quality and climate changes are a major concern. This study aims to understand the intraannual changes of energy consumption for water treatment, investigate the relative importance of water quality and climate indicators on energy consumption for water treatment, and predict the effects of climate change on the embodied energy of treated, potable water at two municipal drinking water systems located in the northeast and southeast US. To achieve this goal, a life cycle assessment was first performed to quantify the monthly energy consumption in the two drinking water systems. Regression and relative importance analyses were then performed between climate indicators, raw water quality indicators, and chemical and energy usages in the treatment processes to determine their correlations. These relationships were then used to project changes in embodied energy associated with the plants' processes, and the results were compared between the two regions. The projections of the southeastern US water plant were for an increase in energy demand resulted from an increase of treatment chemical usages. The northeastern US plant was projected to decrease its energy demand due to a reduced demand for heating the plant's infrastructure. The findings indicate that geographic location and treatment process may determine the way climate change affects drinking water systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Death receptor and mitochondria-mediated hepatocyte apoptosis underlies liver dysfunction in rats exposed to organic pollutants from drinking water

PubMed Central

Yang, Guanghong; Zhou, Zhiwei; Cen, Yanli; Gui, Xiaolin; Zeng, Qibing; Ao, Yunxia; Li, Qian; Wang, Shiran; Li, Jun; Zhang, Aihua

2015-01-01

Persistent organic pollutants in drinking water impose a substantial risk to the health of human beings, but the evidence for liver toxic effect and the underlying mechanism is scarce. This study aimed to examine the liver toxicity and elucidate the molecular mechanism of organic pollutants in drinking water in normal human liver cell line L02 cells and rats. The data showed that organic extraction from drinking water remarkably impaired rat liver function, evident from the increase in the serum level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and cholinesterase, and decrease in the serum level of total protein and albumin. Organic extraction dose-dependently induced apoptotic cell death in rat liver and L02 cells. Administration of rats with organic extraction promoted death receptor signaling pathway through the increase in gene and protein expression level of Fas and FasL. Treatment of rats with organic extraction also induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis via increasing the expression level of proapoptotic protein, Bax, but decreasing the expression level of antiapoptotic protein, Bcl-2, resulting in an upregulation of cytochrome c and activation of caspase cascade at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Moreover, organic extraction enhanced rat liver glutathione S-transferases activity and reactive oxygen species generation, and upregulated aryl hydrocarbon receptor and glutathione S-transferase A1 at both transcriptional and translational levels. Collectively, the results indicate that organic extraction from drinking water impairs liver function, with the involvement of death receptor and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in rats. The results provide evidence and molecular mechanisms for organic pollutants in drinking water-induced liver dysfunction, which may help prevent and treat organic extraction-induced liver injury. PMID:26316710

Death receptor and mitochondria-mediated hepatocyte apoptosis underlies liver dysfunction in rats exposed to organic pollutants from drinking water.

PubMed

Yang, Guanghong; Zhou, Zhiwei; Cen, Yanli; Gui, Xiaolin; Zeng, Qibing; Ao, Yunxia; Li, Qian; Wang, Shiran; Li, Jun; Zhang, Aihua

2015-01-01

Persistent organic pollutants in drinking water impose a substantial risk to the health of human beings, but the evidence for liver toxic effect and the underlying mechanism is scarce. This study aimed to examine the liver toxicity and elucidate the molecular mechanism of organic pollutants in drinking water in normal human liver cell line L02 cells and rats. The data showed that organic extraction from drinking water remarkably impaired rat liver function, evident from the increase in the serum level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and cholinesterase, and decrease in the serum level of total protein and albumin. Organic extraction dose-dependently induced apoptotic cell death in rat liver and L02 cells. Administration of rats with organic extraction promoted death receptor signaling pathway through the increase in gene and protein expression level of Fas and FasL. Treatment of rats with organic extraction also induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis via increasing the expression level of proapoptotic protein, Bax, but decreasing the expression level of antiapoptotic protein, Bcl-2, resulting in an upregulation of cytochrome c and activation of caspase cascade at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Moreover, organic extraction enhanced rat liver glutathione S-transferases activity and reactive oxygen species generation, and upregulated aryl hydrocarbon receptor and glutathione S-transferase A1 at both transcriptional and translational levels. Collectively, the results indicate that organic extraction from drinking water impairs liver function, with the involvement of death receptor and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in rats. The results provide evidence and molecular mechanisms for organic pollutants in drinking water-induced liver dysfunction, which may help prevent and treat organic extraction-induced liver injury.

[Investigation on acute nitrite poisoning in Yangjiang city, Guangdong province, China].

PubMed

Yu, Hongjie; Luo, Huiming; Lu, Xirong; Song, Qubo; Fan, Zifan

2002-12-01

To determine the cause of acute poisoning occurred in a factory in Yangjiang city, Guangdong province. In a cross-sectional study, interviews were conducted with the administrators of the factory and the local physician. A review was conducted on the water system used for industrial purposes and a separate system used by workers for drinking water. Treatment and discharge of industrial waste water were examined. Face-to-face interview was conducted to identify risk of exposure for illness among workers. A total number of 36 cases were identified in the plant and the attack rate was 16.4% (36/220). The incubation period (time between drinking polluted water and the onset of symptoms) had a median of 90 minutes (range: 30 - 230 minutes). Consuming water at the factory increased the attack rate and a dose-response effect was identified (chi(2)(trend) = 79.115, P < 0.01). The nitrite content of residuals in drinking water exceeded the WHO standard (1 ppm). The accident of acute poisoning was due to drinking water contaminated with sodium nitrite. The prevention of drinking water contaminated by toxic chemicals like sodium nitrite, and the design of industrial and potable water supply system need to be carefully reviewed. Regulations should be developed and enforced to minimize the impact of industrial waste water discharges to guarantee the access to clean drinking water.

Innovative reuse of drinking water sludge in geo-environmental applications.

PubMed

Caniani, D; Masi, S; Mancini, I M; Trulli, E

2013-06-01

In recent years, the replacement of natural raw materials with new alternative materials, which acquire an economic, energetic and environmental value, has gained increasing importance. The considerable consumption of water has favoured the increase in the number of drinking water treatment plants and, consequently, the production of drinking water sludge. This paper proposes a protocol of analyses capable of evaluating chemical characteristics of drinking water sludge from surface water treatment plants. Thereby we are able to assess their possible beneficial use for geo-environmental applications, such as the construction of barrier layers for landfill and for the formation of "bio-soils", when mixed with the stabilized organic fraction of municipal solid waste. This paper reports the results of a study aimed at evaluating the quality and environmental aspects of reconstructed soils ("bio-soil"), which are used in much greater quantities than the usual standard, for "massive" applications in environmental actions such as the final cover of landfills. The granulometric, chemical and physical analyses of the sludge and the leaching test on the stabilized organic fraction showed the suitability of the proposed materials for reuse. The study proved that the reuse of drinking water sludge for the construction of barrier layers and the formation of "bio-soils" reduces the consumption of natural materials, the demand for landfill volumes, and offers numerous technological advantages. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spontaneous pregnancy loss in humans and exposure to arsenic in drinking water.

PubMed

Bloom, Michael S; Fitzgerald, Edward F; Kim, Keewan; Neamtiu, Iulia; Gurzau, Eugen S

2010-11-01

Maternal exposure to high concentrations of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in naturally contaminated drinking groundwater sources has been associated with an increased risk for the spontaneous loss of clinically recognized pregnancies in several epidemiologic studies. Whereas a large worldwide population depends on drinking groundwater sources with high levels of iAs contamination, in quantities exceeding 10 parts per billion (ppb), an even larger population is likely to be exposed to mild-moderate drinking groundwater iAs contamination, in quantities <10ppb. Only a single epidemiologic study to date has considered spontaneous pregnancy loss in association with consumption of drinking water with mild-moderate iAs contamination; the vast majority of published studies of spontaneous loss addressed populations with substantial exposure. The aim of this review is to evaluate the published literature to assess the plausibility for a causal association between exposure to iAs-contaminated drinking water and the spontaneous loss of clinically recognized pregnancy. In spite of numerous methodologic limitations resulting from circumstance or design, a consistent pattern of increased risk for loss is suggested by the epidemiologic literature. Moreover, these study results are corroborated by a large number of experimental studies, albeit usually conducted at concentrations exceeding that to which humans are exposed via contaminated drinking water. In this review, we discuss sources of human iAs exposure, highlight several experimental studies pertinent to a possible causal link between iAs and spontaneous pregnancy loss in humans, and provide a critical review of published epidemiologic studies of pregnancy loss and drinking water iAs exposures, and their limitations. Based on a review of the published literature, we recommend the future conduct of a two-stage comprehensive prospective study of low-moderate iAs drinking water exposure and spontaneous pregnancy loss. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The effect of water temperature and voluntary drinking on the post rehydration sweating.

PubMed

Hosseinlou, Abdollah; Khamnei, Saeed; Zamanlu, Masumeh

2013-01-01

During heat stress and dehydration, thermoregulation is partly suppressed to save body fluid and circulation. Drinking induces the recovery of thermoregulatory responses including sweating. Our objective is to investigate the effect of water temperature and voluntary drinking on the extent of the drinking-induced sweating. Six healthy subjects 23.7 ± 0.6 yr old and 80.7 ± 5.7 kg wt were dehydrated by performing mild exercise (ergometer cycling) in a hot and humid chamber (38-40°C, 20-28% relative humidity). After dehydration, subjects were allowed to drink water with temperatures of 5, 16, 26, 58°C on four separate days. The sweating rate was measured on the forehead area before and after drinking. Also, blood samples were collected during the experiments and plasma osmolality was measured. Sweating increased markedly just a few minutes after the onset of drinking. The rate of this response was lower in ingested water temperature of 5°C (0.43 ± 0.03 g, p = 0.000). Different intake occurred with different water temperatures (respectively 4.2, 6.4, 3.1, 1.8 ml/kg). Water at 16°C induced higher intake (6.4 ml/kg) together with lower sweating (0.54 ± 0.03 g), which can result in optimum level of hydration. Conclusion- When dehydrated subjects drink water with different temperatures, there are different sweating responses together with different voluntary intakes. According to our results, consuming 16°C water, cool tap water, could be suggested in dehydration.

Health Risk Assessment of Cyanobacterial (Blue-green Algal) Toxins in Drinking Water

PubMed Central

Falconer, Ian R.; Humpage, Andrew R.

2005-01-01

Cyanobacterial toxins have caused human poisoning in the Americas, Europe and Australia. There is accumulating evidence that they are present in treated drinking water supplies when cyanobacterial blooms occur in source waters. With increased population pressure and depleted groundwater reserves, surface water is becoming more used as a raw water source, both from rivers and lakes/reservoirs. Additional nutrients in water which arise from sewage discharge, agricultural run-off or storm water result in overabundance of cyanobacteria, described as a ‘water bloom’. The majority of cyanobacterial water-blooms are of toxic species, producing a diversity of toxins. The most important toxins presenting a risk to the human population are the neurotoxic alkaloids (anatoxins and paralytic shellfish poisons), the cyclic peptide hepatotoxins (microcystins) and the cytotoxic alkaloids (cylindrospermopsins). At the present time the only cyanobacteral toxin family that have been internationally assessed for health risk by the WHO are the microcystins, which cause acute liver injury and are active tumour promoters. Based on sub-chronic studies in rodents and pigs, a provisional Guideline Level for drinking water of 1μg/L of microcystin-LR has been determined. This has been adopted in legislation in countries in Europe, South America and Australasia. This may be revised in the light of future teratogenicity, reproductive toxicity and carcinogenicity studies. The other cyanobacterial toxin which has been proposed for detailed health risk assessment is cylindrospermopsin, a cytotoxic compound which has marked genotoxicity, probable mutagenicity, and is a potential carcinogen. This toxin has caused human poisoning from drinking water, and occurs in water supplies in the USA, Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. An initial health risk assessment is presented with a proposed drinking water Guideline Level of 1μg/L. There is a need for both increased monitoring data for toxins in drinking water and epidemiological studies on adverse health effects in exposed populations to clarify the extent of the health risk. PMID:16705800

Risks and responses to universal drinking water security.

PubMed

Hope, Robert; Rouse, Michael

2013-11-13

Risks to universal drinking water security are accelerating due to rapid demographic, climate and economic change. Policy responses are slow, uneven and largely inadequate to address the nature and scale of the global challenges. The challenges relate both to maintaining water security in increasingly fragile supply systems and to accelerating reliable access to the hundreds of millions who remain water-insecure. A conceptual framework illustrates the relationship between institutional, operational and financial risks and drinking water security outcomes. We apply the framework to nine case studies from rural and urban contexts in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Case studies are purposively selected based on established and emerging examples of political, technological or institutional reforms that address water security risks. We find broad evidence that improved information flows reduce institutional costs and promote stronger and more transparent operational performance to increase financial sustainability. However, political barriers need to be overcome in all cases through internal or external interventions that require often decadal time frames and catalytic investments. No single model exists, though there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that risks to drinking water security can be reduced even in the most difficult and challenging contexts.

SUBCHRONIC SODIUM CHLORATE EXPOSURE IN DRINKING WATER RESULTS IN A CONCENTRATION-DEPENDENT INCREASE IN RAT THYROID FOLLICULAR CELL HYPERPLASIA

EPA Science Inventory

Chlorine dioxide (C102) is an effective water disinfectant but sodium chlorate (NaC103) has been identified as a potentially harmful disinfection by-product. Studies were performed to describe the development of thyroid lesions in animals exposed to NaC103 in drinking water. Mal...

Is the quality of drinking water a risk factor for self-reported forearm fractures? Cohort of Norway.

PubMed

Dahl, C; Søgaard, A J; Tell, G S; Flaten, T P; Krogh, T; Aamodt, G

2013-02-01

Compared to pH ≥7.0 in Norwegian municipal drinking water, pH <7.0 increased the risk of forearm fractures in the population-based Cohort of Norway (CONOR; n = 127,272). The association was attenuated (p > 0.05) after adjustments for indicators of bacteria and organic matter, which may signify an association between poor drinking water and bone health. The Norwegian population has the highest rate of fractures ever reported. A large variation in fracture rate both between and within countries indicates that an environmental factor, such as the quality of drinking water, could be one of the causes of the disparities. Our aim was to investigate a possible association between pH (an important parameter for water quality) and self-reported forearm fracture and to examine whether other water quality factors could account for this association. Using Geographic Information Systems, information on the quality of drinking water was linked to CONOR (n = 127,272; mean age, 50.2 ± 15.8 years), a database comprising ten regional epidemiological health surveys from across the country in the time period 1994-2003. The highest risk of forearm fracture was found at a pH of around 6.75, with a decreasing risk toward both higher and lower pH values. The increased adjusted odds of forearm fracture in men consuming municipal drinking water with pH <7.0 compared to water with pH ≥7.0 was odds ratio (OR) = 1.19 (95 % CI, 1.14, 1.25), and the corresponding increased odds in women was OR = 1.14 (95 % CI, 1.08, 1.19). This association was attenuated (p > 0.05) after further adjustments for other water quality factors (color grade, intestinal enterococci, and Clostridium perfringens). Our findings indicate a higher risk of fracture when consuming water of an acidic pH; however, the risk does not only seem to be due to the acidity level per se, but also to other aspects of water quality associated with pH.

Resource protection and resource management of drinking water-reservoirs in Thuringia--a prerequisite for high drinking-water quality.

PubMed

Willmitzer, H

2000-01-01

In face of widespread pollution of surface waters, strategies must be developed for the use of surface waters which protect the high quality standards of drinking water, starting with the catchment area via the reservoir to the consumer. As a rule, priority is given to the avoidance of contaminants directly at their point of origin. Water protection is always cheaper than expensive water-body restoration and water treatment. Complementary to the generally practised technical methods of raw water treatment with all their associated problems of energy input requirements, costs, and waste products, there is an increasing number of environmentally sound treatment technologies which use ecological principles as a basis to support the self-cleaning properties of flowing and dammed waters.

Microbiological Contamination of Drinking Water Associated with Subsequent Child Diarrhea

PubMed Central

Luby, Stephen P.; Halder, Amal K.; Huda, Tarique Md.; Unicomb, Leanne; Sirajul Islam, M.; Arnold, Benjamin F.; Johnston, Richard B.

2015-01-01

We used a prospective, longitudinal cohort enrolled as part of a program evaluation to assess the relationship between drinking water microbiological quality and child diarrhea. We included 50 villages across rural Bangladesh. Within each village field-workers enrolled a systematic random sample of 10 households with a child under the age of 3 years. Community monitors visited households monthly and recorded whether children under the age of 5 years had diarrhea in the preceding 2 days. Every 3 months, a research assistant visited the household and requested a water sample from the source or container used to provide drinking water to the child. Laboratory technicians measured the concentration of Escherichia coli in the water samples using membrane filtration. Of drinking water samples, 59% (2,273/3,833) were contaminated with E. coli. Of 12,192 monthly follow-up visits over 2 years, mothers reported that their child had diarrhea in the preceding 2 days in 1,156 (9.5%) visits. In a multivariable general linear model, the log10 of E. coli contamination of the preceding drinking water sample was associated with an increased prevalence of child diarrhea (prevalence ratio = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.23). These data provide further evidence of the health benefits of improved microbiological quality of drinking water. PMID:26438031

Analysis of cyanobacterial metabolites in surface and raw drinking waters reveals more than microcystin.

PubMed

Beversdorf, Lucas J; Rude, Kayla; Weirich, Chelsea A; Bartlett, Sarah L; Seaman, Mary; Kozik, Christine; Biese, Peter; Gosz, Timothy; Suha, Michael; Stempa, Christopher; Shaw, Christopher; Hedman, Curtis; Piatt, Joseph J; Miller, Todd R

2018-04-16

Freshwater cyanobacterial blooms are becoming increasingly problematic in regions that rely on surface waters for drinking water production. Microcystins (MCs) are toxic peptides produced by multiple cyanobacterial genera with a global occurrence. Cyanobacteria also produce a variety of other toxic and/or otherwise bioactive peptides (TBPs) that have gained less attention including cyanopeptolins (Cpts), anabaenopeptins (Apts), and microginins (Mgn). In this study, we compared temporal and spatial trends of four MCs (MCLR, MCRR, MCYR, MCLA), three Cpts (Cpt1020, Cpt1041, Cpt1007), two Apts (AptF, AptB), and Mgn690 in raw drinking water and at six surface water locations above these drinking water intakes in a eutrophic lake. All four MC congeners and five of six TBPs were detected in lake and raw drinking water. Across all samples, MCLR was the most frequently detected metabolite (100% of samples) followed by MCRR (97%) > Cpt1007 (74%) > MCYR (69%) > AptF (67%) > MCLA (61%) > AptB (54%) > Mgn690 (29%) and Cpt1041 (15%). Mean concentrations of MCs, Apts, and Cpts into two drinking water intakes were 3.9 ± 4.7, 0.14 ± 0.21, and 0.38 ± 0.92, respectively. Mean concentrations in surface water were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in drinking water intakes for MCs but not for Cpts and Apts. Temporal trends in MCs, Cpts, and Apts in the two raw drinking water intakes were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with measures of cell abundance (chlorophyll-a, Microcystis cell density), UV absorbance, and turbidity in surface water. This study expands current information about cyanobacterial TBPs that occur in lakes and that enter drinking water treatment plants and underscores the need to determine the fate of less studied cyanobacterial metabolites during drinking water treatment that may exacerbate toxicity of more well-known cyanobacterial toxins. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plain water intake of Korean adults according to life style, anthropometric and dietary characteristic: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2008-2010

PubMed Central

Kim, Jihye

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The objective of the study was to provide useful insights into plain water intake of Korean adults according to life style, anthropometric, and dietary characteristics. SUBJECTS/METHODS The data from the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. The subjects were 14,428 aged 20-64 years. Water intake was estimated by asking the question "How much water do you usually consume per day?". Dietary intake was estimated by 24-hour dietary recall. A qualitative food frequency questionnaire including 63 food items was also administered. RESULTS The mean plain water intake for men and women were 6.3 cup/day and 4.6 cup/day, respectively. Plain water intake increased as lean body mass, waist circumference, and body mass index levels increased, except for percentage of body fat. As energy and alcohol intakes increased, plain water intake increased. As total weight of food intake and total volume of food intake increased, plain water intake increased. Plain water intake increased as consumption of vegetables increased. Plain water intake increased as frequencies of green tea, alcoholic drink, and all beverages were increased in men. Plain water intake increased with increased frequencies of green tea, milk, soy milk, and alcoholic drink and decreased frequencies of coffee and soda in women. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that persons who had a higher waist circumference or lean body mass and women with higher BMI consumed more plain water. The persons eating high quality diet, or the persons who had more vegetables, green tea, milk, soy milk, or alcoholic drink consumed more plain water. PMID:25324940

A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF PARENTAL AWARENESS AND EXPERIENCE ON DRINKING WATER POLICIES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamura, Sombo; Ohnuki, Maromi; Nagaoka, Hiroshi

Recently increased number of elementary school pupils brings drinks from home for their hydration at school and this phenomenon indicates the change of the role of water supply at schools. In order to investigate the potential causes and the structure of the problem, an online survey targeting mothers of grade-schoolers was carried out, taking account of psychological factors of mothers as well as their decision making process. In the questionnaire preparation, latent variables and observable variables were assumed. The identified results include: difference exists on people's choice of drinking water; more parents in western Japan wish pupils bring drinks and some parents in eastern Japan wish the same. Covariance structure analysis identified a causalmodel; in which parents' frustration to schools associated with decreased reliability to tap water cause parents' advice to pupils take drink from home. Policy makers are expected to make the most of the result of analysis.

PRELIMINARY SCREENING FOR THE POTENTIAL OF DRINKING WATER DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS TO ALTER MALE REPRODUCTION

EPA Science Inventory

There is increasing epidemiologic interest in the role drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPS) may play in adverse reproductive outcomes such as inability to conceive, spontaneous abortion, and low birth weight. nfortunately, few studies have attempted to determine whether ...

Cardiovascular disease and arsenic exposure in Inner Mongolia, China: a case control study

EPA Science Inventory

BACKGROUND: Millions of people are at risk from the adverse effects of arsenic exposure through drinking water. Increasingly, non-cancer effects such as cardiovascular disease have been associated with drinking water arsenic exposures. However, most studies have been conducted in...

Establishment and Early Succession of Bacterial Communities in Monochloramine-treated Drinking Water Biofilms

EPA Science Inventory

The use of monochloramine as drinking water disinfectant is increasing because it forms lower levels of traditional disinfection by-products compared to free-chlorine. However, little is known about the bacterial succession within biofilms in monochloramine-treated systems. The d...

Drinking water pollution with respective of fluoride in the semi-arid region of Basara, Nirmal district, Telangana State, India.

PubMed

Narsimha, Adimalla; Sudarshan, Venkatayogi

2018-02-01

Fluoride is an essential microelement for human health. Statistically, smaller quantities (<1.0 mg/L) in drinking water are usually considered to have a beneficial effect on the rate of occurrence of dental caries, particularly among children, but excessive continuous exposure (>1.5 mg/L) to fluoride can give rise to a number of adverse effects, including dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis, increased rate of bone fractures, decreased birth rates, increased rate of urolithiasis (kidney stones), impaired thyroid function, and impaired development of intelligence in children [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. The data suggested that the north-eastern part of the Basara region having high fluoride concentration, which is unsuitable for drinking purposes. Hence, this unsuitable drinking water cause fluorosis in this Basara and surrounding villages, and especially based on the findings suggests, where the fluoride levels are in below maximum permissible limits that water ingests to the people to avoid further fluorosis.

Exposure to lithium through drinking water and calcium homeostasis during pregnancy: A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Harari, Florencia; Åkesson, Agneta; Casimiro, Esperanza; Lu, Ying; Vahter, Marie

2016-05-01

There is increasing evidence of adverse health effects due to elevated lithium exposure through drinking water but the impact on calcium homeostasis is unknown. This study aimed at elucidating if lithium exposure through drinking water during pregnancy may impair the maternal calcium homeostasis. In a population-based mother-child cohort in the Argentinean Andes (n=178), with elevated lithium concentrations in the drinking water (5-1660μg/L), blood lithium concentrations (correlating significantly with lithium in water, urine and plasma) were measured repeatedly during pregnancy by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and used as exposure biomarker. Markers of calcium homeostasis included: plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), and calcium, phosphorus and magnesium concentrations in serum and urine. The median maternal blood lithium concentration was 25μg/L (range 1.9-145). In multivariable-adjusted mixed-effects linear regression models, blood lithium was inversely associated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (-6.1nmol/L [95%CI -9.5; -2.6] for a 25μg/L increment in blood lithium). The estimate increased markedly with increasing percentiles of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. In multivariable-adjusted mixed-effects logistic regression models, the odds ratio of having 25-hydroxyvitamin D3<30nmol/L (19% of the women) was 4.6 (95%CI 1.1; 19.3) for a 25μg/L increment in blood lithium. Blood lithium was also positively associated with serum magnesium, but not with serum calcium and PTH, and inversely associated with urinary calcium and magnesium. In conclusion, our study suggests that lithium exposure through drinking water during pregnancy may impair the calcium homeostasis, particularly vitamin D. The results reinforce the need for better control of lithium in drinking water, including bottled water. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National survey of MTBE and other VOCs in community drinking-water sources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clawges, Rick M.; Rowe, Barbara L.; Zogorski, John S.

2001-01-01

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a volatile organic compound (VOC) that is added to gasoline either seasonally or year round in many parts of the United States to increase the octane level and to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels in the air. The chemical properties and widespread use of MTBE can result in contamination of private and public drinking-water sources. MTBE contamination is a concern in drinking water because of the compound's low taste and odor threshold and potential human-health effects.Because of this concern, a survey was initiated in collaboration with researchers and water suppliers. The purpose of this survey is to provide sound, unbiased, scientific information on the occurrence of MTBE and other VOCs in ground water, reservoirs, and rivers that are sources of drinking water used by communities of various sizes throughout the Nation. This fact sheet presents a general description of the survey.

Heterogeneous asymmetric recombinase polymerase amplification (haRPA) for rapid hygiene control of large-volume water samples.

PubMed

Elsäßer, Dennis; Ho, Johannes; Niessner, Reinhard; Tiehm, Andreas; Seidel, Michael

2018-04-01

Hygiene of drinking water is periodically controlled by cultivation and enumeration of indicator bacteria. Rapid and comprehensive measurements of emerging pathogens are of increasing interest to improve drinking water safety. In this study, the feasibility to detect bacteriophage PhiX174 as a potential indicator for virus contamination in large volumes of water is demonstrated. Three consecutive concentration methods (continuous ultrafiltration, monolithic adsorption filtration, and centrifugal ultrafiltration) were combined to concentrate phages stepwise from 1250 L drinking water into 1 mL. Heterogeneous asymmetric recombinase polymerase amplification (haRPA) is applied as rapid detection method. Field measurements were conducted to test the developed system for hygiene online monitoring under realistic conditions. We could show that this system allows the detection of artificial contaminations of bacteriophage PhiX174 in drinking water pipelines. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The need for congressional action to finance arsenic reductions in drinking water.

PubMed

Levine, Rebecca Leah

2012-11-01

Many public water systems in the U.S. are unsafe because the communities cannot afford to comply with the current 10 parts per billion (ppb) federal arsenic standard for drinking water. Communities unable to afford improvements remain vulnerable to adverse health effects associated with higher levels of arsenic exposure. Scientific and bipartisan political consensus exists that the arsenic standard should not be less stringent than 10 ppb, and new data suggest additional adverse health effects related to arsenic exposure through drinking water. Congress has failed to reauthorize the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program to provide reliable funding to promote compliance and reduce the risk of adverse health effects. Congress's recent ad hoc appropriations do not allow long-term planning and ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Investing in water infrastructure will lower health care costs and create American jobs. Delaying necessary upgrades will only increase the costs of improvements over time.

Biological effects of tritium on fish cells in the concentration range of international drinking water standards.

PubMed

Stuart, Marilyne; Festarini, Amy; Schleicher, Krista; Tan, Elizabeth; Kim, Sang Bog; Wen, Kendall; Gawlik, Jilian; Ulsh, Brant

2016-10-01

To evaluate whether the current Canadian tritium drinking water limit is protective of aquatic biota, an in vitro study was designed to assess the biological effects of low concentrations of tritium, similar to what would typically be found near a Canadian nuclear power station, and higher concentrations spanning the range of international tritium drinking water standards. Channel catfish peripheral blood B-lymphoblast and fathead minnow testis cells were exposed to 10-100,000 Bq l(-1) of tritium, after which eight molecular and cellular endpoints were assessed. Increased numbers of DNA strand breaks were observed and ATP levels were increased. There were no increases in γH2AX-mediated DNA repair. No differences in cell growth were noted. Exposure to the lowest concentrations of tritium were associated with a modest increase in the viability of fathead minnow testicular cells. Using the micronucleus assay, an adaptive response was observed in catfish B-lymphoblasts. Using molecular endpoints, biological responses to tritium in the range of Canadian and international drinking water standards were observed. At the cellular level, no detrimental effects were noted on growth or cycling, and protective effects were observed as an increase in cell viability and an induced resistance to a large challenge dose.

Lead in drinking water: sampling in primary schools and preschools in south central Kansas.

PubMed

Massey, Anne R; Steele, Janet E

2012-03-01

Studies in Philadelphia, New York City, Houston, Washington, DC, and Greenville, North Carolina, have revealed high lead levels in drinking water. Unlike urban areas, lead levels in drinking water in suburban and rural areas have not been adequately studied. In the study described in this article, drinking water in primary schools and preschools in five suburban and rural south central Kansas towns was sampled to determine if any exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) guidance level for schools and child care facilities of 20 parts per billion (ppb). The results showed a total of 32.1% of the samples had detectable lead levels and 3.6% exceeded the U.S. EPA guidance level for schools and child care providers of 20 ppb. These results indicate that about one-third of the drinking water consumed by children age six and under in the five suburban and rural south central Kansas towns studied has some lead contamination, exposing these children to both short-term and long-term health risks. The authors suggest a need for increased surveillance of children's drinking water in these facilities.

Human Health Risk Assessment Applied to Rural Populations Dependent on Unregulated Drinking Water Sources: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Ford, Lorelei; Bharadwaj, Lalita; McLeod, Lianne; Waldner, Cheryl

2017-07-28

Safe drinking water is a global challenge for rural populations dependent on unregulated water. A scoping review of research on human health risk assessments (HHRA) applied to this vulnerable population may be used to improve assessments applied by government and researchers. This review aims to summarize and describe the characteristics of HHRA methods, publications, and current literature gaps of HHRA studies on rural populations dependent on unregulated or unspecified drinking water. Peer-reviewed literature was systematically searched (January 2000 to May 2014) and identified at least one drinking water source as unregulated (21%) or unspecified (79%) in 100 studies. Only 7% of reviewed studies identified a rural community dependent on unregulated drinking water. Source water and hazards most frequently cited included groundwater (67%) and chemical water hazards (82%). Most HHRAs (86%) applied deterministic methods with 14% reporting probabilistic and stochastic methods. Publications increased over time with 57% set in Asia, and 47% of studies identified at least one literature gap in the areas of research, risk management, and community exposure. HHRAs applied to rural populations dependent on unregulated water are poorly represented in the literature even though almost half of the global population is rural.

Human Health Risk Assessment Applied to Rural Populations Dependent on Unregulated Drinking Water Sources: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Ford, Lorelei; Bharadwaj, Lalita; McLeod, Lianne; Waldner, Cheryl

2017-01-01

Safe drinking water is a global challenge for rural populations dependent on unregulated water. A scoping review of research on human health risk assessments (HHRA) applied to this vulnerable population may be used to improve assessments applied by government and researchers. This review aims to summarize and describe the characteristics of HHRA methods, publications, and current literature gaps of HHRA studies on rural populations dependent on unregulated or unspecified drinking water. Peer-reviewed literature was systematically searched (January 2000 to May 2014) and identified at least one drinking water source as unregulated (21%) or unspecified (79%) in 100 studies. Only 7% of reviewed studies identified a rural community dependent on unregulated drinking water. Source water and hazards most frequently cited included groundwater (67%) and chemical water hazards (82%). Most HHRAs (86%) applied deterministic methods with 14% reporting probabilistic and stochastic methods. Publications increased over time with 57% set in Asia, and 47% of studies identified at least one literature gap in the areas of research, risk management, and community exposure. HHRAs applied to rural populations dependent on unregulated water are poorly represented in the literature even though almost half of the global population is rural. PMID:28788087

Potential health consequences of ground-water contamination by nitrates in Nebraska.

PubMed

Weisenburger, D D

1993-01-01

Ground water serves as the primary source of drinking water for nearly all of rural Nebraska. However, ground-water contamination by nitrates, largely due to the use of fertilizers, is an increasing problem. In an ecologic study, the author found that counties characterized by high fertilizer usage and significant ground-water contamination by nitrates also had a high incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Other potential health effects of nitrates in drinking water are also discussed.

Effect of Minerals on Intestinal IgA Production Using Deep Sea Water Drinks.

PubMed

Shiraishi, Hisashi; Fujino, Maho; Shirakawa, Naoki; Ishida, Nanao; Funato, Hiroki; Hirata, Ayumu; Abe, Noriaki; Iizuka, Michiro; Jobu, Kohei; Yokota, Junko; Miyamura, Mitsuhiko

2017-01-01

Minerals are essential for life, as they are a vital part of protein constituents, enzyme cofactors, and other components in living organisms. Deep sea water is characterized by its cleanliness and stable low temperature, and its possible health- and medical benefits are being studied. However, no study has yet evaluated the physical properties of the numerous commercially available deep sea water products, which have varying water sources and production methods. We analyzed these products' mineral content and investigated their effect on living organism, focusing on immune functions, and investigated the relation between physiological immunoactivities and mineral intake. We qualitatively analyzed the mineral compositions of the deep sea water drinks and evaluated the drinks' physical properties using principal component analysis, a type of multivariate analysis, of their mineral content. We create an iron and copper-deficient rat model and administered deep sea water drinks for 8 weeks. We then measured their fecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) to evaluate immune function. Principal component analysis suggested that physical properties of deep sea water drinks could be determined by their sources. Administration of deep sea water drinks increased fecal IgA, thus tending to stimulate immune function, but the extent of this effect varied by drink. Of the minerals contained in deep sea water, iron showed positive correlations with the fecal IgA. The principal component analysis used in this study is suitable for evaluating deep sea water containing many minerals, and our results form a useful basis for comparative evaluations of deep sea water's bioactivity.

Trihalomethanes in drinking water and the risk of death from kidney cancer: does hardness in drinking water matter?

PubMed

Liao, Yen-Hsiung; Chen, Chih-Cheng; Chang, Chih-Ching; Peng, Chiung-Yu; Chiu, Hui-Fen; Wu, Trong-Neng; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2012-01-01

The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the relationship between total trihalomethanes (TTHM) levels in public water supplies and risk of development of kidney cancer and (2) determine whether hardness levels in drinking water modify the effects of TTHM on risk of kidney cancer induction. A matched case-control study was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of death attributed to kidney cancer and exposure to TTHM in drinking water in 53 municipalities in Taiwan. All kidney cancer deaths in the 53 municipalities from 1998 through 2007 were obtained. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to the cancer cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each cancer case. Data on TTHM levels and levels of hardness in drinking water were also collected. The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was presumed to be the source of the subject's TTHM and hardness exposure via drinking water. Relative to individuals whose TTHM exposure level was <4.9 ppb, the adjusted OR (95% CI) for kidney cancer was 0.98 (0.77-1.25) for individuals who resided in municipalities served by drinking water with a TTHM exposure ≥4.9 ppb. However, evidence of an interaction was noted between the use of soft water and drinking water TTHM concentrations. Increased knowledge of the interaction between hardness and TTHM levels in reducing risk of kidney cancer development will aid in public policy decision and establishing standards to prevent disease occurrence.

Acute gastrointestinal illness following a prolonged community-wide water emergency.

PubMed

Gargano, J W; Freeland, A L; Morrison, M A; Stevens, K; Zajac, L; Wolkon, A; Hightower, A; Miller, M D; Brunkard, J M

2015-10-01

The drinking water infrastructure in the United States is ageing; extreme weather events place additional stress on water systems that can lead to interruptions in the delivery of safe drinking water. We investigated the association between household exposures to water service problems and acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) and acute respiratory illness (ARI) in Alabama communities that experienced a freeze-related community-wide water emergency. Following the water emergency, investigators conducted a household survey. Logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for self-reported AGI and ARI by water exposures. AGI was higher in households that lost water service for ⩾7 days (aPR 2·4, 95% CI 1·1-5·2) and experienced low water pressure for ⩾7 days (aPR 3·6, 95% CI 1·4-9·0) compared to households that experienced normal service and pressure; prevalence of AGI increased with increasing duration of water service interruptions. Investments in the ageing drinking water infrastructure are needed to prevent future low-pressure events and to maintain uninterrupted access to the fundamental public health protection provided by safe water supplies. Households and communities need to increase their awareness of and preparedness for water emergencies to mitigate adverse health impacts.

Groundwater quality in the shallow aquifers of the Madera–Chowchilla and Kings subbasins, San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fram, Miranda S.; Shelton, Jennifer L.

2018-01-08

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Program’s Priority Basin Project assesses the quality of groundwater resources used for drinking-water supply and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. Many households and small communities in the Madera– Chowchilla and Kings subbasins of the San Joaquin Valley rely on private domestic wells for their drinking-water supplies.

Inequalities in microbial contamination of drinking water supplies in urban areas: the case of Lilongwe, Malawi.

PubMed

Boakye-Ansah, Akosua Sarpong; Ferrero, Giuliana; Rusca, Maria; van der Zaag, Pieter

2016-10-01

Over past decades strategies for improving access to drinking water in cities of the Global South have mainly focused on increasing coverage, while water quality has often been overlooked. This paper focuses on drinking water quality in the centralized water supply network of Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. It shows how microbial contamination of drinking water is unequally distributed to consumers in low-income (unplanned areas) and higher-income neighbourhoods (planned areas). Microbial contamination and residual disinfectant concentration were measured in 170 water samples collected from in-house taps in high-income areas and from kiosks and water storage facilities in low-income areas between November 2014 and January 2015. Faecal contamination (Escherichia coli) was detected in 10% of the 40 samples collected from planned areas, in 59% of the 64 samples collected from kiosks in the unplanned areas and in 75% of the 32 samples of water stored at household level. Differences in water quality in planned and unplanned areas were found to be statistically significant at p < 0.05. Finally, the paper shows how the inequalities in microbial contamination of drinking water are produced by decisions both on the development of the water supply infrastructure and on how this is operated and maintained.

Drinking Water Sodium and Elevated Blood Pressure of Healthy Pregnant Women in Salinity-Affected Coastal Areas.

PubMed

Scheelbeek, Pauline F D; Khan, Aneire E; Mojumder, Sontosh; Elliott, Paul; Vineis, Paolo

2016-08-01

Coastal areas in Southeast Asia are experiencing high sodium concentrations in drinking water sources that are commonly consumed by local populations. Salinity problems caused by episodic cyclones and subsequent seawater inundations are likely (partly) related to climate change and further exacerbated by changes in upstream river flow and local land-use activities. Dietary (food) sodium plays an important role in the global burden of hypertensive disease. It remains unknown, however, if sodium in drinking water-rather than food-has similar effects on blood pressure and disease risk. In this study, we examined the effect of drinking water sodium on blood pressure of pregnant women: increases in blood pressure in this group could severely affect maternal and fetal health. Data on blood pressure, drinking water source, and personal, lifestyle, and environmental confounders was obtained from 701 normotensive pregnant women residing in coastal Bangladesh. Generalized linear mixed regression models were used to investigate association of systolic and diastolic blood pressure of these-otherwise healthy-women with their water source. After adjustment for confounders, drinkers of tube well and pond water (high saline sources) were found to have significantly higher average systolic (+4.85 and +3.62 mm Hg) and diastolic (+2.30 and +1.72 mm Hg) blood pressures than rainwater drinkers. Drinking water salinity problems are expected to exacerbate in the future, putting millions of coastal people-including pregnant women-at increased risk of hypertension and associated diseases. There is an urgent need to further explore the health risks associated to this understudied environmental health problem and feasibility of possible adaptation strategies. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Bacteriological quality of bottled drinking water versus municipal tap water in Dharan municipality, Nepal.

PubMed

Pant, Narayan Dutt; Poudyal, Nimesh; Bhattacharya, Shyamal Kumar

2016-06-07

Water-related diseases are of great concern in developing countries like Nepal. Every year, there are countless morbidity and mortality due to the consumption of unsafe drinking water. Recently, there have been increased uses of bottled drinking water in an assumption that the bottled water is safer than the tap water and its use will help to protect from water-related diseases. So, the main objective of this study was to analyze the bacteriological quality of bottled drinking water and that of municipal tap water. A total of 100 samples (76 tap water and 24 bottled water) were analyzed for bacteriological quality and pH. The methods used were spread plate method for total plate count (TPC) and membrane filter method for total coliform count (TCC), fecal coliform count (FCC), and fecal streptococcal count (FSC). pH meter was used for measuring pH. One hundred percent of the tap water samples and 87.5 % of the bottled water samples were found to be contaminated with heterotrophic bacteria. Of the tap water samples, 55.3 % were positive for total coliforms, compared with 25 % of the bottled water. No bottled water samples were positive for fecal coliforms and fecal streptococci, in contrast to 21.1 % and 14.5 % of the tap water samples being contaminated with fecal coliforms and fecal streptococci, respectively. One hundred percent of the tap water samples and 54.2 % of the bottled water samples had pH in the acceptable range. All of the municipal tap water samples and most of the bottled drinking water samples distributed in Dharan municipality were found to be contaminated with one or more than one type of indicator organisms. On the basis of our findings, we may conclude that comparatively, the bottled drinking water may have been safer (than tap water) to drink.

Performance Evaluation and Analysis of Rural Drinking Water Safety Project——A Case Study in Jiangsu, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Xiaorong

2017-04-01

Water is the basic condition for human survival and development. As China is the most populous country, rural drinking water safety problems are most conspicuous. Therefore, the Chinese government keeps increasing investment and has built a large number of rural drinking water safety projects. Scientific evaluation of project performance is of great significance to promote the sustainable operation of the project and the sustainable development of rural economy. Previous studies mainly focus on the economic benefits of the project, while ignoring the fact that the rural drinking water safety project is quasi-public goods, which has economic, social and ecological benefits. This paper establishes a comprehensive evaluation model for rural drinking water safety performance, which adapts the rules of "5E" (economy, efficiency, effectiveness, equity and environment) as the value orientation, and selects a rural drinking water safety project as object in case study at K District, which is in the north of Jiangsu Province, China. The results shows: 1) the comprehensive performance of K project is in good condition; 2) The performance of every part shows that the scores of criteria "efficiency", "environment" and "effect" are higher than the mean performance, while the "economy" is slightly lower than the mean and the "equity" is the lowest. 3) The performance of indicator layer shows that: the planned completion rate of project, the reduction rate of project cost and the penetration rate of water-use population are significantly lower than other indicators. Based on the achievements of previous studies and the characteristics of rural drinking water safety project, this study integrates the evaluation dimensions of equity and environment, which can contribute to a more comprehensive and systematic assessment of project performance and provide empirical data for performance evaluation and management of rural drinking water safety project. Key Words: Rural drinking water safety project; Performance evaluation; 5E rules; Comprehensive evaluation model

Correlation of arsenic exposure through drinking groundwater and urinary arsenic excretion among adults in Pakistan.

PubMed

Ahmed, Mubashir; Fatmi, Zafar; Ali, Arif

2014-01-01

Long-term exposure to arsenic has been associated with manifestation of skin lesions (melanosis/keratosis) and increased risk of internal cancers (lung/bladder). The objective of the study described here was to determine the relationship between exposure of arsenic through drinking groundwater and urinary arsenic excretion among adults > or =15 years of age living in Khairpur district, Pakistan. Total arsenic was determined in drinking groundwater and in spot urine samples of 465 randomly selected individuals through hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated between arsenic in drinking groundwater and arsenic excreted in urine. The median arsenic concentration in drinking water was 2.1 microg/L (range: 0.1-350), and in urine was 28.5 microg/L (range: 0.1-848). Positive correlation was found between total arsenic in drinking water and in urine (r = .52, p < .01). Urinary arsenic may be used as a biomarker of arsenic exposure through drinking water.

[Waterborne outbreak of gastroenteritis transmitted through the public water supply].

PubMed

Godoy, P; Borrull, C; Palà, M; Caubet, I; Bach, P; Nuín, C; Espinet, L; Torres, J; Mirada, G

2003-01-01

The chlorination of public water supplies has led researchers to largely discard drinking water as a potential source of gastroenteritis outbreaks. The aim of this study was to investigate an outbreak of waterborne disease associated with drinking water from public supplies. A historical cohort study was carried out following notification of a gastroenteritis outbreak in Baqueira (Valle de Arán, Spain). We used systematic sampling to select 87 individuals staying at hotels and 67 staying in apartments in the target area. Information was gathered on four factors (consumption of water from the public water supply, sandwiches, water and food in the ski resorts) as well as on symptoms. We assessed residual chlorine in drinking water, analyzed samples of drinking water, and studied stool cultures from 4 patients. The risk associated with each water source and food type was assessed by means of relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The overall attack rate was 51.0% (76/149). The main symptoms were diarrhea 87.5%, abdominal pain 80.0%, nausea 50.7%, vomiting 30.3%, and fever 27.0%. The only factor associated with a statistically significant risk of disease was consumption of drinking water (RR = 11.0; 95% CI, 1.6-74.7). No residual chlorine was detected in the drinking water, which was judged acceptable. A problem associated with the location of the chlorinator was observed and corrected. We also recommended an increase in chlorine levels, which was followed by a reduction in the number of cases. The results of stool cultures of the four patients were negative for enterobacteria. This study highlights the potential importance of waterborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis transmitted through drinking water considered acceptable and suggests the need to improve microbiological research into these outbreaks (viruses and protozoa detection).

Access to drinking water and health of populations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Ntouda, Julien; Sikodf, Fondo; Ibrahim, Mohamadou; Abba, Ibrahim

2013-01-01

Water is at the center of the plant and animal life, the foundation upon which the health of human settlement and development of civilizations rely on. In tropical regions, 80% of diseases are transmitted either by germs in the water, or by vectors staying in it. In Sub-Saharan Africa, statistics show particularly high levels of unmet needs of populations in access to drinking water in a context of socioeconomic development. For this purpose, this study aims to determine the influence of access to drinking water on the health of populations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) from Cameroon, Senegal and Chad, it is clear from the descriptive analysis that 60% (Cameroon), and 59% (Chad) of the cases of childhood diarrhea in these two countries are due to the consumption of dirty water. In terms of explanatory analysis, we note that when a household in Cameroon, Senegal or Chad does not have access to drinking water, children under 5 years old residing there are respectively 1.29, 1.27 and 1.03 times more likely to have diarrhea than those residing in households with easy access to drinking water. In view of these results, it is recommended to increase access to drinking water in particular by reducing disparities between the rich and poor people. Copyright © 2013 Académie des sciences. All rights reserved.

Dental caries and developmental defects of enamel in relation to fluoride levels in drinking water in an arid area of Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Ekanayake, L; van der Hoek, W

2002-01-01

The study was conducted to assess caries and developmental defects of enamel in relation to fluoride levels in drinking water and the association between caries experience and the severity of diffuse opacities in children living in Uda Walawe, an area with varying concentrations of fluoride in drinking water in Sri Lanka. A total of 518 14-year-old children who were lifelong residents in this area were examined for dental caries and developmental defects of enamel. But the present analysis is confined to 486 children from whom drinking water samples were collected. The prevalence of enamel defects and diffuse opacities ranged from 27 to 57% while the prevalence of caries ranged from 18 to 29% in the different fluoride exposure groups. The prevalence of enamel defects increased significantly with the increase in the fluoride level in drinking water. Both the caries prevalence and the mean caries experience were significantly higher in children with diffuse opacities than in those without in the group consuming water containing >0.70 mg/l of fluoride. The association between dental caries and the severity of diffuse opacities was also significant only in this group. Children with the mildest form of opacities (DDE scores 3 and 4) had the lowest DMFS (0.25 +/- 0.7), and the highest DMFS (1.1 +/- 1.7) was found in those with the most severe form of opacities (DDE score 6). In conclusion, the relationship that was observed in this study between fluoride levels in drinking water, diffuse opacities and caries suggests that the appropriate level of fluoride in drinking water for arid areas of Sri Lanka is around 0.3 mg/l. Also individuals with severe forms of enamel defects in high-fluoride areas are susceptible to dental caries. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

A Trial of the Efficacy and Cost of Water Delivery Systems in San Francisco Bay Area Middle Schools, 2013

PubMed Central

Grummon, Anna H.; Hampton, Karla E.; Oliva, Ariana; McCulloch, Charles E.; Brindis, Claire D.

2016-01-01

Introduction US legislation requires that schools offer free drinking water where meals are served. However, little information is available about what types of water delivery systems schools should install to meet such requirements. The study objective was to examine the efficacy and cost of 2 water delivery systems (water dispensers and bottleless water coolers) in increasing students’ lunchtime intake of water in low-income middle schools. Methods In 2013, twelve middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area participated in a cluster randomized controlled trial in which they received 6 weeks of promotional activities, received provision of cups, and were assigned to 1 of 2 cafeteria water delivery systems: water dispensers or bottleless water coolers (or schools served as a control). Student surveys (n = 595) and observations examined the interventions’ effect on students’ beverage intake and staff surveys and public data assessed intervention cost. Results Analysis occurred from 2013 through 2015. Mixed-effects logistic regression, accounting for clustering and adjustment for student sociodemographic characteristics, demonstrated a significant increase in the odds of students drinking water in schools with promotion plus water dispensers and cups (adjusted odds ratio = 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4–6.7; P = .004) compared with schools with traditional drinking fountains and no cups or promotion. The cost of dispenser and bottleless water cooler programs was similar ($0.04 per student per day). Conclusion Instead of relying on traditional drinking fountains, schools should consider installing water sources, such as plastic dispensers with cups, as a low-cost, effective means for increasing students’ water intake. PMID:27390074

Observations and lessons learnt from more than a decade of water safety planning in South-East Asia.

PubMed

Sutherland, David

2017-09-01

In many countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region, drinking water is not used directly from the tap and faecal contamination of water sources is prevalent. As reflected in Sustainable Development Goal 6, access to safer drinking water is one of the most successful ways of preventing disease. The WHO Water Safety Framework promotes the use of water safety plans (WSPs), which are structured tools that help identify and mitigate potential risks throughout a water-supply system, from the water source to the point of use. WSPs not only help prevent outbreaks of acute and chronic waterborne diseases but also improve water-supply management and performance. During the past 12 years, through the direct and indirect work of a water quality partnership supported by the Australian Government, more than 5000 urban and rural WSPs have been implemented in the region. An impact assessment based on pre- and post-WSP surveys suggests that WSPs have improved system operations and management, infrastructure and performance; leveraged donor funds; increased stakeholder communication and collaboration; increased testing of water quality; and increased monitoring of consumer satisfaction. These achievements, and their sustainability, are being achieved through national legislation and regulatory frameworks for water supply, including quality standards for drinking water; national training tools and extensive training of sector professionals and creation of WSP experts; model WSPs; WSP auditing systems; and the institution of longterm training and support. More than a decade of water safety planning using the WSP approach has shown that supplying safe drinking water at the tap throughout the WHO South-East Asia Region is a realistic goal.

Preventive Effect of Hydrogen Water on the Development of Detrusor Overactivity in a Rat Model of Bladder Outlet Obstruction.

PubMed

Miyazaki, Nozomu; Yamaguchi, Osamu; Nomiya, Masanori; Aikawa, Ken; Kimura, Junko

2016-03-01

Bladder ischemia and oxidative stress contribute to the pathogenesis of bladder dysfunction caused by bladder outlet obstruction. H2 reportedly acts as an effective antioxidant. We investigated whether oral ingestion of H2 water would have a beneficial effect on bladder function in a rat model of bladder outlet obstruction. H2 water was made by dissolving H2 gas in ordinary drinking water using a hydrogen water producing apparatus. The bladder outlet obstruction model was surgically induced in male rats. Rats with obstruction were fed H2 water or ordinary drinking water. On week 4 postoperatively cystometry was performed. Oxidative stress markers and the bladder nerve growth factor level were determined. Bladder tissues were processed for pharmacological studies and histological analysis. The micturition interval and micturition volume significantly decreased in obstructed rats given ordinary drinking water. These decreases were significantly suppressed by oral ingestion of H2 water. Increased post-void residual volume in obstructed rats was significantly reduced by H2 water. Obstruction led to a significant increase in bladder weight, oxidative stress markers and nerve growth factor. H2 water significantly suppressed these increases without affecting bladder weight. There was no significant difference in histological findings between rats with bladder obstruction given H2 water and ordinary drinking water. Decreased responses of detrusor muscle strips from obstructed bladders to KCl, carbachol and electrical field stimulation were reversed by H2 water ingestion. Results suggest that H2 water could ameliorate bladder dysfunction secondary to bladder outlet obstruction by attenuating oxidative stress. Copyright © 2016 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect modification by drinking water hardness of the association between nitrate levels and gastric cancer: evidence from an ecological study.

PubMed

Chiu, Hui-Fen; Kuo, Chao-Hung; Tsai, Shang-Shyue; Chen, Chih-Cheng; Wu, Deng-Chuang; Wu, Trong-Neng; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2012-01-01

The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the relationship between nitrate levels in public water supplies and risk of death from gastric cancer and (2) determine whether calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) levels in drinking water might modify the effects of nitrate on the risk of gastric cancer development. A matched cancer case-control study was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of death attributed to gastric cancer and exposure to nitrate in drinking water in Taiwan. All deaths due to gastric cancer in Taiwan residents from 2006 through 2010 were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. Deaths from other causes served as controls and were pair-matched to cancer cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Information on the levels of nitrate-nitrogen (NO(3)-N), Ca, and Mg in drinking water were collected from Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was presumed to be the source of the subject's NO(3)-N, Ca, and Mg exposure via drinking water. Relative to individuals whose NO(3)-N exposure levels were <0.38 ppm, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for gastric cancer occurrence was 1.16 (1.05-1.29) for individuals who resided in municipalities served by drinking water with a NO(3)-N exposure ≥ 0.38 ppm. There was apparent evidence of an interaction between drinking water NO(3)-N levels and low Ca and Mg intake via drinking water. Our findings showed that the correlation between NO(3)-N exposure and risk of gastric cancer development was influenced by Ca and Mg levels in drinking water. This is the first study to report effects modification by Ca and Mg intake from drinking water on the relationship between NO(3)-N exposure and risk of gastric cancer occurrence. Increased knowledge of the mechanistic interactions between Ca, Mg, and NO(3)-N in reducing risk of gastric cancer development will aid in public policy decisions and setting threshold standards.

Escherichia coli: the best biological drinking water indicator for public health protection.

PubMed

Edberg, S C; Rice, E W; Karlin, R J; Allen, M J

2000-01-01

Public health protection requires an indicator of fecal pollution. It is not necessary to analyse drinking water for all pathogens. Escherichia coli is found in all mammal faeces at concentrations of 10 log 9(-1), but it does not multiply appreciably in the environment. In the 1890s, it was chosen as the biological indicator of water treatment safety. Because of method deficiencies, E. coli surrogates such as the 'fecal coliform' and total coliforms tests were developed and became part of drinking water regulations. With the advent of the Defined Substrate Technology in the late 1980s, it became possible to analyse drinking water directly for E. coli (and, simultaneously, total coliforms) inexpensively and simply. Accordingly, E. coli was re-inserted in the drinking water regulations. E. coli survives in drinking water for between 4 and 12 weeks, depending on environmental conditions (temperature, microflora, etc.). Bacteria and viruses are approximately equally oxidant-sensitive, but parasites are less so. Under the conditions in distribution systems, E. coli will be much more long-lived. Therefore, under most circumstances it is possible to design a monitoring program that permits public health protection at a modest cost. Drinking water regulations currently require infrequent monitoring which may not adequately detect intermittent contamination events; however, it is cost-effective to markedly increase testing with E. coli to better protect the public's health. Comparison with other practical candidate fecal indicators shows that E. coli is far superior overall.

Increase in Lead Concentration in the Drinking Water of an Animal Care Facility.

PubMed

Davidowitz, Bradley; Boehm, Kirk; Banovetz, Sandra; Binkley, Neil

1998-01-01

We report here the unexpected detection, and subsequent correction, of a problem that resulted in an increase in lead concentration in the drinking water of an animal research facility. At the initiation of a study, analysis of a water sample obtained from the drinking spout of an animal cage revealed a lead concentration nearly twice the Environmental Protection Agency's maximum acceptable concentration. Because the municipal water supply routinely had been tested and found to be free of lead, it was assumed that this contamination was within the animal care facility. It was hypothesized that the brass fitting connecting the drinking spout to a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe was the source of contamination. Water samples were obtained hourly from 0700 to 1600 hours before and after replacement of the brass fitting with a PVC fitting. After this change, lead concentrations in all samples were within acceptable limits. Although blood lead concentrations were undetectable in 47 rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) housed in the facility, subclinical lead toxicosis could have resulted and potentially complicated studies in which these monkeys were used. We recommend that the water supply of research facilities be monitored periodically.

Wildfire and the future of water supply.

PubMed

Bladon, Kevin D; Emelko, Monica B; Silins, Uldis; Stone, Micheal

2014-08-19

In many parts of the world, forests provide high quality water for domestic, agricultural, industrial, and ecological needs, with water supplies in those regions inextricably linked to forest health. Wildfires have the potential to have devastating effects on aquatic ecosystems and community drinking water supply through impacts on water quantity and quality. In recent decades, a combination of fuel load accumulation, climate change, extensive droughts, and increased human presence in forests have resulted in increases in area burned and wildfire severity-a trend predicted to continue. Thus, the implications of wildfire for many downstream water uses are increasingly concerning, particularly the provision of safe drinking water, which may require additional treatment infrastructure and increased operations and maintenance costs in communities downstream of impacted landscapes. A better understanding of the effects of wildfire on water is needed to develop effective adaptation and mitigation strategies to protect globally critical water supplies originating in forested environments.

Protecting drinking water utilities from cyberthreats

DOE PAGES

Clark, Robert M.; Panguluri, Srinivas; Nelson, Trent D.; ...

2017-02-01

Cyber-security challenges have the potential for becoming one of the defining issues of our time. Cyber-attacks have become an ever-increasing threat and the United States (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) now ranks cyber-crime as one of its most important law enforcement activities. In addition to the general problems associated with cyber-crime, critical infrastructure (CI) related to energy production, manufacturing, water supply and other systems have come under attack. For example, drinking water utilities are increasingly incorporating computer technology into their routine operations and are therefore increasingly vulnerable to cyber- threats. Systems control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems used tomore » manage automated physical processes essential to water treatment and distribution systems have become standard in medium to large drinking water utilities and in many small water systems. However, even with the application of standard information technology cybersecurity best practices these types of systems have proven to be vulnerable to cyber-attacks. In 2015, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to 25 cybersecurity incidents in the Water Sector and to 46 incidents in the Energy Sector. Comparatively, between 2014 and 2015, the reported number of Water Sector incidents actually increased by 78.6% (from 14 to 25). The DHS is in a collaborative partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency to ensure cybersecurity in the Water Sector. As a result of this partnership a number of guidance documents and techniques have been developed to counter cyber-attacks and minimize cyber vulnerability. These approaches are documented along with a summary of common vulnerabilities. However, a new approach which has great promise in protecting drinking water systems against hacking and cyber-attacks, based on the concept of unidirectional gateways, is presented and discussed.« less

Protecting drinking water utilities from cyberthreats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clark, Robert M.; Panguluri, Srinivas; Nelson, Trent D.

Cyber-security challenges have the potential for becoming one of the defining issues of our time. Cyber-attacks have become an ever-increasing threat and the United States (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) now ranks cyber-crime as one of its most important law enforcement activities. In addition to the general problems associated with cyber-crime, critical infrastructure (CI) related to energy production, manufacturing, water supply and other systems have come under attack. For example, drinking water utilities are increasingly incorporating computer technology into their routine operations and are therefore increasingly vulnerable to cyber- threats. Systems control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems used tomore » manage automated physical processes essential to water treatment and distribution systems have become standard in medium to large drinking water utilities and in many small water systems. However, even with the application of standard information technology cybersecurity best practices these types of systems have proven to be vulnerable to cyber-attacks. In 2015, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to 25 cybersecurity incidents in the Water Sector and to 46 incidents in the Energy Sector. Comparatively, between 2014 and 2015, the reported number of Water Sector incidents actually increased by 78.6% (from 14 to 25). The DHS is in a collaborative partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency to ensure cybersecurity in the Water Sector. As a result of this partnership a number of guidance documents and techniques have been developed to counter cyber-attacks and minimize cyber vulnerability. These approaches are documented along with a summary of common vulnerabilities. However, a new approach which has great promise in protecting drinking water systems against hacking and cyber-attacks, based on the concept of unidirectional gateways, is presented and discussed.« less

Drinking water disinfection byproduct iodoacetic acid induces tumorigenic transformation of NIH3T3 cells.

PubMed

Wei, Xiao; Wang, Shu; Zheng, Weiwei; Wang, Xia; Liu, Xiaolin; Jiang, Songhui; Pi, Jingbo; Zheng, Yuxin; He, Gengsheng; Qu, Weidong

2013-06-04

Iodoacetic acid (IAA) and iodoform (IF) are unregulated iodinated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) found in drinking water. Their presence in the drinking water of China has not been documented. Recently, the carcinogenic potential of IAA and IF has been a concern because of their mutagenicity in bacteria and genotoxicity in mammalian cells. Therefore, we measured their concentrations in Shanghai drinking water and assessed their cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and ability to transform NIH3T3 cells to tumorigenic lines. The concentrations of IAA and IF in Shanghai drinking water varied between summer and winter with maximum winter levels of 2.18 μg/L IAA and 0.86 μg/L IF. IAA with a lethal concentration 50 (LC50) of 2.77 μM exhibited more potent cytotoxicity in NIH3T3 cells than IF (LC50 = 83.37 μM). IAA, but not IF, induced a concentration-dependent DNA damage measured by γ-H2AX staining and increased tail moment in single-cell gel electrophoresis. Neither IAA nor IF increased micronucleus frequency. Prolonged exposure of NIH3T3 cells to IAA increased the frequencies of transformed cells with anchorage-independent growth and agglutination with concanavalin A. IAA-transformed cells formed aggressive fibrosarcomas after inoculation into Balb/c nude mice. This study demonstrated that IAA has a biological activity that is consistent with a carcinogen and human exposure should be of concern.

Pre-Gas Drilling Drinking Water Testing--An Educational Opportunity for Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swistock, Brian; Clark, James

2015-01-01

The increase in shale gas drilling in Pennsylvania has resulted in thousands of landowners receiving predrilling testing of their drinking water. Landowners often have difficulty understanding test reports resulting in low awareness of pre-existing problems. Extension and several partners developed a program to improve understanding of…

Arsenic in Drinking Water--The Silent Killer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wajrak, Magdalena

2011-01-01

Natural arsenic salts are present in all waters, with natural concentrations of less than 10 parts per billion (ppb). Unfortunately, there is an increasing number of countries where toxic arsenic compounds in groundwater, which is used for drinking and irrigation, have been detected at concentrations above the World Health Organization's…

Association between drinking water uranium content and cancer risk in Bavaria, Germany.

PubMed

Radespiel-Tröger, M; Meyer, M

2013-10-01

To evaluate the possible association between uranium (U) content in public drinking water on the one hand and the risk of cancer of the colorectum, lung, female breast, prostate, kidney, and urinary bladder, total cancer, and leukemia on the other hand in Bavaria, an ecologic study on the level of municipalities was performed. Cancer incidence data for the years 2002-2008 were obtained from the population-based cancer registry Bavaria according to sex. Current U content data of public drinking water on the level of municipalities were obtained from a publicly available source. The possible association between drinking water U content and cancer risk adjusted for average socio-economic status was evaluated using Poisson regression. Drinking water U content was below 20 μg/L in 458 out of 461 included municipalities. We found a significantly increased risk of leukemia in men in the intermediate (U level, 1.00-4.99 μg/L; relative risk [RR], 1.14) and in the highest U exposure category (U level, ≥5 μg/L; RR, 1.28). Moreover, in women, a significantly elevated risk was identified with respect to kidney cancer in the highest exposure category (RR, 1.16) and with respect to lung cancer in the intermediate exposure category (RR, 1.12). The slightly increased risk of leukemia in men, kidney cancer in women, and lung cancer in women may require further investigation. If an increased cancer risk is confirmed, preventive measures (e.g., introduction of U filters in public water systems) may be considered.

Prevalence of household drinking-water contamination and of acute diarrhoeal illness in a periurban community in Myanmar.

PubMed

Myint, Su Latt Tun; Myint, Thuzar; Aung, Wah Wah; Wai, Khin Thet

2015-01-01

A major health consequence of rapid population growth in urban areas is the increased pressure on existing overstretched water and sanitation services. This study of an expanding periurban neighbourhood of Yangon Region, Myanmar, aimed to ascertain the prevalence of acute diarrhoea in children under 5 years; to identify household sources of drinking-water; to describe purification and storage practices; and to assess drinking-water contamination at point-of-use. A survey of the prevalence of acute diarrhoea in children under 5 years was done in 211 households in February 2013; demographic data were also collected, along with data and details of sources of drinking water, water purification, storage practices and waste disposal. During March-August, a subset of 112 households was revisited to collect drinking water samples. The samples were analysed by the multiple tube fermentation method to count thermotolerant (faecal) coliforms and there was a qualitative determination of the presence of Escherichia coli. Acute diarrhoea in children under 5 years was reported in 4.74% (10/211, 95% CI: 3.0-9.0) of households within the past two weeks. More than half of the households used insanitary pit latrines and 36% disposed of their waste into nearby streams and ponds. Improved sources of drinking water were used, mainly the unchlorinated ward reservoir, a chlorinated tube well or purified bottled water. Nearly a quarter of households never used any method for drinking-water purification. Ninety-four per cent (105/112) of water samples were contaminated with thermotolerant (faecal) coliforms, ranging from 2.2 colony-forming units (CFU)/100 mL (21.4%) to more than 1000 CFU/100 mL (60.7%). Of faecal (thermotolerant)-coliform-positive water samples, 70% (47/68) grew E. coli. The prevalence of acute diarrhoea reported for children under 5 years was high and a high level of drinking-water contamination was detected, though it was unclear whether this was due to contamination at source or at point-of-use. Maintenance of drinking-water quality in study households is complex. Further research is crucial to prove the cost effectiveness in quality improvement of drinking water at point-of-use in resource-limited settings. In addition, empowerment of householders to use measures of treating water by boiling, filtration or chlorination, and safe storage with proper handling is essential.

Ptaquiloside in Irish Bracken Ferns and Receiving Waters, with Implications for Land Managers.

PubMed

O'Driscoll, Connie; Ramwell, Carmel; Harhen, Brendan; Morrison, Liam; Clauson-Kaas, Frederik; Hansen, Hans Christian B; Campbell, Graeme; Sheahan, Jerome; Misstear, Bruce; Xiao, Liwen

2016-04-26

Ptaquiloside, along with other natural phytotoxins, is receiving increased attention from scientists and land use managers. There is an urgent need to increase empirical evidence to understand the scale of phytotoxin mobilisation and potential to enter into the environment. In this study the risk of ptaquiloside to drinking water was assessed by quantifying ptaquiloside in the receiving waters at three drinking water abstraction sites across Ireland and in bracken fronds surrounding the abstraction sites. We also investigated the impact of different management regimes (spraying, cutting and rolling) on ptaquiloside concentrations at plot-scale in six locations in Northern Ireland, UK. Ptaquiloside concentrations were determined using recent advances in the use of LC-MS for the detection and quantification of ptaquiloside. The results indicate that ptaquiloside is present in bracken stands surrounding drinking water abstractions in Ireland, and ptaquiloside concentrations were also observed in the receiving waters. Furthermore, spraying was found to be the most effective bracken management regime observed in terms of reducing ptaquiloside load. Increased awareness is vital on the implications of managing land with extensive bracken stands.

Beverage consumption and adult weight management: A review.

PubMed

Dennis, Elizabeth A; Flack, Kyle D; Davy, Brenda M

2009-12-01

Total energy consumption among United States adults has increased in recent decades, and energy-containing beverages are a significant contributor to this increase. Because beverages are less satiating than solid foods, consumption of energy-containing beverages may increase energy intake and lead to weight gain; trends in food and beverage consumption coinciding with increases in overweight and obesity support this possibility. The purpose of this review is to present what is known about the effect of beverage consumption on short-term (i.e., meal) energy intake, as well as longer-term effects on body weight. Specific beverages addressed include water, other energy-free beverages (diet soft drinks, coffee and tea), and energy-containing beverages (soft drinks, juices and juice drinks, milk and soy beverages, alcohol). Existing evidence, albeit limited, suggests that encouraging water consumption, and substituting water and other energy-free beverages (diet soft drinks, coffee and tea) for energy-containing beverages may facilitate weight management. Energy-containing beverages acutely increase energy intake, however long-term effects on body weight are uncertain. While there may be health benefits for some beverage categories, additional energy provided by beverages should be compensated for by reduced consumption of other foods in the diet.

Beverage Consumption and Adult Weight Management: A Review

PubMed Central

Dennis, Elizabeth A.; Flack, Kyle D.; Davy, Brenda M.

2010-01-01

Total energy consumption among United States adults has increased in recent decades, and energy-containing beverages are a significant contributor to this increase. Because beverages are less satiating than solid foods, consumption of energy-containing beverages may increase energy intake and lead to weight gain; trends in food and beverage consumption coinciding with increases in overweight and obesity support this possibility. The purpose of this review is to present what is known about the effect of beverage consumption on short-term (i.e., meal) energy intake, as well as longer-term effects on body weight. Specific beverages addressed include water, other energy-free beverages (diet soft drinks, coffee and tea), and energy-containing beverages (soft drinks, juices and juice drinks, milk and soy beverages, alcohol). Existing evidence, albeit limited, suggests that encouraging water consumption, and substituting water and other energy-free beverages (diet soft drinks, coffee and tea) for energy-containing beverages may facilitate weight management. Energy-containing beverages acutely increase energy intake, however long-term effects on body weight are uncertain. While there may be health benefits for some beverage categories, additional energy provided by beverages should be compensated for by reduced consumption of other foods in the diet. PMID:19778754

Lake Recovery Through Reduced Sulfate Deposition: A New Paradigm for Drinking Water Treatment.

PubMed

Anderson, Lindsay E; Krkošek, Wendy H; Stoddart, Amina K; Trueman, Benjamin F; Gagnon, Graham A

2017-02-07

This study examined sulfate deposition in Nova Scotia from 1999 to 2015, and its association with increased pH and organic matter in two protected surface water supplies (Pockwock Lake and Lake Major) located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The study also examined the effect of lake water chemistry on drinking water treatment processes. Sulfate deposition in the region decreased by 68%, whereas pH increased by 0.1-0.4 units over the 16-year period. Average monthly color concentrations in Pockwock Lake and Lake Major increased by 1.7 and 3.8×, respectively. Accordingly, the coagulant demand increased by 1.5 and 3.8× for the water treatment plants supplied by Pockwock Lake and Lake Major. Not only was this coagulant increase costly for the utility, it also resulted in compromised filter performance, particularly for the direct-biofiltration plant supplied by Pockwock Lake that was found to already be operating at the upper limit of the recommended direct filtration thresholds for color, total organic carbon and coagulant dose. Additionally, in 2012-2013 geosmin occurred in Pockwock Lake, which could have been attributed to reduced sulfate deposition as increases in pH favor more diverse cyanobacteria populations. Overall, this study demonstrated the impact that ambient air quality can have on drinking water supplies.

Ascorbate in the guinea pig lens: dependence on drinking water supplementation.

PubMed

Mody, Vino C; Kakar, Manoj; Elfving, Ase; Söderberg, Per G; Löfgren, Stefan

2005-04-01

To investigate whether lens ascorbate concentration can be elevated with drinking water supplementation. Pigmented guinea pigs received drinking water supplemented with L-ascorbate, concentration 0.00, 2.84, 5.68 or 8.52 mm for a duration of 4 weeks. In addition, the chow fed to all animals contained 125 mmol L-ascorbate per kg of chow. At the end of the supplementation period, the guinea pigs were killed. Each lens was extracted. The lens was processed and ascorbate concentration was measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with 254 nm ultraviolet radiation detection. The data were analysed with regression. At the end of the test period, all lenses were devoid of cataract as observed by slit-lamp examination. All lenses contained a detectable concentration of ascorbate. Estimated 95% confidence intervals for mean animal-averaged lens ascorbate concentrations (micromol/g wet weight of whole lens) per group were 0.51 +/- 0.04 (0.00 mm; n = 6), 0.70 +/- 0.18 (2.84 mm; n = 6), 0.71 +/- 0.11 (5.68 mm; n = 5), and 0.71 +/- 0.06 (8.52 mm; n = 6). Animal-averaged lens ascorbate concentration [Asc(lens)] (micromol/g wet weight lens) increased with ascorbate supplementation in drinking water [Asc(water)] (M), in agreement with the model: [Asc(lens)] = A - Be(-kAsc(water)]. Lens ascorbate concentration increases with drinking water supplementation in the guinea pig without cataract development. The currently presented method for measurement of whole lens ascorbate content is suitable.

Effective Dose Radon 222 of the Tap Water in Children and Adults People; Minab City, Iran.

PubMed

Fakhri, Yadolah; Kargosha, Morteza; Langarizadeh, Ghazaleh; Zandsalimi, Yahya; Rasouli Amirhajeloo, Leila; Moradi, Mahboobeh; Moradi, Bigard; Mirzaei, Maryam

2015-09-01

(222)Rn is a radioactive, odorless, and colorless element which has a half-life of 3.83 days. One of (222)Rn main resources are Groundwater (wells, springs, etc.). Hence, the use of groundwater with high concentration of (222)Rn can increase the risk of lung and stomach cancers. Concentration of (222)Rn in tap water of Minab city in two temperatures 5 and 15 ºC was measured by radon meter model RTM1668-2. The effective dose was calculated by equations proposed by UNSCEAR. Geometric mean concentration of (222)Rn in drinking water was found to be 0.78±0.06 and 0.46±0.04 Bq/l at 5 and 15 ̊C (p value<0.05), respectively. The effective doses were 0.006 and 0.003 mSv/y for adults, and 0.011 and 0.007 mSv/y for the children, respectively (p value<0.05). Besides, the effective dose for adult through inhaling (222)Rn at 5 and 15 ̊C were estimated 0.0021 and 0.0012mSv/y, respectively. Geometric mean concentration in (222)Rn drinking water and effective dose received from drinking water and inhalation of (222)Rn is lower than WHO and EPA standard limits. Increasing temperature of drinking water will decrease the effective dose received. Annual Effective dose received from inhalation and consumption of (222)Rn in drinking water in children is more than adults.

Effective Dose Radon 222 of the Tap Water in Children and Adults People; Minab City, Iran

PubMed Central

Fakhri, Yadolah; Kargosha, Morteza; Langarizadeh, Ghazaleh; Zandsalimi, Yahya; Amirhajeloo, Leila Rasouli; Moradi, Mahboobeh; Moradi, Bigard; Mirzaei, Maryam

2016-01-01

222Rn is a radioactive, odorless, and colorless element which has a half-life of 3.83 days. One of 222Rn main resources are Groundwater (wells, springs, etc.). Hence, the use of groundwater with high concentration of 222Rn can increase the risk of lung and stomach cancers. Concentration of 222Rn in tap water of Minab city in two temperatures 5 and 15 ºC was measured by radon meter model RTM1668-2. The effective dose was calculated by equations proposed by UNSCEAR. Geometric mean concentration of 222Rn in drinking water was found to be 0.78±0.06 and 0.46±0.04 Bq/l at 5 and 15 °C (p value<0.05), respectively. The effective doses were 0.006 and 0.003 mSv/y for adults, and 0.011 and 0.007 mSv/y for the children, respectively (p value<0.05). Besides, the effective dose for adult through inhaling 222Rn at 5 and 15 °C were estimated 0.0021 and 0.0012mSv/y, respectively. Geometric mean concentration in 222Rn drinking water and effective dose received from drinking water and inhalation of 222Rn is lower than WHO and EPA standard limits. Increasing temperature of drinking water will decrease the effective dose received. Annual Effective dose received from inhalation and consumption of 222Rn in drinking water in children is more than adults. PMID:26573047

Drinking Water Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) and Human Health Effects: Multidisciplinary Challenges and Opportunities.

PubMed

Li, Xing-Fang; Mitch, William A

2018-02-20

While drinking water disinfection has effectively prevented waterborne diseases, an unintended consequence is the generation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Epidemiological studies have consistently observed an association between consumption of chlorinated drinking water with an increased risk of bladder cancer. Out of the >600 DBPs identified, regulations focus on a few classes, such as trihalomethanes (THMs), whose concentrations were hypothesized to correlate with the DBPs driving the toxicity of disinfected waters. However, the DBPs responsible for the bladder cancer association remain unclear. Utilities are switching away from a reliance on chlorination of pristine drinking water supplies to the application of new disinfectant combinations to waters impaired by wastewater effluents and algal blooms. In light of these changes in disinfection practice, this article discusses new approaches being taken by analytical chemists, engineers, toxicologists and epidemiologists to characterize the DBP classes driving disinfected water toxicity, and suggests that DBP exposure should be measured using other DBP classes in addition to THMs.

Occurrence of organophosphate flame retardants in drinking water from China.

PubMed

Li, Jun; Yu, Nanyang; Zhang, Beibei; Jin, Ling; Li, Meiying; Hu, Mengyang; Zhang, Xiaowei; Wei, Si; Yu, Hongxia

2014-05-01

Several organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) have been identified as known or suspected carcinogens or neurotoxic substances. Given the potential health risks of these compounds, we conducted a comprehensive survey of nine OPFRs in drinking water in China. We found total concentrations of OPFRs in tap water ranging from 85.1 ng/L to 325 ng/L, and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP), triphenyl phosphate (TPP), and tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP) were the most common components. Similar OPFR concentrations and profiles were observed in water samples processed through six different waterworks in Nanjing, China. However, boiling affected OPFR levels in drinking water by either increasing (e.g., TBEP) or decreasing (e.g., tributyl phosphate, TBP) concentrations depending on the particular compound and the state of the indoor environment. We also found that bottled water contained many of the same major OPFR compounds with concentrations 10-25% lower than those in tap water, although TBEP contamination in bottled water remained a concern. Finally, we concluded that the risk of ingesting OPFRs through drinking water was not a major health concern for either adults or children in China. Nevertheless, drinking water ingestion represents an important exposure pathway for OPFRs. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Climate change induced salinisation of artificial lakes in the Netherlands and consequences for drinking water production.

PubMed

Bonte, Matthijs; Zwolsman, John J G

2010-08-01

In this paper we present a modelling study to investigate the impacts of climate change on the chloride concentration and salinisation processes in two man-made freshwater lakes in the Netherlands, Lake IJsselmeer and Lake Markermeer. We used a transient compartmental chloride and water balance model to elucidate the salinisation processes occurring under present conditions and assess future salinisation under two climate forcing scenarios. The model results showed that the Rhine River is the dominant determinant for the chloride concentration in both lakes, followed by drainage of brackish groundwater from the surrounding polders. The results further show that especially during dry years, seawater intrusion through the tidal closure dam is an important source of chloride to Lake IJsselmeer. The results from the climatic forcing scenarios show that Lake IJsselmeer is especially vulnerable to climate-induced salinisation whereas effects on Lake Markermeer are relatively small. Peak chloride concentrations at the raw water intake of the Andijk drinking water facility on Lake IJsselmeer are projected to increase to values above 250 mg/l in the most far-reaching climate change scenario W+ in 2050 for dry years. This is well above the maximum allowable concentration of 150 mg/l for chloride in drinking water. Modelling showed that climate change impacts the chloride concentrations in a variety of ways: 1) an increasing occurrence of low river flows from summer to autumn reduces the dilution of the chloride that is emitted to the Rhine with a constant load thereby increasing its concentration; 2) increased open water evaporation and reduced rainfall during summer periods and droughts increases the chloride concentration in the water; and 3) rises in sea level increase seawater intrusion through the tidal closure dam of Lake IJsselmeer. The processes described here are likely to affect many other tidal rivers or lakes and should be considered when planning future raw water intake stations for drinking water production or agricultural water supply. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The microbial quality of drinking water in Manonyane community: Maseru District (Lesotho).

PubMed

Gwimbi, P

2011-09-01

Provision of good quality household drinking water is an important means of improving public health in rural communities especially in Africa; and is the rationale behind protecting drinking water sources and promoting healthy practices at and around such sources. To examine the microbial content of drinking water from different types of drinking water sources in Manonyane community of Lesotho. The community's hygienic practices around the water sources are also assessed to establish their contribution to water quality. Water samples from thirty five water sources comprising 22 springs, 6 open wells, 6 boreholes and 1 open reservoir were assessed. Total coliform and Escherichia coli bacteria were analyzed in water sampled. Results of the tests were compared with the prescribed World Health Organization desirable limits. A household survey and field observations were conducted to assess the hygienic conditions and practices at and around the water sources. Total coliform were detected in 97% and Escherichia coli in 71% of the water samples. The concentration levels of Total coliform and Escherichia coli were above the permissible limits of the World Health Organization drinking water quality guidelines in each case. Protected sources had significantly less number of colony forming units (cfu) per 100 ml of water sample compared to unprotected sources (56% versus 95%, p < 0.05). Similarly in terms of Escherichia coli, protected sources had less counts (7% versus 40%, p < 0.05) compared with those from unprotected sources. Hygiene conditions and practices that seemed to potentially contribute increased total coliform and Escherichia coli counts included non protection of water sources from livestock faeces, laundry practices, and water sources being down slope of pit latrines in some cases. These findings suggest source water protection and good hygiene practices can improve the quality of household drinking water where disinfection is not available. The results also suggest important lines of inquiry and provide support and input for environmental and public health programmes, particularly those related to water and sanitation.

Drinking Water Salinity and Raised Blood Pressure: Evidence from a Cohort Study in Coastal Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Chowdhury, Muhammad A.H.; Haines, Andy; Alam, Dewan S.; Hoque, Mohammad A.; Butler, Adrian P.; Khan, Aneire E.; Mojumder, Sontosh K.; Blangiardo, Marta A.G.; Elliott, Paul; Vineis, Paolo

2017-01-01

Background: Millions of coastal inhabitants in Southeast Asia have been experiencing increasing sodium concentrations in their drinking-water sources, likely partially due to climate change. High (dietary) sodium intake has convincingly been proven to increase risk of hypertension; it remains unknown, however, whether consumption of sodium in drinking water could have similar effects on health. Objectives: We present the results of a cohort study in which we assessed the effects of drinking-water sodium (DWS) on blood pressure (BP) in coastal populations in Bangladesh. Methods: DWS, BP, and information on personal, lifestyle, and environmental factors were collected from 581 participants. We used generalized linear latent and mixed methods to model the effects of DWS on BP and assessed the associations between changes in DWS and BP when participants experienced changing sodium levels in water, switched from “conventional” ponds or tube wells to alternatives [managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and rainwater harvesting] that aimed to reduce sodium levels, or experienced a combination of these changes. Results: DWS concentrations were highly associated with BP after adjustments for confounding factors. Furthermore, for each 100mg/L reduction in sodium in drinking water, systolic/diastolic BP was lower on average by 0.95/0.57mmHg, and odds of hypertension were lower by 14%. However, MAR did not consistently lower sodium levels. Conclusions: DWS is an important source of daily sodium intake in salinity-affected areas and is a risk factor for hypertension. Considering the likely increasing trend in coastal salinity, prompt action is required. Because MAR showed variable effects, alternative technologies for providing reliable, safe, low-sodium fresh water should be developed alongside improvements in MAR and evaluated in “real-life” salinity-affected settings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP659 PMID:28599268

Drinking Water Salinity and Raised Blood Pressure: Evidence from a Cohort Study in Coastal Bangladesh.

PubMed

Scheelbeek, Pauline FD; Chowdhury, Muhammad A H; Haines, Andy; Alam, Dewan S; Hoque, Mohammad A; Butler, Adrian P; Khan, Aneire E; Mojumder, Sontosh K; Blangiardo, Marta A G; Elliott, Paul; Vineis, Paolo

2017-05-30

Millions of coastal inhabitants in Southeast Asia have been experiencing increasing sodium concentrations in their drinking-water sources, likely partially due to climate change. High (dietary) sodium intake has convincingly been proven to increase risk of hypertension; it remains unknown, however, whether consumption of sodium in drinking water could have similar effects on health. We present the results of a cohort study in which we assessed the effects of drinking-water sodium (DWS) on blood pressure (BP) in coastal populations in Bangladesh. DWS, BP, and information on personal, lifestyle, and environmental factors were collected from 581 participants. We used generalized linear latent and mixed methods to model the effects of DWS on BP and assessed the associations between changes in DWS and BP when participants experienced changing sodium levels in water, switched from "conventional" ponds or tube wells to alternatives [managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and rainwater harvesting] that aimed to reduce sodium levels, or experienced a combination of these changes. DWS concentrations were highly associated with BP after adjustments for confounding factors. Furthermore, for each 100 mg/L reduction in sodium in drinking water, systolic/diastolic BP was lower on average by 0.95/0.57 mmHg, and odds of hypertension were lower by 14%. However, MAR did not consistently lower sodium levels. DWS is an important source of daily sodium intake in salinity-affected areas and is a risk factor for hypertension. Considering the likely increasing trend in coastal salinity, prompt action is required. Because MAR showed variable effects, alternative technologies for providing reliable, safe, low-sodium fresh water should be developed alongside improvements in MAR and evaluated in "real-life" salinity-affected settings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP659.

Why “improved” water sources are not always safe

PubMed Central

Shaheed, Ameer; Orgill, Jennifer; Montgomery, Maggie A; Jeuland, Marc A; Brown, Joe

2014-01-01

Abstract Existing and proposed metrics for household drinking-water services are intended to measure the availability, safety and accessibility of water sources. However, these attributes can be highly variable over time and space and this variation complicates the task of creating and implementing simple and scalable metrics. In this paper, we highlight those factors – especially those that relate to so-called improved water sources – that contribute to variability in water safety but may not be generally recognized as important by non-experts. Problems in the provision of water in adequate quantities and of adequate quality – interrelated problems that are often influenced by human behaviour – may contribute to an increased risk of poor health. Such risk may be masked by global water metrics that indicate that we are on the way to meeting the world’s drinking-water needs. Given the complexity of the topic and current knowledge gaps, international metrics for access to drinking water should be interpreted with great caution. We need further targeted research on the health impacts associated with improvements in drinking-water supplies. PMID:24700996

Cyanotoxins: characteristics, production and degradation routes in drinking water treatment with reference to the situation in Serbia.

PubMed

Pantelić, Dijana; Svirčev, Zorica; Simeunović, Jelica; Vidović, Milka; Trajković, Ivana

2013-04-01

Cyanobacteria are members of phytoplankton of the surface freshwaters. The accelerated eutrophication of freshwaters, especially reservoirs for drinking water, by human activity has increased the occurrence and intensity of cyanobacterial blooms. They are of concern due to their ability to produce taste and odors compounds, a wide range of toxins, which have a hepatotoxic, neurotoxic, cytotoxic and dermatotoxic behavior, being dangerous to animal and human health. Therefore, the removal of cyanobacteria, without cell lysis, and releasing of intracellular metabolites, would significantly reduce the concentration of these metabolites in the finished drinking water, as a specific aim of the water treatment processes. This review summarizes the existing data on characteristics of the cyanotoxins, their productions in environment and effective treatment processes to remove these toxins from drinking water. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multicausal analysis on water deterioration processes present in a drinking water treatment system.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Ma, Fang; Pang, Changlong; Firdoz, Shaik

2013-03-01

The fluctuation of water turbidity has been studied during summer in the settling tanks of a drinking water treatment plant. Results from the multiple cause-effect model indicated that five main pathways interactively influenced thequalityof tank water. During rain, turbidity levels increased mainly as a result of decreasing pH and anaerobic reactions (partial effect = 68%). Increasing water temperature combined with dissolved oxygen concentration (partial effect = 64%) was the key parameterforcontrolling decreases in water turbidity during nighttime periods after a rainy day. The dominant factor influencing increases in turbidity during sunny daytime periods was algal blooms (partial effect = 86%). However, short-circuiting waves (partial effect = 77%) was the main cause for increased nighttime water turbidity after a sunny day. The trade offbetween regulatory pathways was responsible for environmental changes, and the outcome was determined by the comparative strengths of each pathway.

Microbiological Contamination of Drinking Water Associated with Subsequent Child Diarrhea.

PubMed

Luby, Stephen P; Halder, Amal K; Huda, Tarique Md; Unicomb, Leanne; Islam, M Sirajul; Arnold, Benjamin F; Johnston, Richard B

2015-11-01

We used a prospective, longitudinal cohort enrolled as part of a program evaluation to assess the relationship between drinking water microbiological quality and child diarrhea. We included 50 villages across rural Bangladesh. Within each village field-workers enrolled a systematic random sample of 10 households with a child under the age of 3 years. Community monitors visited households monthly and recorded whether children under the age of 5 years had diarrhea in the preceding 2 days. Every 3 months, a research assistant visited the household and requested a water sample from the source or container used to provide drinking water to the child. Laboratory technicians measured the concentration of Escherichia coli in the water samples using membrane filtration. Of drinking water samples, 59% (2,273/3,833) were contaminated with E. coli. Of 12,192 monthly follow-up visits over 2 years, mothers reported that their child had diarrhea in the preceding 2 days in 1,156 (9.5%) visits. In a multivariable general linear model, the log10 of E. coli contamination of the preceding drinking water sample was associated with an increased prevalence of child diarrhea (prevalence ratio = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.23). These data provide further evidence of the health benefits of improved microbiological quality of drinking water. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Detection of zinc oxide and cerium dioxide nanoparticles during drinking water treatment by rapid single particle ICP-MS methods.

PubMed

Donovan, Ariel R; Adams, Craig D; Ma, Yinfa; Stephan, Chady; Eichholz, Todd; Shi, Honglan

2016-07-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) entering water systems are an emerging concern as NPs are more frequently manufactured and used. Single particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) methods were validated to detect Zn- and Ce-containing NPs in surface and drinking water using a short dwell time of 0.1 ms or lower, ensuring precision in single particle detection while eliminating the need for sample preparation. Using this technique, information regarding NP size, size distribution, particle concentration, and dissolved ion concentrations was obtained simultaneously. The fates of Zn- and Ce-NPs, including those found in river water and added engineered NPs, were evaluated by simulating a typical drinking water treatment process. Lime softening, alum coagulation, powdered activated carbon sorption, and disinfection by free chlorine were simulated sequentially using river water. Lime softening removed 38-53 % of Zn-containing and ZnO NPs and >99 % of Ce-containing and CeO2 NPs. Zn-containing and ZnO NP removal increased to 61-74 % and 77-79 % after alum coagulation and disinfection, respectively. Source and drinking water samples were collected from three large drinking water treatment facilities and analyzed for Zn- and Ce-containing NPs. Each facility had these types of NPs present. In all cases, particle concentrations were reduced by a minimum of 60 % and most were reduced by >95 % from source water to finished drinking water. This study concludes that uncoated ZnO and CeO2 NPs may be effectively removed by conventional drinking water treatments including lime softening and alum coagulation.

Drinking-Water Standards and Regulations. Volume 2. Manual for 1982-88

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, L.K.; Wang, M.H.S.

1988-04-10

The following 11 important documents are compiled for Drinking Water Standards and Regulations: (1) U.S. Environmental Agency Water Programs, National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations; (2) New Jersey Safe Drinking Water Act; (3) Summary of New Jersey Drinking Water Standards; (4) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Act of 1986 Amendments; (5) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Primary Drinking Water Standards; (6) Canadian National Health and Welfare Drinking Water Quality Guidelines--Maximum Acceptable Concentrations; (7) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, Filtration and Disinfection Turbidity, Giardia Lamblia, Viruses, Legionella, and Heterotrophic Bacteria; (8) Public Water Supply Manual--Guidemore » to the Safe Drinking Water Program; (9) Public Water Supply Manual--Emergency Response; (10) U.S. EPA Approved Krofta Chemicals; (11) NY-DOH Approved Krofta Chemicals.« less

N-nitrosodimethylamine and trihalomethane formation and minimisation in Southeast Queensland drinking water.

PubMed

Knight, Nicole; Watson, Kalinda; Farré, Maria José; Shaw, Glen

2012-07-01

This study assesses the prevalence of disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors in some Southeast Queensland drinking water sources by conducting formation potential experiments for the four regulated trihalomethanes (THMs), and the potent carcinogen, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). NDMA formation potentials were consistently low (<5-21 ng/L), and total THM (tTHM) formation potentials were consistently below the Australian Drinking Water Guideline (250 μg/L). NDMA concentration of finished drinking waters was also monitored and found to be <5 ng/L in all cases. The effect of coagulation and advanced oxidation on the formation of NDMA and THMs is also reported. UV/H(2)O(2) pre-treatment was effective in producing water with very low THMs concentrations, and UV irradiation was an effective method for NDMA degradation. H(2)O(2) was not required for the observed NDMA degradation to occur. Coagulation using alum, ferric chloride or poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (polyDADMAC) was ineffective in removing DBPs precursors from the source water studied, irrespective of the low dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) attained. Rather, coagulation with polyDADMAC caused an increase in NDMA formation potential upon chloramination, and all coagulants led to an increased tTHM formation potential upon chlorination due to the high bromide concentration of the source water studied.

Trade and investment liberalization, food systems change and highly processed food consumption: a natural experiment contrasting the soft-drink markets of Peru and Bolivia.

PubMed

Baker, Phillip; Friel, Sharon; Schram, Ashley; Labonte, Ron

2016-06-02

Free trade agreements (FTAs) can affect food environments and non-communicable disease risks through altering the availability of highly-processed foods. Few studies have quantified such effects. Using a natural experiment this paper quantifies changes in Peru's soft-drink market before/after entry into the US-Peru FTA, compared with Bolivia, a county with no such agreement. Difference-in-difference models were used to test for between country differences in the rate of per capita foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, soft-drink imports, the volumes of various soft-drinks sold, and the volumes of sugar from soft-drinks before/after FTA ratification (2006) and enforcement (2009). In Peru average per capita FDI-inflows rose from US$103.11 in the pre-ratification period to US$269.79 post-ratification, with little change in Bolivia. This corresponded with a 122 % increase in Peruvian soft-drink production. There was a significant between-country difference in FDI-inflows pre-/post-ratification (DID:1.07, 95 % CI:0.19-1.96; p = 0.01). Despite little difference in total per capita soft-drink sales volumes there was a significant between-country difference in per capita sugar from soft-drinks pre-/post enforcement (DID:-0.99, 95 % CI: -1.91-0.06; p = 0.03) with stagnated growth in Peru and continued growth in Bolivia. This resulted from stagnated sugar sweetened carbonates growth and increased bottled water, juice and sports & energy drinks growth in Peru, with continued carbonates growth in Bolivia. There was a significant between-country difference in per capita carbonates (DID: -1.44, 95 % CI: -2.52-0.36, p = 0.01) and bottled water (DID:0.63; 95 % CI: -0.01-1.26; p = 0.04) sales volumes. The FTA may have resulted in increased FDI-inflows and soft-drink production and also contributed to the diversification of soft drinks produced and sold in Peru with some positive (stagnated carbonates and increased bottled water) and some negative (increased juice and sports & energy drinks) implications for nutrition. These changes were not evident in Bolivia. These results should be interpreted cautiously given the study design limitations.

Global Monitoring of Water Supply and Sanitation: History, Methods and Future Challenges

PubMed Central

Bartram, Jamie; Brocklehurst, Clarissa; Fisher, Michael B.; Luyendijk, Rolf; Hossain, Rifat; Wardlaw, Tessa; Gordon, Bruce

2014-01-01

International monitoring of drinking water and sanitation shapes awareness of countries’ needs and informs policy, implementation and research efforts to extend and improve services. The Millennium Development Goals established global targets for drinking water and sanitation access; progress towards these targets, facilitated by international monitoring, has contributed to reducing the global disease burden and increasing quality of life. The experiences of the MDG period generated important lessons about the strengths and limitations of current approaches to defining and monitoring access to drinking water and sanitation. The methods by which the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) of WHO and UNICEF tracks access and progress are based on analysis of data from household surveys and linear regression modelling of these results over time. These methods provide nationally-representative and internationally-comparable insights into the drinking water and sanitation facilities used by populations worldwide, but also have substantial limitations: current methods do not address water quality, equity of access, or extra-household services. Improved statistical methods are needed to better model temporal trends. This article describes and critically reviews JMP methods in detail for the first time. It also explores the impact of, and future directions for, international monitoring of drinking water and sanitation. PMID:25116635

When urban taps run dry: Sachet water consumption and health effects in low income neighborhoods of Accra, Ghana

PubMed Central

Stoler, Justin; Fink, Günther; Weeks, John R.; Otoo, Richard Appiah; Ampofo, Joseph A.; Hill, Allan G.

2011-01-01

Intraurban differentials in safe drinking water in developing cities have been exacerbated by rapid population growth that exceeds expansion of local water infrastructure. In Accra, Ghana, municipal water is rationed to meet demand, and the gap in water services is increasingly being filled by private water vendors selling packaged “sachet” water. Sachets extend drinking water coverage deeper into low-income areas and alleviate the need for safe water storage, potentially introducing a health benefit over stored tap water. We explore correlates of using sachets as the primary drinking water source for 2,093 women in 37 census areas classified as slums by UN-Habitat, and links between sachet water and reported diarrhea episodes in a subset of 810 children under five. We find that neighborhood rationing exerts a strong effect on a household's likelihood of buying sachet water, and that sachet customers tend to be the poorest of the poor. Sachet use is also associated with higher levels of self-reported overall health in women, and lower likelihood of diarrhea in children. We conclude with implications for sachet regulation in Accra and other sub-Saharan cities facing drinking water shortages. PMID:22018970

Water supply of the population as a problem of energy efficiency on the example of the Tyumen region of Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lezier, Victoria; Gusarova, Miroslava; Kopytova, Anna

2017-10-01

The purpose of this article is to draw public attention to the problems of water supply in the city of Tyumen, the capital of the oil region and one of the most important objects in Russia from the point of view of strategic water supply, located in the region with vast freshwater resources. The article outlines main water supply problems related to the quality of drinking water, its chemical composition, and risks of water contamination by industrial effluents, problems of water transport to the consumers, problems of energy efficiency. The issues raised are part of the energy efficiency not only of the Tyumen region, but also of the Sverdlovsk region, from which the waters of the drinking basin are transited, being a sewage channel for many industrial enterprises. The article touches the issues of water protection, conservation and quality of water coming from the Velizhansky water intake, as well as the possibilities of using alternative sources of drinking water. The article analyzes legal measures, and proposals for improving work with increasing the quality of drinking water, combating melt water and pollution with oil.

Evaluation of exposure scenarios on intentional microbiological contamination in a drinking water distribution network.

PubMed

Schijven, Jack; Forêt, Jean Marie; Chardon, Jurgen; Teunis, Peter; Bouwknegt, Martijn; Tangena, Ben

2016-06-01

Drinking water distribution networks are vulnerable to accidental or intentional contamination events. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of seeding duration and concentration, exposure pathway (ingestion via drinking of water and tooth brushing and inhalation by taking a shower) and pathogen infectivity on exposure and infection risk in the case of an intentional pathogenic contamination in a drinking water distribution network. Seeding of a pathogen for 10 min and 120 min, and subsequent spreading through a drinking water distribution network were simulated. For exposure via drinking, actual data on drinking events and volumes were used. Ingestion of a small volume of water by tooth brushing twice a day by every person in the network was assumed. Inhalation of contaminated aerosol droplets took place when taking a shower. Infection risks were estimated for pathogens with low (r = 0.0001) and high (r = 0.1) infectivity. In the served population (48 000 persons) and within 24 h, about 1400 persons were exposed to the pathogen by ingestion of water in the 10-min seeding scenario and about 3400 persons in the 120-min scenario. The numbers of exposed persons via tooth brushing were about the same as via drinking of water. Showering caused (inhalation) exposure in about 450 persons in the 10-min scenario and about 1500 in the 120-min scenario. Regardless of pathogen infectivity, if the seeding concentration is 10(6) pathogens per litre or more, infection risks are close to one. Exposure by taking a shower is of relevance if the pathogen is highly infectious via inhalation. A longer duration of the seeding of a pathogen increases the probability of exposure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term effects of disinfectants on the community composition of drinking water biofilms.

PubMed

Roeder, Rosemarie S; Lenz, Johannes; Tarne, Peter; Gebel, Jürgen; Exner, Martin; Szewzyk, Ulrich

2010-06-01

Numerous investigations have demonstrated efficiencies of different disinfection methods, but until now only little is known about long-term effects on community compositions of drinking water biofilms. Changes in the community structure, especially regrowth of hygienically relevant microorganisms could be critical for the drinking water quality. In this study the long-term effect of disinfection methods on biofilm communities in drinking water systems was analysed. Old drinking water biofilms grown in silicone tubes were exposed to different preparations of disinfectants (free chlorine, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide combined with fruit acid, silver and silver with peracetic acid, respectively) and subsequently further exposed in the original drinking water. The comparison of the treated and regrown biofilm populations with untreated ones by the DNA-fingerprinting method denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) revealed a considerable population shift caused by the disinfectants. The disinfection methods induced a selection pressure on the biofilm populations depending on the composition and concentrations. The similarities between the treated and untreated biofilms were generally low. Compared to preparations with peracetic acid the disinfection with hydrogen peroxide and silver resulted in higher similarities of the treated and untreated biofilms, but the microbial diversity increased. It can be concluded that the disinfectants have a major impact on the drinking water biofilm communities and that possibly the intervention selects persisters and microorganisms, which can live on the residuals of the dead biofilm cells. For the evaluation of the efficiency of disinfection methods in drinking water installations it is necessary not only to consider reduction of certain bacteria but also to pay attention to the biofilm community. Copyright 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Formation of biofilms in drinking water distribution networks, a case study in two cities in Finland and Latvia.

PubMed

Lehtola, Markku J; Juhna, Tālis; Miettinen, Ilkka T; Vartiainen, Terttu; Martikainen, Pertti J

2004-12-01

The formation of biofilms in drinking water distribution networks is a significant technical, aesthetic and hygienic problem. In this study, the effects of assimilable organic carbon, microbially available phosphorus (MAP), residual chlorine, temperature and corrosion products on the formation of biofilms were studied in two full-scale water supply systems in Finland and Latvia. Biofilm collectors consisting of polyvinyl chloride pipes were installed in several waterworks and distribution networks, which were supplied with chemically precipitated surface waters and groundwater from different sources. During a 1-year study, the biofilm density was measured by heterotrophic plate counts on R2A-agar, acridine orange direct counting and ATP-analyses. A moderate level of residual chlorine decreased biofilm density, whereas an increase of MAP in water and accumulated cast iron corrosion products significantly increased biofilm density. This work confirms, in a full-scale distribution system in Finland and Latvia, our earlier in vitro finding that biofilm formation is affected by the availability of phosphorus in drinking water.

Effects of Intoxicating Free-Choice Alcohol Consumption During Adolescence on Drinking and Impulsivity During Adulthood in Selectively Bred High Alcohol Preferring Mice

PubMed Central

O’Tousa, David Scott; Matson, Liana Marie; Grahame, Nicholas Joseph

2014-01-01

Background Abuse of alcohol during adolescence continues to be a problem, and it has been shown that earlier onset of drinking predicts increased alcohol abuse problems later in life. High levels of impulsivity have been demonstrated to be characteristic of alcoholics, and impulsivity has also been shown to predict later alcohol use in teenage subjects, showing that impulsivity may precede the development of alcohol use disorders. These experiments examined adolescent drinking in a high-drinking, relatively impulsive mouse population, and assessed its effects on adult drinking and adult impulsivity. Methods Experiment 1: Selectively bred High-Alcohol Preferring (HAPII) mice were given either alcohol (free choice access) or water only for two weeks during middle adolescence or adulthood. All mice were given free choice access to alcohol 30 days later, in adulthood. Experiment 2: Adolescent HAPII mice drank alcohol and water, or water alone, for two weeks, and were then trained to perform a delay discounting task as adults to measure impulsivity. In each experiment, effects of volitional ethanol consumption on later behavior were assessed. We expected adolescent alcohol exposure to increase subsequent drinking and impulsivity. Results Mice consumed significant quantities of ethanol, reaching average blood ethanol concentrations (BECs) of 142 mg/dl (adolescent) or 154 mg/dl (adult) in Experiment 1. Adolescent mice in experiment 2 reached an average of 108 mg/dl. Mice exposed to alcohol in either adolescence or adulthood showed a transient increase in ethanol consumption, but we observed no differences in impulsivity in adult mice as a function of whether mice drank alcohol during adolescence. Conclusions These findings indicate that HAPII mice drink intoxicating levels of alcohol during both adolescence and adulthood, and that this volitional intake has long-term effects on subsequent drinking behavior. Nonetheless, this profound exposure to alcohol during adolescence does not increase impulsivity in adulthood, indicating that long-term changes in drinking are mediated by mechanisms other than impulsivity. PMID:22725646

Estimation of incidence and social cost of colon cancer due to nitrate in drinking water in the EU: a tentative cost-benefit assessment.

PubMed

van Grinsven, Hans J M; Rabl, Ari; de Kok, Theo M

2010-10-06

Presently, health costs associated with nitrate in drinking water are uncertain and not quantified. This limits proper evaluation of current policies and measures for solving or preventing nitrate pollution of drinking water resources. The cost for society associated with nitrate is also relevant for integrated assessment of EU nitrogen policies taking a perspective of welfare optimization. The overarching question is at which nitrogen mitigation level the social cost of measures, including their consequence for availability of food and energy, matches the social benefit of these measures for human health and biodiversity. Epidemiological studies suggest colon cancer to be possibly associated with nitrate in drinking water. In this study risk increase for colon cancer is based on a case-control study for Iowa, which is extrapolated to assess the social cost for 11 EU member states by using data on cancer incidence, nitrogen leaching and drinking water supply in the EU. Health costs are provisionally compared with nitrate mitigation costs and social benefits of fertilizer use. For above median meat consumption the risk of colon cancer doubles when exposed to drinking water exceeding 25 mg/L of nitrate (NO3) for more than ten years. We estimate the associated increase of incidence of colon cancer from nitrate contamination of groundwater based drinking water in EU11 at 3%. This corresponds to a population-averaged health loss of 2.9 euro per capita or 0.7 euro per kg of nitrate-N leaching from fertilizer. Our cost estimates indicate that current measures to prevent exceedance of 50 mg/L NO3 are probably beneficial for society and that a stricter nitrate limit and additional measures may be justified. The present assessment of social cost is uncertain because it considers only one type of cancer, it is based on one epidemiological study in Iowa, and involves various assumptions regarding exposure. Our results highlight the need for improved epidemiological studies.

New England's Drinking Water | Drinking Water in New ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-07-06

Information on Drinking Water in New England. Major Topics covered include: Conservation, Private Wells, Preventing Contamination, Drinking Water Sources, Consumer Confidence Reports, and Drinking Water Awards.

A sub-tank water-saving drinking water station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ting

2017-05-01

"Thousands of boiling water" problem has been affecting people's quality of life and good health, and now most of the drinking fountains cannot effectively solve this problem, at the same time, ordinary drinking water also has high energy consumption, there are problems such as yin and yang water. Our newly designed dispenser uses a two-tank heating system. Hot water after heating, into the insulation tank for insulation, when the water tank in the water tank below a certain water level, the cold water and then enter the heating tank heating. Through the water flow, tank volume and other data to calculate the time required for each out of water, so as to determine the best position of the water level control, summed up the optimal program, so that water can be continuously uninterrupted supply. Two cans are placed up and down the way, in the same capacity on the basis of the capacity of the container, the appropriate to reduce its size, and increase the bottom radius, reduce the height of its single tank to ensure that the overall height of two cans compared with the traditional single change. Double anti-dry design, to ensure the safety of the use of drinking water. Heating tank heating circuit on and off by the tank of the float switch control, so that the water heating time from the tank water level control, to avoid the "thousands of boiling water" generation. The entry of cold water is controlled by two solenoid valves in the inlet pipe, and the opening and closing of the solenoid valve is controlled by the float switch in the two tanks. That is, the entry of cold water is determined by the water level of the two tanks. By designing the control scheme cleverly, Yin and yang water generation. Our design completely put an end to the "thousands of boiling water", yin and yang water, greatly improving the drinking water quality, for people's drinking water safety provides a guarantee, in line with the concept of green and healthy development. And in the small amount of water consumption, the drinking water station is different from the ordinary drinking water station repeatedly boil, greatly saving energy, embodies the idea of energy saving.

Strontium concentrations in corrosion products from residential drinking water distribution systems.

PubMed

Gerke, Tammie L; Little, Brenda J; Luxton, Todd P; Scheckel, Kirk G; Maynard, J Barry

2013-05-21

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) will require some U.S. drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) to monitor nonradioactive strontium (Sr(2+)) in drinking water in 2013. Iron corrosion products from four DWDS were examined to assess the potential for Sr(2+) binding and release. Average Sr(2+) concentrations in the outermost layer of the corrosion products ranged from 3 to 54 mg kg(-1) and the Sr(2+) drinking water concentrations were all ≤0.3 mg L(-1). Micro-X-ray adsorption near edge structure spectroscopy and linear combination fitting determined that Sr(2+) was principally associated with CaCO3. Sr(2+) was also detected as a surface complex associated with α-FeOOH. Iron particulates deposited on a filter inside a home had an average Sr(2+) concentration of 40.3 mg kg(-1) and the associated drinking water at a tap was 210 μg L(-1). The data suggest that elevated Sr(2+) concentrations may be associated with iron corrosion products that, if disturbed, could increase Sr(2+) concentrations above the 0.3 μg L(-1) US EPA reporting threshold. Disassociation of very small particulates could result in drinking water Sr(2+) concentrations that exceed the US EPA health reference limit (4.20 mg kg(-1) body weight).

Regulation of Isotopic Composition of Water - way of Improvement of Cosmonauts Drinking Water Functional Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulikova, Ekaterina; Utina, Dina; Vorozhtsova, Svetlana; Severyuhin, Yuri; Abrosimova, Anna; Sinyak, Yuri; Ivanov, Alexander

The problem in providing drinking water to cosmonauts is solved - at this moment there is a task to improve the functional properties of the water. One of the perspectives of this trend is the use of light isotopic water. The animal studies have shown that long-term consumption of water with a depletion of deuterium and oxygen heavy isotopes accelerates the rise of mass non-irradiated mice, the phase fluctuations reducing or increasing hematological parameters were having adaptive nature. These fluctuations didn’t overcome values beyond the physiological norm of this type of animal. It is established that the therapeutic use of light isotopic water with 35 - 90 ppm in deuterium increases the survival of irradiated mice by an average of 30%, contributes to the preservation of irradiated animals body weight. Treatment of acute radiation sickness with light isotopic water stimulates hematopoietic recovery. At the same time, keeping mice drinking light isotopic water for 7 - 8 days before the irradiation (from 4 to 8.5 Gr) has no effect on the level of radio resistance. Longer keeping mice on light isotopic water, for 14 -21 days - reduction in life expectancy, animal mass, bone marrow cellularity and the level of white blood cells in irradiated animals is noted. It was established that keeping mice on light isotopic water for 14 days before exposure in experimental animals causes an increase in the mitotic index and the frequency of formation of aberrant mitosis after 24 hours of Co(60) gamma radiation in doses of 1 , 2, and 4 Gr. Thus, it is clear that the regulation of the isotopic composition of drinking water - way to improve its functional properties.

Removal of fluoride ions from drinking water and fluoride solutions by aluminum modified iron oxides in a column system.

PubMed

García-Sánchez, J J; Solache-Ríos, M; Martínez-Miranda, V; Solís Morelos, C

2013-10-01

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the potential of aluminum modified iron oxides, in a continuous flow for removal of fluoride ions from aqueous solutions and drinking water. The breakthrough curves obtained for fluoride ions adsorption from aqueous solutions and drinking water were fitted to Thomas, Bohart-Adams, and bed depth service time model (BDST). Adsorption capacities at the breakthroughs, Thomas model constant, kinetic constant and the saturation concentration were determined. The results show that in general, the adsorption efficiency decreases as the bed depth increases, and this behavior shows that the adsorption is controlled by the mass transport resistance. The adsorption capacity for fluoride ions by CP-Al is higher for fluoride aqueous solutions than drinking water. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proactive modeling of water quality impacts of extreme precipitation events in a drinking water reservoir.

PubMed

Jeznach, Lillian C; Hagemann, Mark; Park, Mi-Hyun; Tobiason, John E

2017-10-01

Extreme precipitation events are of concern to managers of drinking water sources because these occurrences can affect both water supply quantity and quality. However, little is known about how these low probability events impact organic matter and nutrient loads to surface water sources and how these loads may impact raw water quality. This study describes a method for evaluating the sensitivity of a water body of interest from watershed input simulations under extreme precipitation events. An example application of the method is illustrated using the Wachusett Reservoir, an oligo-mesotrophic surface water reservoir in central Massachusetts and a major drinking water supply to metropolitan Boston. Extreme precipitation event simulations during the spring and summer resulted in total organic carbon, UV-254 (a surrogate measurement for reactive organic matter), and total algae concentrations at the drinking water intake that exceeded recorded maximums. Nutrient concentrations after storm events were less likely to exceed recorded historical maximums. For this particular reservoir, increasing inter-reservoir transfers of water with lower organic matter content after a large precipitation event has been shown in practice and in model simulations to decrease organic matter levels at the drinking water intake, therefore decreasing treatment associated oxidant demand, energy for UV disinfection, and the potential for formation of disinfection byproducts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drinking water from alternative water sources: differences in beliefs, social norms and factors of perceived behavioural control across eight Australian locations.

PubMed

Dolnicar, S; Hurlimann, A

2009-01-01

Australia is facing serious challenges in the management of water in various urban and regional locations. Two popular responses to these challenges are increasing supply through alternative water sources such as recycled and desalinated water. However, significant gaps exist in our knowledge of community attitudes to these alternative sources of water, particularly for potable use. This paper reports results from an Australian study of community attitudes to alternative water sources. Sixty six qualitative interviews were held at eight locations with distinctly different water situations. This paper explores all three antecedents to the behaviour of drinking recycled water and desalinated water as postulated by the Theory of Planned Behaviour: attitudes, social norms and factors of perceived behavioural control. Key results indicate that while people hold both positive and negative beliefs (mostly cost, health and environmental concerns) about water from alternative sources, nearly all of them are willing to drink it if the water crisis were to deteriorate further. People also feel they lack knowledge and state that information from scientists would influence their decision to drink recycled and desalinated water most. Friends and relatives are most influential in preventing people from drinking recycled water. The findings reported in this paper have major implications for water policy, and will be of particular interest to water engineers. The paper raises a provocative question: Is it better to avoid public consultation in introducing water from alternative sources?

Perceptional and socio-demographic factors associated with household drinking water management strategies in rural Puerto Rico.

PubMed

Jain, Meha; Lim, Yili; Arce-Nazario, Javier A; Uriarte, María

2014-01-01

Identifying which factors influence household water management can help policy makers target interventions to improve drinking water quality for communities that may not receive adequate water quality at the tap. We assessed which perceptional and socio-demographic factors are associated with household drinking water management strategies in rural Puerto Rico. Specifically, we examined which factors were associated with household decisions to boil or filter tap water before drinking, or to obtain drinking water from multiple sources. We find that households differ in their management strategies depending on the institution that distributes water (i.e. government PRASA vs community-managed non-PRASA), perceptions of institutional efficacy, and perceptions of water quality. Specifically, households in PRASA communities are more likely to boil and filter their tap water due to perceptions of low water quality. Households in non-PRASA communities are more likely to procure water from multiple sources due to perceptions of institutional inefficacy. Based on informal discussions with community members, we suggest that water quality may be improved if PRASA systems improve the taste and odor of tap water, possibly by allowing for dechlorination prior to distribution, and if non-PRASA systems reduce the turbidity of water at the tap, possibly by increasing the degree of chlorination and filtering prior to distribution. Future studies should examine objective water quality standards to identify whether current management strategies are effective at improving water quality prior to consumption.

Perceptional and Socio-Demographic Factors Associated with Household Drinking Water Management Strategies in Rural Puerto Rico

PubMed Central

Jain, Meha; Lim, Yili; Arce-Nazario, Javier A.; Uriarte, María

2014-01-01

Identifying which factors influence household water management can help policy makers target interventions to improve drinking water quality for communities that may not receive adequate water quality at the tap. We assessed which perceptional and socio-demographic factors are associated with household drinking water management strategies in rural Puerto Rico. Specifically, we examined which factors were associated with household decisions to boil or filter tap water before drinking, or to obtain drinking water from multiple sources. We find that households differ in their management strategies depending on the institution that distributes water (i.e. government PRASA vs community-managed non-PRASA), perceptions of institutional efficacy, and perceptions of water quality. Specifically, households in PRASA communities are more likely to boil and filter their tap water due to perceptions of low water quality. Households in non-PRASA communities are more likely to procure water from multiple sources due to perceptions of institutional inefficacy. Based on informal discussions with community members, we suggest that water quality may be improved if PRASA systems improve the taste and odor of tap water, possibly by allowing for dechlorination prior to distribution, and if non-PRASA systems reduce the turbidity of water at the tap, possibly by increasing the degree of chlorination and filtering prior to distribution. Future studies should examine objective water quality standards to identify whether current management strategies are effective at improving water quality prior to consumption. PMID:24586302

[Study on the amount of daily iodine intake of inhabitants living in drinking water with excessive iodine content areas after termination of iodized salt supply].

PubMed

Zhang, Gen-hong; Li, Su-mei; Zheng, He-ming; Wang, Chuan-gang; Liu, Lie-jun; Li, Xiu-wei; Zhang, Hao-feng; Ke, Geng-yin; Ma, Jian-guo; Yang, Jin; Ma, Ying; Liu, Jin-wen

2007-03-01

To investigate the amount of daily iodine intake in the diet of the target population in drinking water with areas of excessive iodine after stopping supply of iodized salt, to provide evidence for developing strategies on control and prevention of excessive iodine. 335 objectives were selected by a two-stage sampling method in 4 administrative villages with different iodine contents in drinking water. The amount of drinking water intake and dietary survey for 335 people were done by a door-to-door survey,while the iodine contents in the drinking water of each selected family, local staple food and vegetable were measured. The median level of iodine in drinking water was 431.5 microg/L while the daily amount of iodine intake among the three groups of waters with different iodine contents were all greater than RNI. The daily iodine intake of local people was all greater than UL in the areas where the water iodine contents were more than 300 microg/L. It was of statistical sense that the iodine mean intake per capita per day of the three groups differed at different water iodine levels (P < 0.01). The iodine mean intake per capita per day of the three groups of different water iodine levels increased along with water iodine and showed a uptrend (P < 0.01). 83.2%-98.7% of the daily iodine intake of the three groups was from drinking water and 1.3%-16.8% came from food. The iodine intake had high-positive correlation relation with the content of water iodine (P < 0.01). It was concluded that drinking water was the main source of iodine intake in areas with iodine excessive water by the percentage of over 80%. It was necessary to adopt measures to improve the quality of water to decrease the iodine content other than just stopping supplies of iodized salt in the areas where the water iodine contents were greater than 300 microg/L, in order to prevent and control excessive intake of iodine.

Low-level arsenic exposure via drinking water consumption and female fecundity - A preliminary investigation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Susko, Michele L.; Bloom, Michael S., E-mail: mbloom@albany.edu; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, New York

High level arsenic exposure is associated with reproductive toxicity in experimental and observational studies; however, few data exist to assess risks at low levels. Even less data are available to evaluate the impact of low level arsenic exposure on human fecundity. Our aim in this pilot study was a preliminary evaluation of associations between low level drinking water arsenic contamination and female fecundity. This retrospective study was conducted among women previously recruited to a hospital-based case-control study of spontaneous pregnancy loss in Timiá¹£ County, Romania. Women (n=94) with planned pregnancies of 5–20 weeks gestation completed a comprehensive physician-administered study questionnairemore » and reported the number of menstrual cycles attempting to conceive as the time to pregnancy (TTP). Drinking water samples were collected from residential drinking water sources and we determined arsenic levels using hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS). Multivariable Cox-proportional hazards regression with Efron approximation was employed to evaluate TTP as a function of drinking water arsenic concentrations among planned pregnancies, adjusted for covariates. There was no main effect for drinking water arsenic exposure, yet the conditional probability for pregnancy was modestly lower among arsenic exposed women with longer TTPs, relative to women with shorter TTPs, and relative to unexposed women. For example, 1 µg/L average drinking water arsenic conferred 5%, 8%, and 10% lower likelihoods for pregnancy in the 6th, 9th, and 12th cycles, respectively (P=0.01). While preliminary, our results suggest that low level arsenic contamination in residential drinking water sources may further impair fecundity among women with longer waiting times; however, this hypothesis requires confirmation by a future, more definitive study. - Highlights: • We assessed low level drinking water arsenic as a predictor of fecundability. • Arsenic did not affect time to pregnancy among women conceiving quickly. • Arsenic increased time to pregnancy among women taking longer to conceive. • Low level drinking water arsenic may adversely impact women with lower fecundity.« less

[Drinking water regulations in Ukraine and infectious morbidity rate with water pathway of transmission of causative agents].

PubMed

Surmasheva, E V; Korchak, G I; Mikhienkova, A I; Nikonova, N A; Rosada, M A

2013-01-01

These are presented drinking water regulations in Ukraine on microbiological indices in the new state document "Hygienic Drinking water regulations intended for human consumption" (State sanitary regulations and standards (GsanPiN) 2.2.4-171-10). There is reported an analysis of both the open waterbodies water quality and water for centralized water supply in 2007-2011 and 1992-1996 also on sanitary-bacteriological indices for performance of comparative retrospective analysis. There has been shown water quality degradation for open waterbodies, the main sources of water supply for population. Against this background, a marked improvement of drinking water quality has been noted, the number of non-standard samples decreased to 3.6 % compared with 8.8% in the preceding 15 years. This index correlates with a decrease in the number of outbreaks of infections transmitted by water. There was noted unsatisfactory registration of viral infections with water pathway of transmission and the increase in morbidity rate of gastroenterocolitides of unknown etiology that may include acute viral intestinal infections. Expediency to keep "fermentation of glucose" test in bacteriological examination of water in the identification scheme of general coliforms has been substantiated.

Hypoglicemic activity of gambier (Uncaria gambir robx.) drinks in alloxan-induced mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zebua, E. A.; Silalahi, J.; Julianti, E.

2018-02-01

Diabetes may cause complications in various parts of the body and increase the risk of early death. Gambier contains bioactive compounds and can be used as raw material in preparing gambier drink. The purpose of this study was to extract gambier, to determine the hypoglycemic activity of gambier drinks in alloxan-induced mice. In this study, gambier were extracted by 3 types of solvents with distilled water, ethyl acetate, and ethanol. The gambier drinks was tested on 5 groups of mice wich consisting of 5 male mice. Group 1 was given 0.5% CMC 1%/bw, group 2 was given metformin 65 mg/kg bw, groups 3, 4 and 5 were given gambier drinks with dosage of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg bw. The results showed that extraction using distiled water produced the best gambier drinks. Gambier drinks with dosage 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg bb given for 15 days decreased the blood glucose level 27.69%, 38.75%, and 50.62% respectively, and increased the body weight 13.14%, 10, 91%, and 10.18% respectively. Treatment with gambier drinks was found to improve the condition of pancreatic langerhans island of alloxan-induced mice.

THE URINARY BLADDER EXHIBITS A U-SHAPED GENOMIC DOSE-RESPONSE FOLLOWING SHORT- AND LONG-TERM EXPOSURE OF MICE TO ARSENATE IN DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

A number of studies have demonstrated increased urinary bladder tumor incidence in populations exposed to inorganic arsenic in drinking water at concentrations on the order of several hundred micrograms per liter, but experimental animal studies at much higher concentrations have...

CYANOBACTERIA PASSAGE THROUGH DRINKING WATER FILTERS DURING PERTURBATION EPISODES AS A FUNCTION OF CELL MORPHOLOGY, COAGULANT AND INITIAL FILTER LOADING RATE

EPA Science Inventory

Eight pilot-scale in-line filtration trials were performed to evaluate the passage of cyanobacterial cells through drinking water filters after sudden increases in hydraulic loading rates. Trials were performed at 30 degrees C using two coagulant combinations (aluminum sulfate a...

Drinking water quality in Indigenous communities in Canada and health outcomes: a scoping review.

PubMed

Bradford, Lori E A; Okpalauwaekwe, Udoka; Waldner, Cheryl L; Bharadwaj, Lalita A

2016-01-01

Many Indigenous communities in Canada live with high-risk drinking water systems and drinking water advisories and experience health status and water quality below that of the general population. A scoping review of research examining drinking water quality and its relationship to Indigenous health was conducted. The study was undertaken to identify the extent of the literature, summarize current reports and identify research needs. A scoping review was designed to identify peer-reviewed literature that examined challenges related to drinking water and health in Indigenous communities in Canada. Key search terms were developed and mapped on five bibliographic databases (MEDLINE/PubMED, Web of Knowledge, SciVerse Scopus, Taylor and Francis online journal and Google Scholar). Online searches for grey literature using relevant government websites were completed. Sixteen articles (of 518; 156 bibliographic search engines, 362 grey literature) met criteria for inclusion (contained keywords; publication year 2000-2015; peer-reviewed and from Canada). Studies were quantitative (8), qualitative (5) or mixed (3) and included case, cohort, cross-sectional and participatory designs. In most articles, no definition of "health" was given (14/16), and the primary health issue described was gastrointestinal illness (12/16). Challenges to the study of health and well-being with respect to drinking water in Indigenous communities included irregular funding, remote locations, ethical approval processes, small sample sizes and missing data. Research on drinking water and health outcomes in Indigenous communities in Canada is limited and occurs on an opportunistic basis. There is a need for more research funding, and inquiry to inform policy decisions for improvements of water quality and health-related outcomes in Indigenous communities. A coordinated network looking at First Nations water and health outcomes, a database to store and create access to research findings, increased funding and time frames for funding, and more decolonizing and community-based participatory research aimed at understanding the relationship between drinking water quality and health outcomes in First Nations communities in Canada are needed.

Lead in drinking water and human blood lead levels in the United States.

PubMed

Brown, Mary Jean; Margolis, Stephen

2012-08-10

Lead is a pervasive environmental contaminant. The adverse health effects of lead exposure in children and adults are well documented, and no safe blood lead threshold in children has been identified. Lead can be ingested from various sources, including lead paint and house dust contaminated by lead paint, as well as soil, drinking water, and food. The concentration of lead, total amount of lead consumed, and duration of lead exposure influence the severity of health effects. Because lead accumulates in the body, all sources of lead should be controlled or eliminated to prevent childhood lead poisoning. Beginning in the 1970s, lead concentrations in air, tap water, food, dust, and soil began to be substantially reduced, resulting in significantly reduced blood lead levels (BLLs) in children throughout the United States. However, children are still being exposed to lead, and many of these children live in housing built before the 1978 ban on lead-based residential paint. These homes might contain lead paint hazards, as well as drinking water service lines made from lead, lead solder, or plumbing materials that contain lead. Adequate corrosion control reduces the leaching of lead plumbing components or solder into drinking water. The majority of public water utilities are in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) of 1991. However, some children are still exposed to lead in drinking water. EPA is reviewing LCR, and additional changes to the rule are expected that will further protect public health. Childhood lead poisoning prevention programs should be made aware of the results of local public water system lead monitoring measurement under LCR and consider drinking water as a potential cause of increased BLLs, especially when other sources of lead exposure are not identified.

Microcystins from tap water could be a risk factor for liver and colorectal cancer: a risk intensified by global change.

PubMed

Martínez Hernández, Juan; López-Rodas, V; Costas, E

2009-05-01

An increasing number of people drink water from fresh water supply reservoirs. However, with the global change a lot of reservoirs become eutrophic, which facilitates the occurrence of toxin-producing cyanobacterial blooms. Microcystins (powerful hepatotoxic water-soluble heptapeptides) are the most important cyanobacterial toxins affecting humans. High doses of microcystins produce hepatic necrosis. Consequently, WHO Guidelines limit microcystins to 1 ppb in drinking waters. However, microcystins are present frequently in tap water at lower doses. Here, we hypothesized that chronic consume of tap water containing low doses of microcystins may be a risk factor for liver and colorectal cancer. Two kinds of evidences support this hypothesis. On one hand some epidemiological data (mainly in China). On the other hand, the molecular mechanism of microcystins toxicity (inhibition of protein phosphatases PP1 and PP2) is just like okadaic acid (a potent tumor promoter). Cancer risk from drinking water is certainly less than smoking, occupational exposures or some foods. But it is significant and with a rapid increase of toxic cyanobacterial blooms by eutrophycation, become more frequent.

Deficiencies in drinking water distribution systems in developing countries.

PubMed

Lee, Ellen J; Schwab, Kellogg J

2005-06-01

Rapidly growing populations and migration to urban areas in developing countries has resulted in a vital need for the establishment of centralized water systems to disseminate potable water to residents. Protected source water and modern, well-maintained drinking water treatment plants can provide water adequate for human consumption. However, ageing, stressed or poorly maintained distribution systems can cause the quality of piped drinking water to deteriorate below acceptable levels and pose serious health risks. This review will outline distribution system deficiencies in developing countries caused by: the failure to disinfect water or maintain a proper disinfection residual; low pipeline water pressure; intermittent service; excessive network leakages; corrosion of parts; inadequate sewage disposal; and inequitable pricing and usage of water. Through improved research, monitoring and surveillance, increased understanding of distribution system deficiencies may focus limited resources on key areas in an effort to improve public health and decrease global disease burden.

Atrazine and Nitrate in Public Drinking Water Supplies and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Nebraska, USA

PubMed Central

Rhoades, Martha G.; Meza, Jane L.; Beseler, Cheryl L.; Shea, Patrick J.; Kahle, Andy; Vose, Julie M.; Eskridge, Kent M.; Spalding, Roy F.

2013-01-01

A secondary analysis of 1999–2002 Nebraska case-control data was conducted to assess the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) associated with exposure to nitrate- and atrazine-contaminated drinking water. Water chemistry data were collected and weighted by well contribution and proximity of residence to water supply, followed by logistic regression to determine odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). We found no association between NHL risk and exposure to drinking water containing atrazine or nitrate alone. Risk associated with the interaction of nitrate and atrazine in drinking water was elevated (OR, 2.5; CI, 1.0–6.2). Risk of indolent B-cell lymphoma was higher than risk of aggressive B-cell lymphoma (indolent: OR, 3.5; CI, 1.0–11.6 vs. aggressive: OR, 1.9; CI, 0.6–5.58). This increased risk may be due to in vivo formation and subsequent metabolism of N-nitrosoatrazine. A larger study is warranted to confirm our findings. PMID:23515852

Toxicological relevance of pharmaceuticals in drinking water.

PubMed

Bruce, Gretchen M; Pleus, Richard C; Snyder, Shane A

2010-07-15

Interest in the public health significance of trace levels of pharmaceuticals in potable water is increasing, particularly with regard to the effects of long-term, low-dose exposures. To assess health risks and establish target concentrations for water treatment, human health risk-based screening levels for 15 pharmaceutically active ingredients and four metabolites were compared to concentrations detected at 19 drinking water treatment plants across the United States. Compounds were selected based on rate of use, likelihood of occurrence, and potential for toxicity. Screening levels were established based on animal toxicity data and adverse effects at therapeutic doses, focusing largely on reproductive and developmental toxicity and carcinogenicity. Calculated drinking water equivalent levels (DWELs) ranged from 0.49 microg/L (risperidone) to 20,000 microg/L (naproxen). None of the 10 detected compounds exceeded their DWEL. Ratios of DWELs to maximum detected concentrations ranged from 110 (phenytoin) to 6,000,000 (sulfamethoxazole). Based on this evaluation, adverse health effects from targeted pharmaceuticals occurring in U.S. drinking water are not expected.

Energy drink enhances the behavioral effects of alcohol in adolescent mice.

PubMed

Krahe, Thomas E; Filgueiras, Cláudio C; da Silva Quaresma, Renata; Schibuola, Helen Gomes; Abreu-Villaça, Yael; Manhães, Alex C; Ribeiro-Carvalho, Anderson

2017-06-09

Mixing alcohol with energy drinks has become increasingly popular among teenagers and young adults due to the prevailing view that the stimulant properties of energy drinks decrease the depressant effects of alcohol. Surprisingly, in spite of energy drinks being heavily marketed to and consumed by adolescents, there is scarcely available preclinical data on the neurobehavioral effects of energy drinks mixed with alcohol during adolescence. Thus, here we examine the effects of the combined exposure to alcohol and energy drink on adolescent mice using a variety of behavioral tasks to assess locomotor activity, righting reflex and motor coordination. At postnatal day 40, male and female Swiss mice were assigned to the following experimental groups: alcohol diluted in energy drink (Ed+Etoh), alcohol diluted in water (Etoh) or controls (Ctrl: energy drink or water). Alcohol and energy drink (Red Bull) concentrations were 4g/kg and 8ml/kg, respectively, and all solutions were administered via oral gavage. When compared to Etoh mice, Ed+Etoh animals displayed greater locomotor activity and increased anxiety-like behaviors in the open-field, lost their righting reflexes sooner and displayed poorer motor coordination in the rotarod. Collectively, our findings indicate that alcohol-induced deficits in adolescent mice are worsened by energy drink and go against the view that the stimulant properties of energy drinks can antagonize the adverse effects of alcohol. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the risk of water distribution system failure: A shared frailty model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Robert M.; Thurnau, Robert C.

2011-12-01

Condition assessment (CA) Modeling is drawing increasing interest as a technique that can assist in managing drinking water infrastructure. This paper develops a model based on the application of a Cox proportional hazard (PH)/shared frailty model and applies it to evaluating the risk of failure in drinking water networks using data from the Laramie Water Utility (located in Laramie, Wyoming, USA). Using the risk model a cost/ benefit analysis incorporating the inspection value method (IVM), is used to assist in making improved repair, replacement and rehabilitation decisions for selected drinking water distribution system pipes. A separate model is developed to predict failures in prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP). Various currently available inspection technologies are presented and discussed.

Removal of natural organic matter in drinking water treatment by coagulation: A comprehensive review.

PubMed

Sillanpää, Mika; Ncibi, Mohamed Chaker; Matilainen, Anu; Vepsäläinen, Mikko

2018-01-01

Natural organic matter (NOM) is a complex matrix of organic substances produced in (or channeled to) aquatic ecosystems via various biological, geological and hydrological cycles. Such variability is posing a serious challenge to most water treatment technologies, especially the ones designed to treat drinking water supplies. Lately, in addition to the fluctuating composition of NOM, a substantial increase of its concentration in fresh waters, and also municipal wastewater effluents, has been reported worldwide, which justifies the urgent need to develop highly efficient and versatile water treatment processes. Coagulation is among the most applied processes for water and wastewater treatment. The application of coagulation to remove NOM from drinking water supplies has received a great deal of attention from researchers around the world because it was efficient and helped avoiding the formation of disinfection by products (DBPs). Nonetheless, with the increased fluctuation of NOM in water (concentration and composition), the efficiency of conventional coagulation was substantially reduced, hence the need to develop enhanced coagulation processes by optimizing the operating conditions (mainly the amount coagulants and pH), developing more efficient inorganic or organic coagulants, as well as coupling coagulation with other water treatment technologies. In the present review, recent research studies dealing with the application of coagulation for NOM removal from drinking water supplies are presented and compared. In addition, integration schemes combining coagulation and other water treatment processes are presented, including membrane filtration, oxidation, adsorption and others processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early warning risk assessment for drinking water production: decoding subtle evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merz, Christoph; Lischeid, Gunnar; Böttcher, Steven

2016-04-01

Due to increasing demands for high quality water for drinking water supply all over the world there is acute need for methods to detect possible threats to groundwater resources early. Especially drinking water production in complex geologic settings has a particularly high risk for unexpected degradation of the groundwater quality due to the unknown interplay between anthropogenically induced hydraulic changes and geochemical processes. This study investigates the possible benefit of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for groundwater and drinking water management using common sets of physicochemical monitoring data. The approach was used to identify the prevailing processes driving groundwater quality shifts and related threats, which might be masked in anthropogenically impacted aquifer systems. The approach was applied to a data set from a waterworks located in the state of Brandenburg, NE Germany, which has been operating since nearly four decades. The region faces confronting and increasing demands due to rising peri-urban settlements. The PCA subdivided the data set according to different strengths of effects induced by differing geochemical processes at different sites in the capture zone of the waterworks and varying in time. Thus a spatial assessment of these processes could be performed as well as a temporal assessment of long-term groundwater quality shifts in the extracted water. The analysis revealed that over the period of 16 years of water withdrawal the geochemistry of the extracted groundwater had become increasingly more dissimilar compared to the characteristics found at the majority of observation wells. This component could be identified as highly mineralized CaSO4 dominated water from unexamined deeper zones of the aquifer system. Due to the complex geochemical and hydraulic interactions in the system, this process was masked and was not evident in the data set without validation by the applied statistical analysis. The findings give a clear indication of a potential threat to the groundwater resources in this region with danger for drinking water contamination in a medium-term period.

Comparison of Barium and Arsenic Concentrations in Well Drinking Water and in Human Body Samples and a Novel Remediation System for These Elements in Well Drinking Water.

PubMed

Kato, Masashi; Kumasaka, Mayuko Y; Ohnuma, Shoko; Furuta, Akio; Kato, Yoko; Shekhar, Hossain U; Kojima, Michiyo; Koike, Yasuko; Dinh Thang, Nguyen; Ohgami, Nobutaka; Ly, Thuy Bich; Jia, Xiaofang; Yetti, Husna; Naito, Hisao; Ichihara, Gaku; Yajima, Ichiro

2013-01-01

Health risk for well drinking water is a worldwide problem. Our recent studies showed increased toxicity by exposure to barium alone (≤700 µg/L) and coexposure to barium (137 µg/L) and arsenic (225 µg/L). The present edition of WHO health-based guidelines for drinking water revised in 2011 has maintained the values of arsenic (10 µg/L) and barium (700 µg/L), but not elements such as manganese, iron and zinc. Nevertheless, there have been very few studies on barium in drinking water and human samples. This study showed significant correlations between levels of arsenic and barium, but not its homologous elements (magnesium, calcium and strontium), in urine, toenail and hair samples obtained from residents of Jessore, Bangladesh. Significant correlation between levels of arsenic and barium in well drinking water and levels in human urine, toenail and hair samples were also observed. Based on these results, a high-performance and low-cost adsorbent composed of a hydrotalcite-like compound for barium and arsenic was developed. The adsorbent reduced levels of barium and arsenic from well water in Bangladesh and Vietnam to <7 µg/L within 1 min. Thus, we have showed levels of arsenic and barium in humans and propose a novel remediation system.

Tool-use for drinking water by immature chimpanzees of Mahale: prevalence of an unessential behavior.

PubMed

Matsusaka, Takahisa; Nishie, Hitonaru; Shimada, Masaki; Kutsukake, Nobuyuki; Zamma, Koichiro; Nakamura, Michio; Nishida, Toshisada

2006-04-01

Use of leaves or sticks for drinking water has only rarely been observed during long-term study of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) at Mahale. Recently, however, we observed 42 episodes of tool-use for drinking water (73 tools and two cases of using "tool-sets") between 1999 and 2004. Interestingly, all of the performers were immature chimpanzees aged from 2 to 10 years. Immature chimpanzees sometimes observed the tool-using performance of others and subsequently reproduced the behavior, while adults usually paid no attention to the performance. This tool-use did not seem to occur out of necessity: (1) chimpanzees often used tools along streams where they could drink water without tools, (2) they used tools for drinking water from tree holes during the wet season when they could easily obtain water from many streams, and (3) the tool-using performance sometimes contained playful aspects. Between-site comparisons revealed that chimpanzees at drier habitats used tools for drinking water more frequently and in a more "conventional" manner. However, some variations could not be explained by ecological conditions. Such variations and the increase in this tool-use in recent years at Mahale strongly suggest that social learning plays an important role in the process of acquiring the behavior. We should note here that such behaviors that lack obvious benefits or necessity can be prevalent in a group.

Comparison of Barium and Arsenic Concentrations in Well Drinking Water and in Human Body Samples and a Novel Remediation System for These Elements in Well Drinking Water

PubMed Central

Kato, Masashi; Kumasaka, Mayuko Y.; Ohnuma, Shoko; Furuta, Akio; Kato, Yoko; Shekhar, Hossain U.; Kojima, Michiyo; Koike, Yasuko; Dinh Thang, Nguyen; Ohgami, Nobutaka; Ly, Thuy Bich; Jia, Xiaofang; Yetti, Husna; Naito, Hisao; Ichihara, Gaku; Yajima, Ichiro

2013-01-01

Health risk for well drinking water is a worldwide problem. Our recent studies showed increased toxicity by exposure to barium alone (≤700 µg/L) and coexposure to barium (137 µg/L) and arsenic (225 µg/L). The present edition of WHO health-based guidelines for drinking water revised in 2011 has maintained the values of arsenic (10 µg/L) and barium (700 µg/L), but not elements such as manganese, iron and zinc. Nevertheless, there have been very few studies on barium in drinking water and human samples. This study showed significant correlations between levels of arsenic and barium, but not its homologous elements (magnesium, calcium and strontium), in urine, toenail and hair samples obtained from residents of Jessore, Bangladesh. Significant correlation between levels of arsenic and barium in well drinking water and levels in human urine, toenail and hair samples were also observed. Based on these results, a high-performance and low-cost adsorbent composed of a hydrotalcite-like compound for barium and arsenic was developed. The adsorbent reduced levels of barium and arsenic from well water in Bangladesh and Vietnam to <7 µg/L within 1 min. Thus, we have showed levels of arsenic and barium in humans and propose a novel remediation system. PMID:23805262

The effects of age at the onset of drinking to intoxication and chronic ethanol self-administration in male rhesus macaques

PubMed Central

Helms, Christa M.; Rau, Andrew; Shaw, Jessica; Stull, Cara; Gonzales, Steven W.; Grant, Kathleen A.

2014-01-01

Rationale Consumption of alcohol begins during late adolescence in a majority of humans, and the greatest drinking occurs at 18–25 years then decreases with age. Objectives The present study measured differences in ethanol intake in relation to age at the onset of ethanol access among non-human primates to control for self-selection in humans and isolate age effects on heavy drinking. Methods Male rhesus macaques were assigned first access to ethanol during late adolescence (n = 8), young adulthood (n = 8) or early middle age (n = 11). The monkeys were induced to drink ethanol (4% w/v in water) in increasing doses (water, 0.5 g/kg, 1.0 g/kg, 1.5 g/kg) using a fixed-time (FT) 300-s schedule of food delivery, followed by 22 hours/day concurrent access to ethanol and water for 12 months. Age-matched controls consumed isocaloric maltose-dextrin solution yoked to the late adolescents, expected to be rapidly maturing (n = 4). Results Young adult monkeys had the greatest daily ethanol intake and blood-ethanol concentration (BEC). Only late adolescents escalated their intake (ethanol, not water) during the second compared to the first 6 months of access. On average, testosterone was consistent with age differences in maturation, and tended to increase throughout the experiment more for control than ethanol-drinking adolescent monkeys. Conclusions Young adulthood in non-human primates strongly disposes toward heavy drinking independently of sociocultural factors present in humans. Drinking ethanol to intoxication during the critical period of late adolescence is associated with escalation to heavy drinking. PMID:24448900

Evaluating nanoparticle breakthrough during drinking water treatment.

PubMed

Abbott Chalew, Talia E; Ajmani, Gaurav S; Huang, Haiou; Schwab, Kellogg J

2013-10-01

Use of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) in consumer products is resulting in NPs in drinking water sources. Subsequent NP breakthrough into treated drinking water is a potential exposure route and human health threat. In this study we investigated the breakthrough of common NPs--silver (Ag), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and zinc oxide (ZnO)--into finished drinking water following conventional and advanced treatment. NPs were spiked into five experimental waters: groundwater, surface water, synthetic freshwater, synthetic freshwater containing natural organic matter, and tertiary wastewater effluent. Bench-scale coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation simulated conventional treatment, and microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) simulated advanced treatment. We monitored breakthrough of NPs into treated water by turbidity removal and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Conventional treatment resulted in 2-20%, 3-8%, and 48-99% of Ag, TiO2, and ZnO NPs, respectively, or their dissolved ions remaining in finished water. Breakthrough following MF was 1-45% for Ag, 0-44% for TiO2, and 36-83% for ZnO. With UF, NP breakthrough was 0-2%, 0-4%, and 2-96% for Ag, TiO2, and ZnO, respectively. Variability was dependent on NP stability, with less breakthrough of aggregated NPs compared with stable NPs and dissolved NP ions. Although a majority of aggregated or stable NPs were removed by simulated conventional and advanced treatment, NP metals were detectable in finished water. As environmental NP concentrations increase, we need to consider NPs as emerging drinking water contaminants and determine appropriate drinking water treatment processes to fully remove NPs in order to reduce their potential harmful health outcomes.

Closing the Gap: the need to consider perceptions about drinking water in rural Aboriginal communities in NSW, Australia.

PubMed

Jaravani, Fidelis G; Massey, Peter D; Judd, Jenni; Allan, Jason; Allan, Natalie

2016-04-15

A crucial objective of the Australian Government's Closing the Gap program is to improve Aboriginal health, and to achieve morbidity and mortality rates similar to those for non-Indigenous Australians. Reducing public health risks due to drinking water of unknown quality will help to close the gap. Factors such as hardness, taste, colour and odour of water may influence perceptions of risk and quality. Increased contact and familiarity with a hazard is associated with individuals becoming desensitised and habituated to its presence, so that their risk judgements may reflect their behavioural experiences. Consumption of water of unknown quality, such as rainwater, instead of treated town water in Australian Aboriginal communities may be a community norm, a part of a community's culture or a result of lack of trust in government water suppliers. Partnerships between service providers and communities can ensure that the service is responsive to community needs, is conducted in a culturally appropriate manner and is beneficial to the community. Governance of drinking water in Aboriginal communities cannot be comprehensive without active engagement of the communities involved, and greater understanding of cultural issues, perceptions and behaviours towards drinking water quality. This Perspective article reviews the literature to shed light on the need to consider New South Wales (NSW) Aboriginal perceptions about drinking water and its acceptability. We urge more dialogue and research, and a policy focus that includes partnerships with discrete NSW Aboriginal communities to develop a deeper understanding of perceptions of drinking water and encourage consumption of safe water.

Beer improves copper metabolism and increases longevity in Cu-deficient rats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moore, R.J.; Klevay, L.M.

Moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages decreases risk of death from ischemic heart disease (IHD). Evidence suggests that Cu-deficiency is important in the etiology and pathophysiology of IHD. The effect of beer (25 ng Cu/ml) drinking on the severity of Cu-deficiency was examined in weanling, male Sprague-Dawley rats fed a low Cu diet (0.84 {mu}g Cu/g). Beer drinking increased median longevity to 204 or 299 d from 62 or 42 d respectively in rats drinking water in two experiments (15 rats/group). In experiment 3, a single dose of {sup 67}Cu (3.3 {mu}Ci as chloride) was added to 1 g of feedmore » and given to 12-h fasted rats 30 d after the start of the experiment. Whole body counting over 13 d showed apparent Cu absorption and t{sub {1/2}} (biological) were greater in Cu-deficient rats drinking beer than in similar rats drinking water. Plasma cholesterol was lower but hematocrit and liver Cu were higher in surviving rats drinking beer than in rats drinking water. Body weight was not affected by beer in any experiment. In experiment 4, a 4% aqueous ethanol solution had no effect on longevity of copper deficient rats. A non-alcohol component of beer alters Cu metabolism and mitigates the severity of nutritional Cu-deficiency in rats.« less

Promoting household water treatment through women's self help groups in Rural India: assessing impact on drinking water quality and equity.

PubMed

Freeman, Matthew C; Trinies, Victoria; Boisson, Sophie; Mak, Gregory; Clasen, Thomas

2012-01-01

Household water treatment, including boiling, chlorination and filtration, has been shown effective in improving drinking water quality and preventing diarrheal disease among vulnerable populations. We used a case-control study design to evaluate the extent to which the commercial promotion of household water filters through microfinance institutions to women's self-help group (SHG) members improved access to safe drinking water. This pilot program achieved a 9.8% adoption rate among women targeted for adoption. Data from surveys and assays of fecal contamination (thermotolerant coliforms, TTC) of drinking water samples (source and household) were analyzed from 281 filter adopters and 247 non-adopters exposed to the program; 251 non-SHG members were also surveyed. While adopters were more likely than non-adopters to have children under 5 years, they were also more educated, less poor, more likely to have access to improved water supplies, and more likely to have previously used a water filter. Adopters had lower levels of fecal contamination of household drinking water than non-adopters, even among those non-adopters who treated their water by boiling or using traditional ceramic filters. Nevertheless, one-third of water samples from adopter households exceeded 100 TTC/100ml (high risk), and more than a quarter of the filters had no stored treated water available when visited by an investigator, raising concerns about correct, consistent use. In addition, the poorest adopters were less likely to see improvements in their water quality. Comparisons of SHG and non-SHG members suggest similar demographic characteristics, indicating SHG members are an appropriate target group for this promotion campaign. However, in order to increase the potential for health gains, future programs will need to increase uptake, particularly among the poorest households who are most susceptible to disease morbidity and mortality, and focus on strategies to improve the correct, consistent and sustained use of these water treatment products.

Promoting Household Water Treatment through Women's Self Help Groups in Rural India: Assessing Impact on Drinking Water Quality and Equity

PubMed Central

Freeman, Matthew C.; Trinies, Victoria; Boisson, Sophie; Mak, Gregory; Clasen, Thomas

2012-01-01

Household water treatment, including boiling, chlorination and filtration, has been shown effective in improving drinking water quality and preventing diarrheal disease among vulnerable populations. We used a case-control study design to evaluate the extent to which the commercial promotion of household water filters through microfinance institutions to women's self-help group (SHG) members improved access to safe drinking water. This pilot program achieved a 9.8% adoption rate among women targeted for adoption. Data from surveys and assays of fecal contamination (thermotolerant coliforms, TTC) of drinking water samples (source and household) were analyzed from 281 filter adopters and 247 non-adopters exposed to the program; 251 non-SHG members were also surveyed. While adopters were more likely than non-adopters to have children under 5 years, they were also more educated, less poor, more likely to have access to improved water supplies, and more likely to have previously used a water filter. Adopters had lower levels of fecal contamination of household drinking water than non-adopters, even among those non-adopters who treated their water by boiling or using traditional ceramic filters. Nevertheless, one-third of water samples from adopter households exceeded 100 TTC/100ml (high risk), and more than a quarter of the filters had no stored treated water available when visited by an investigator, raising concerns about correct, consistent use. In addition, the poorest adopters were less likely to see improvements in their water quality. Comparisons of SHG and non-SHG members suggest similar demographic characteristics, indicating SHG members are an appropriate target group for this promotion campaign. However, in order to increase the potential for health gains, future programs will need to increase uptake, particularly among the poorest households who are most susceptible to disease morbidity and mortality, and focus on strategies to improve the correct, consistent and sustained use of these water treatment products. PMID:22957043

Effects of treatment with sucrose in drinking water on liver histology, lipogenesis and lipogenic gene expression in rats fed high-fiber diet.

PubMed

Mašek, Tomislav; Filipović, Natalija; Vuica, Ana; Starčević, Kristina

2017-01-01

We studied the influence of sucrose in drinking water on liver histology, fatty acid profile and lipogenic genes expression in rats maintained on high-fiber. The experimental groups were: control group (water) and sucrose group (sucrose solution in drinking water, 30% w/v). Liver histology of sucrose treated rats revealed steatosis and increased number of αSMA immunoreactive cells without the signs of fibrosis. Sucrose treatment increased de novo lipogenesis, lipid peroxidation and MUFA content and decreased PUFA content, C18:2n6 and C20:4n6 content in total phospholipids and phosphatidylethanolamine and C18:2n6 content in cardiolipin. RT-qPCR revealed increase in Δ-9-desaturase and SREBP1c gene expression and decrease in the Δ-5-desaturase and elongase 5 expression. Treatment with sucrose extensively changes fatty acid composition of hepatic lipid and phospholipid classes including cardiolipin, increases oxidative stress and causes pathological changes in liver in rats maintained on high-fiber diet. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social disparities in nitrate-contaminated drinking water in California's San Joaquin Valley.

PubMed

Balazs, Carolina; Morello-Frosch, Rachel; Hubbard, Alan; Ray, Isha

2011-09-01

Research on drinking water in the United States has rarely examined disproportionate exposures to contaminants faced by low-income and minority communities. This study analyzes the relationship between nitrate concentrations in community water systems (CWSs) and the racial/ethnic and socioeconomic characteristics of customers. We hypothesized that CWSs in California's San Joaquin Valley that serve a higher proportion of minority or residents of lower socioeconomic status have higher nitrate levels and that these disparities are greater among smaller drinking water systems. We used water quality monitoring data sets (1999-2001) to estimate nitrate levels in CWSs, and source location and census block group data to estimate customer demographics. Our linear regression model included 327 CWSs and reported robust standard errors clustered at the CWS level. Our adjusted model controlled for demographics and water system characteristics and stratified by CWS size. Percent Latino was associated with a 0.04-mg nitrate-ion (NO3)/L increase in a CWS's estimated NO3 concentration [95% confidence interval (CI), -0.08 to 0.16], and rate of home ownership was associated with a 0.16-mg NO3/L decrease (95% CI, -0.32 to 0.002). Among smaller systems, the percentage of Latinos and of homeownership was associated with an estimated increase of 0.44 mg NO3/L (95% CI, 0.03-0.84) and a decrease of 0.15 mg NO3/L (95% CI, -0.64 to 0.33), respectively. Our findings suggest that in smaller water systems, CWSs serving larger percentages of Latinos and renters receive drinking water with higher nitrate levels. This suggests an environmental inequity in drinking water quality.

Social Disparities in Nitrate-Contaminated Drinking Water in California’s San Joaquin Valley

PubMed Central

Morello-Frosch, Rachel; Hubbard, Alan; Ray, Isha

2011-01-01

Background: Research on drinking water in the United States has rarely examined disproportionate exposures to contaminants faced by low-income and minority communities. This study analyzes the relationship between nitrate concentrations in community water systems (CWSs) and the racial/ethnic and socioeconomic characteristics of customers. Objectives: We hypothesized that CWSs in California’s San Joaquin Valley that serve a higher proportion of minority or residents of lower socioeconomic status have higher nitrate levels and that these disparities are greater among smaller drinking water systems. Methods: We used water quality monitoring data sets (1999–2001) to estimate nitrate levels in CWSs, and source location and census block group data to estimate customer demographics. Our linear regression model included 327 CWSs and reported robust standard errors clustered at the CWS level. Our adjusted model controlled for demographics and water system characteristics and stratified by CWS size. Results: Percent Latino was associated with a 0.04-mg nitrate-ion (NO3)/L increase in a CWS’s estimated NO3 concentration [95% confidence interval (CI), –0.08 to 0.16], and rate of home ownership was associated with a 0.16-mg NO3/L decrease (95% CI, –0.32 to 0.002). Among smaller systems, the percentage of Latinos and of homeownership was associated with an estimated increase of 0.44 mg NO3/L (95% CI, 0.03–0.84) and a decrease of 0.15 mg NO3/L (95% CI, –0.64 to 0.33), respectively. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that in smaller water systems, CWSs serving larger percentages of Latinos and renters receive drinking water with higher nitrate levels. This suggests an environmental inequity in drinking water quality. PMID:21642046

Fluxes of 13 selected pharmaceuticals in the water cycle of Stockholm, Sweden.

PubMed

Wahlberg, C; Björlenius, B; Paxéus, N

2011-01-01

Mass flows of 13 pharmaceutical active ingredients (APIS) found in drinking water were studied in the water cycle of Stockholm. Data were collected by analyzing samples of surface water, raw water and drinking water as well as influents, effluents and sludges from waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) in Stockholm area. A mass balance was performed, based on sold amounts of pharmaceuticals and the measured concentrations in water and sludge. The selected APls were all present in WWTP effluents and the removal rates for many of them were poor. Mass balance calculations showed that the three studied WWTPs in Stockholm release considerable amounts of the selected APIs into the Baltic Sea while the portions ending up in WWTP sludge were significantly lower. The levels of APIs found in drinking water are low at present, but may increase in the future unless the releases from WWTPs in the catchment of Lake Mälären are mitigated.

Impacts of climate change on surface water quality in relation to drinking water production.

PubMed

Delpla, I; Jung, A-V; Baures, E; Clement, M; Thomas, O

2009-11-01

Besides climate change impacts on water availability and hydrological risks, the consequences on water quality is just beginning to be studied. This review aims at proposing a synthesis of the most recent existing interdisciplinary literature on the topic. After a short presentation about the role of the main factors (warming and consequences of extreme events) explaining climate change effects on water quality, the focus will be on two main points. First, the impacts on water quality of resources (rivers and lakes) modifying parameters values (physico-chemical parameters, micropollutants and biological parameters) are considered. Then, the expected impacts on drinking water production and quality of supplied water are discussed. The main conclusion which can be drawn is that a degradation trend of drinking water quality in the context of climate change leads to an increase of at risk situations related to potential health impact.

Chronic health effects in people exposed to arsenic via the drinking water: dose-response relationships in review.

PubMed

Yoshida, Takahiko; Yamauchi, Hiroshi; Fan Sun, Gui

2004-08-01

Chronic arsenic (As) poisoning has become a worldwide public health issue. Most human As exposure occurs from consumption of drinking water containing high amounts of inorganic As (iAs). In this paper, epidemiological studies conducted on the dose-response relationships between iAs exposure via the drinking water and related adverse health effects are reviewed. Before the review, the methods for evaluation of the individual As exposure are summarized and classified into two types, that is, the methods depending on As concentration of the drinking water and the methods depending on biological monitoring for As exposure; certain methods may be applied as optimum As exposure indexes to study dose-response relationship based on various As exposure situation. Chronic effects of iAs exposure via drinking water include skin lesions, neurological effects, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes mellitus, and malignancies including skin cancer. The skin is quite sensitive to arsenic, and skin lesions are some of the most common and earliest nonmalignant effects related to chronic As exposure. The increase of prevalence in the skin lesions has been observed even at the exposure levels in the range of 0.005-0.01 mg/l As in drinking waters. Skin, lung, bladder, kidney, liver, and uterus are considered as sites As-induced malignancies, and the skin is though to be perhaps the most sensitive site. Prospective studies in large area of endemic As poisoning, like Bangladesh or China, where the rate of malignancies is expected to increase within the next several decades, will help to clarify the dose-response relationship between As exposure levels and adverse health effects with enhanced accuracy.

Alleviative effects of deep-seawater drinking water on hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidation induced by a high-fat diet.

PubMed

Chen, I-Shu; Chang, Yuan-Yen; Hsu, Chin-Lin; Lin, Hui-Wen; Chang, Ming-Hsu; Chen, Jr-Wei; Chen, Sheng-Shih; Chen, Yi-Chen

2013-02-01

Hepatic steatosis is defined as excessive amounts of triglyceride and other fats inside liver cells and has become an emergent liver disease in developed and developing countries. Deep seawater (DSW)300, DSW900, and DSW1500 drinking waters were formulated via a combination of reverse osmosis and electrodialysis. Hamsters on a high-fat diet were assigned to drink the following solutions: (1) normal distilled water, (2) DSW300, (3) DSW900, or (4) DSW1500. Serum, liver, and fecal biochemical values, expression of hepatic genes related to fatty-acid homeostasis, as well as liver antioxidative levels were measured after a 6-week feeding period. Additionally, hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to investigate the liver histopathology. Serum/liver lipids, liver sizes, liver malondialdehyde content, and serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase of high-fat diet hamsters were reduced (p < 0.05) by drinking DSW, while daily fecal lipid and bile acid outputs were increased (p < 0.05). DSW drinking water maintained (p < 0.05) higher liver glutathione and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity levels. Although hepatic sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, and malic enzyme gene expression were not (p > 0.05) altered, DSW drinking water upregulated (p < 0.05) hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha, retinoid X receptor alpha, and uncoupling protein-2 gene expression in high-fat diet hamsters. The lipid droplets in livers were also reduced in DSW-drinking-water groups as compared to those only drinking distilled water. DSW shows a preventive effect on development of hepatosteatosis induced by a high-fat diet. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dose-response effects of water supplementation on cognitive performance and mood in children and adults.

PubMed

Edmonds, Caroline J; Crosbie, Laura; Fatima, Fareeha; Hussain, Maryam; Jacob, Nicole; Gardner, Mark

2017-01-01

Water supplementation has been found to facilitate visual attention and short-term memory, but the dose required to improve performance is not yet known. We assessed the dose response effect of water on thirst, mood and cognitive performance in both adults and children. Participants were offered either no water, 25 ml or 300 ml water to drink. Study 1 assessed 96 adults and in Study 2, data are presented from 60 children aged 7-9 years. In both studies, performance was assessed at baseline and 20 min after drinking (or no drink); on thirst and mood scales, letter cancellation and a digit span test. For both children and adults, a large drink (300 ml) was necessary to reduce thirst, while a small drink (25 ml) was sufficient to improve visual attention (letter cancellation). In adults, a large drink improved digit span, but there was no such effect in children. In children, but not adults, a small drink resulted in increased thirst ratings. Both children and adults show dose-response effects of drinking on visual attention. Visual attention is enhanced by small amounts of fluid and appears not to be contingent on thirst reduction. Memory performance may be related to thirst, but differently for children and adults. These contrasting dose-response characteristics could imply cognitive enhancement by different mechanisms for these two domains. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between calcium ingested from drinking water and femoral bone density in elderly women: evidence from the EPIDOS cohort.

PubMed

Aptel, I; Cance-Rouzaud, A; Grandjean, H

1999-05-01

Although the main source of dietary calcium is dairy products, the calcium contained in mineral water, which is as available as that of milk, could provide a valuable source of calcium. We analyzed the data from the EPIDOS multicenter study to evaluate the relationship between both dietary calcium and that supplied by drinking water and bone density measured at the femoral neck by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The study included 4434 women over 75 years of age who had not received any treatment likely to interfere with calcium metabolism. A significant correlation was found between total calcium intake and bone density at the femoral neck (r = 0.10, p < 0. 001). After adjustment for the main variables influencing bone density, an increase of 100 mg/day in calcium from drinking water was associated to a 0.5% increase in femoral bone density, while a similar increase in dietary calcium from other sources only led to a 0.2% increase; however, this difference was not significant. The consumption of calcium-rich mineral water may be of interest, especially in older women who consume little calcium from dairy products.

Price elasticity of the demand for sugar sweetened beverages and soft drinks in Mexico.

PubMed

Colchero, M A; Salgado, J C; Unar-Munguía, M; Hernández-Ávila, M; Rivera-Dommarco, J A

2015-12-01

A large and growing body of scientific evidence demonstrates that sugar drinks are harmful to health. Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) is a risk factor for obesity and type 2 diabetes. Mexico has one of the largest per capita consumption of soft drinks worldwide and high rates of obesity and diabetes. Fiscal approaches such as taxation have been recommended as a public health policy to reduce SSB consumption. We estimated an almost ideal demand system with linear approximation for beverages and high-energy food by simultaneous equations and derived the own and cross price elasticities for soft drinks and for all SSB (soft drinks, fruit juices, fruit drinks, flavored water and energy drinks). Models were stratified by income quintile and marginality index at the municipality level. Price elasticity for soft drinks was -1.06 and -1.16 for SSB, i.e., a 10% price increase was associated with a decrease in quantity consumed of soft drinks by 10.6% and 11.6% for SSB. A price increase in soft drinks is associated with larger quantity consumed of water, milk, snacks and sugar and a decrease in the consumption of other SSB, candies and traditional snacks. The same was found for SSB except that an increase in price of SSB was associated with a decrease in snacks. Higher elasticities were found among households living in rural areas (for soft drinks), in more marginalized areas and with lower income. Implementation of a tax to soft drinks or to SSB could decrease consumption particularly among the poor. Substitutions and complementarities with other food and beverages should be evaluated to assess the potential impact on total calories consumed. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Innovatively Therapeutic Strategy on Lung Cancer by Daily Drinking Antioxidative Plasmon-Induced Activated Water.

PubMed

Wang, Chien-Kai; Chen, Hsiao-Chien; Fang, Sheng-Uei; Ho, Chia-Wen; Tai, Cheng-Jeng; Yang, Chih-Ping; Liu, Yu-Chuan

2018-04-20

Many human diseases are inflammation-related, such as cancer and those associated with aging. Previous studies demonstrated that plasmon-induced activated (PIA) water with electron-doping character, created from hot electron transfer via decay of excited Au nanoparticles (NPs) under resonant illumination, owns reduced hydrogen-bonded networks and physchemically antioxidative properties. In this study, it is demonstrated PIA water dramatically induced a major antioxidative Nrf2 gene in human gingival fibroblasts which further confirms its cellular antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, mice implanted with mouse Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC-1) cells drinking PIA water alone or together with cisplatin treatment showed improved survival time compared to mice which consumed only deionized (DI) water. With the combination of PIA water and cisplatin administration, the survival time of LLC-1-implanted mice markedly increased to 8.01 ± 0.77 days compared to 6.38 ± 0.61 days of mice given cisplatin and normal drinking DI water. This survival time of 8.01 ± 0.77 days compared to 4.62 ± 0.71 days of mice just given normal drinking water is statistically significant (p = 0.009). Also, the gross observations and eosin staining results suggested that LLC-1-implanted mice drinking PIA water tended to exhibit less metastasis than mice given only DI water.

Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Drinking Water Treatment

EPA Science Inventory

Climate change may affect both surface water and ground water quality. Increases (or decreases) in precipitation and related changes in flow can result in problematic turbidity levels, increased levels of organic matter, high levels of bacteria, virus and parasites and increased...

Differences in Field Effectiveness and Adoption between a Novel Automated Chlorination System and Household Manual Chlorination of Drinking Water in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Pickering, Amy J.; Crider, Yoshika; Amin, Nuhu; Bauza, Valerie; Unicomb, Leanne; Davis, Jennifer; Luby, Stephen P.

2015-01-01

The number of people served by networked systems that supply intermittent and contaminated drinking water is increasing. In these settings, centralized water treatment is ineffective, while household-level water treatment technologies have not been brought to scale. This study compares a novel low-cost technology designed to passively (automatically) dispense chlorine at shared handpumps with a household-level intervention providing water disinfection tablets (Aquatab), safe water storage containers, and behavior promotion. Twenty compounds were enrolled in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and randomly assigned to one of three groups: passive chlorinator, Aquatabs, or control. Over a 10-month intervention period, the mean percentage of households whose stored drinking water had detectable total chlorine was 75% in compounds with access to the passive chlorinator, 72% in compounds receiving Aquatabs, and 6% in control compounds. Both interventions also significantly improved microbial water quality. Aquatabs usage fell by 50% after behavioral promotion visits concluded, suggesting intensive promotion is necessary for sustained uptake. The study findings suggest high potential for an automated decentralized water treatment system to increase consistent access to clean water in low-income urban communities. PMID:25734448

Differences in field effectiveness and adoption between a novel automated chlorination system and household manual chlorination of drinking water in Dhaka, Bangladesh: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pickering, Amy J; Crider, Yoshika; Amin, Nuhu; Bauza, Valerie; Unicomb, Leanne; Davis, Jennifer; Luby, Stephen P

2015-01-01

The number of people served by networked systems that supply intermittent and contaminated drinking water is increasing. In these settings, centralized water treatment is ineffective, while household-level water treatment technologies have not been brought to scale. This study compares a novel low-cost technology designed to passively (automatically) dispense chlorine at shared handpumps with a household-level intervention providing water disinfection tablets (Aquatab), safe water storage containers, and behavior promotion. Twenty compounds were enrolled in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and randomly assigned to one of three groups: passive chlorinator, Aquatabs, or control. Over a 10-month intervention period, the mean percentage of households whose stored drinking water had detectable total chlorine was 75% in compounds with access to the passive chlorinator, 72% in compounds receiving Aquatabs, and 6% in control compounds. Both interventions also significantly improved microbial water quality. Aquatabs usage fell by 50% after behavioral promotion visits concluded, suggesting intensive promotion is necessary for sustained uptake. The study findings suggest high potential for an automated decentralized water treatment system to increase consistent access to clean water in low-income urban communities.

Leakage of soluble microbial products from biological activated carbon filtration in drinking water treatment plants and its influence on health risks.

PubMed

Hong, Shen; Xian-Chun, Tang; Nan-Xiang, Wu; Hong-Bin, Chen

2018-07-01

The application of ozone-biological activated carbon (O 3 -BAC) as an advanced treatment method in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) can help to remove organic micropollutants and further decrease the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) level in finished water. With the increase attention to microbial safety of drinking water, a pre-positioned O 3 -BAC followed by a sand filter has been implanted into DWTP located in Shanghai, China to increase the biostability of effluents. The results showed that BAC had high removal efficiencies of UV 254 , DOC and disinfection by-product formation potential (DBPFP). The removal efficiencies between pre- and post-positioned BAC filtrations were similar. Based on the analyses of fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectrophotometry (FEEM), the generation and leakage of soluble microbial products (SMPs) were found in both two BAC filtrations on account of the increased fluorescence intensities and fluorescence regional integration (FRI) distribution of protein-like organics, as well as the enhanced biological index (BIX). The leakage of SMPs produced by metabolism of microbes during BAC process resulted in increased DBPFP yield and carcinogenic factor per unit of DOC (CF/DOC). Although BAC filtration reduced the DBPFP and CF, there still was high health risk of effluents for the production of SMPs. Therefore, the health risks for SMPs generated by BAC filtration in drinking water advanced treatment process should be addressed, especially with that at high temperature. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heterotrophic plate count and consumer's health under special consideration of water softeners.

PubMed

Hambsch, Beate; Sacré, Clara; Wagner, Ivo

2004-05-01

The phenomenon of bacterial growth in water softeners is well known since years. To upgrade the hygienic safety of water softeners, the German DIN Standard 19636 was developed, to assure that the distribution system could not be contaminated by these devices and that the drinking water to be used in the household still meets the microbiological standards according to the German drinking water guidelines, i.e. among others heterotrophic plate count (HPC) below 100 CFU/ml. Moreover, the standard for the water softeners includes a test for contamination with Pseudomonas aeruginosa which has to be disinfected during the regeneration phase. This is possible by sanitizing the resin bed during regeneration by producing chlorine. The results of the last 10 years of tests of water softeners according to DIN 19636 showed that it is possible to produce water softeners that comply with that standard. Approximately 60% of the tested models were accepted. P. aeruginosa is used as an indicator for potentially pathogenic bacteria being able to grow also in low nutrient conditions which normally prevail in drinking water. Like other heterotrophs, the numbers of P. aeruginosa increase rapidly as stagnation occurs. Normally P. aeruginosa is not present in the distributed drinking water. However, under certain conditions, P. aeruginosa can be introduced into the drinking water distribution system, for instance, during construction work. The occurrence of P. aeruginosa is shown in different cases in treatment plants, public drinking water systems and in-house installations. The compliance with DIN 19636 provides assurance that a water softener will not be a constant source of contamination, even if it is once inoculated with a potentially pathogenic bacterium like P. aeruginosa. Copyright 2003 Elsevier B.V.

Detection of adenoviruses and rotaviruses in drinking water sources used in rural areas of Benin, West Africa.

PubMed

Verheyen, Jens; Timmen-Wego, Monika; Laudien, Rainer; Boussaad, Ibrahim; Sen, Sibel; Koc, Aynur; Uesbeck, Alexandra; Mazou, Farouk; Pfister, Herbert

2009-05-01

Diseases associated with viruses also found in environmental samples cause major health problems in developing countries. Little is known about the frequency and pattern of viral contamination of drinking water sources in these resource-poor settings. We established a method to analyze 10 liters of water from drinking water sources in a rural area of Benin for the presence of adenoviruses and rotaviruses. Overall, 541 samples from 287 drinking water sources were tested. A total of 12.9% of the sources were positive for adenoviruses and 2.1% of the sources were positive for rotaviruses at least once. Due to the temporary nature of viral contamination in drinking water sources, the probability of virus detection increased with the number of samples taken at one test site over time. No seasonal pattern for viral contaminations was found after samples obtained during the dry and wet seasons were compared. Overall, 3 of 15 surface water samples (20%) and 35 of 247 wells (14.2%) but also 2 of 25 pumps (8%) tested positive for adenoviruses or rotaviruses. The presence of latrines within a radius of 50 m in the vicinity of pumps or wells was identified as being a risk factor for virus detection. In summary, viral contamination was correlated with the presence of latrines in the vicinity of drinking water sources, indicating the importance of appropriate decision support systems in these socioeconomic prospering regions.

Spatial scale of land-use impacts on riverine drinking source water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurley, Tim; Mazumder, Asit

2013-03-01

Drinking water purveyors are increasingly relying on land conservation and management to ensure the safety of the water that they provide to consumers. To cost-effectively implement any such landscape initiatives, resources must be targeted to the appropriate spatial scale to address quality impairments of concern in a cost-effective manner. Using data gathered from 40 Canadian rivers across four ecozones, we examined the spatial scales at which land use was most closely associated with drinking source water quality metrics. Exploratory linear mixed-effects models accounting for climatic, hydrological, and physiographic variation among sites suggested that different spatial areas of land-use influence drinking source water quality depending on the parameter and season investigated. Escherichia coli spatial variability was only associated with land use at a local (5-10 km) spatial scale. Turbidity measures exhibited a complex association with land use, suggesting that the land-use areas of greatest influence can range from a 1 km subcatchment to the entire watershed depending on the season. Total organic carbon concentrations were only associated with land use characterized at the entire watershed scale. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index was used to calculate a composite measure of seasonal drinking source water quality but did not provide additional information beyond the analyses of individual parameters. These results suggest that entire watershed management is required to safeguard drinking water sources with more focused efforts at targeted spatial scales to reduce specific risk parameters.

Removal of microcystin-LR from drinking water using a bamboo-based charcoal adsorbent modified with chitosan.

PubMed

Zhang, Hangjun; Zhu, Guoying; Jia, Xiuying; Ding, Ying; Zhang, Mi; Gao, Qing; Hu, Ciming; Xu, Shuying

2011-01-01

A new kind of low-cost syntactic adsorbent from bamboo charcoal and chitosan was developed for the removal of microcystin-LR from drinking water. Removal efficiency was higher for the syntactic adsorbent when the amount of bamboo charcoal was increased. The optimum dose ratio of bamboo charcoal to chitosan was 6:4, and the optimum amount was 15 mg/L; equilibrium time was 6 hr. The adsorption isotherm was non-linear and could be simulated by the Freundlich model (R2 = 0.9337). Adsorption efficiency was strongly affected by pH and natural organic matter (NOM). Removal efficiency was 16% higher at pH 3 than at pH 9. Efficiency rate was reduced by 15% with 25 mg/L NOM (UV254 = 0.089 cm(-1)) in drinking water. This study demonstrated that the bamboo charcoal modified with chitosan can effectively remove microcystin-LR from drinking water.

Standards for arsenic in drinking water: Implications for policy in Mexico

PubMed Central

Fisher, Andrew T.; López-Carrillo, Lizbeth; Gamboa-Loira, Brenda; Cebrián, Mariano E.

2017-01-01

Global concern about arsenic in drinking water and its link to numerous diseases make translation of evidence-based research into national policy a priority. Delays in establishing a maximum contaminant level (MCL) to preserve health have increased the burden of disease and caused substantial and avoidable loss of life. The current Mexican MCL for arsenic in drinking water is 25 μg/l (2.5 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation from 1993). Mexico’s struggles to set its arsenic MCL offer a compelling example of shortcomings in environmental health policy. We explore factors that might facilitate policy change in Mexico: scientific evidence, risk communication and public access to information, economic and technological resources, and politics. To raise awareness of the health, societal, and economic implications of arsenic contamination of drinking water in Mexico, we suggest action steps for attaining environmental policy change and better protect population health. PMID:28808298

Standards for arsenic in drinking water: Implications for policy in Mexico.

PubMed

Fisher, Andrew T; López-Carrillo, Lizbeth; Gamboa-Loira, Brenda; Cebrián, Mariano E

2017-11-01

Global concern about arsenic in drinking water and its link to numerous diseases make translation of evidence-based research into national policy a priority. Delays in establishing a maximum contaminant level (MCL) to preserve health have increased the burden of disease and caused substantial and avoidable loss of life. The current Mexican MCL for arsenic in drinking water is 25 μg/l (2.5 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation from 1993). Mexico's struggles to set its arsenic MCL offer a compelling example of shortcomings in environmental health policy. We explore factors that might facilitate policy change in Mexico: scientific evidence, risk communication and public access to information, economic and technological resources, and politics. To raise awareness of the health, societal, and economic implications of arsenic contamination of drinking water in Mexico, we suggest action steps for attaining environmental policy change and better protect population health.

Using ion chromatography to monitor haloacetic acids in drinking water: a review of current technologies.

PubMed

Paull, Brett; Barron, Leon

2004-08-13

A review of the application of ion chromatography to the determination of haloacetic acids in drinking water is given. As it requires no sample derivatisation, ion chromatography in its various modes, such as ion-exchange, ion-interaction and ion-exclusion chromatography, is increasingly being investigated as a simpler alternative to gas chromatographic methods for the determination of polar disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking waters. Detection limits quoted for the regulated haloacetic acids (HAA5), are commonly in the mid to low microg/L range, however, in most cases analyte preconcentration is still necessary for detection at concentrations commonly found in actual drinking water samples. The coupling of ion chromatography to electrospray mass spectrometry provides a potential future direction, with improved sensitivity and selectivity compared to conductivity based detection, however associated cost and complexity for routine analysis is currently relatively high.

Detection of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in U.S. Drinking Water Linked to Industrial Sites, Military Fire Training Areas, and Wastewater Treatment Plants.

PubMed

Hu, Xindi C; Andrews, David Q; Lindstrom, Andrew B; Bruton, Thomas A; Schaider, Laurel A; Grandjean, Philippe; Lohmann, Rainer; Carignan, Courtney C; Blum, Arlene; Balan, Simona A; Higgins, Christopher P; Sunderland, Elsie M

2016-10-11

Drinking water contamination with poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) poses risks to the developmental, immune, metabolic, and endocrine health of consumers. We present a spatial analysis of 2013-2015 national drinking water PFAS concentrations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (US EPA) third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3) program. The number of industrial sites that manufacture or use these compounds, the number of military fire training areas, and the number of wastewater treatment plants are all significant predictors of PFAS detection frequencies and concentrations in public water supplies. Among samples with detectable PFAS levels, each additional military site within a watershed's eight-digit hydrologic unit is associated with a 20% increase in PFHxS, a 10% increase in both PFHpA and PFOA, and a 35% increase in PFOS. The number of civilian airports with personnel trained in the use of aqueous film-forming foams is significantly associated with the detection of PFASs above the minimal reporting level. We find drinking water supplies for 6 million U.S. residents exceed US EPA's lifetime health advisory (70 ng/L) for PFOS and PFOA. Lower analytical reporting limits and additional sampling of smaller utilities serving <10000 individuals and private wells would greatly assist in further identifying PFAS contamination sources.

Detection of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in U.S. Drinking Water Linked to Industrial Sites, Military Fire Training Areas, and Wastewater Treatment Plants

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Drinking water contamination with poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) poses risks to the developmental, immune, metabolic, and endocrine health of consumers. We present a spatial analysis of 2013–2015 national drinking water PFAS concentrations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (US EPA) third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3) program. The number of industrial sites that manufacture or use these compounds, the number of military fire training areas, and the number of wastewater treatment plants are all significant predictors of PFAS detection frequencies and concentrations in public water supplies. Among samples with detectable PFAS levels, each additional military site within a watershed’s eight-digit hydrologic unit is associated with a 20% increase in PFHxS, a 10% increase in both PFHpA and PFOA, and a 35% increase in PFOS. The number of civilian airports with personnel trained in the use of aqueous film-forming foams is significantly associated with the detection of PFASs above the minimal reporting level. We find drinking water supplies for 6 million U.S. residents exceed US EPA’s lifetime health advisory (70 ng/L) for PFOS and PFOA. Lower analytical reporting limits and additional sampling of smaller utilities serving <10000 individuals and private wells would greatly assist in further identifying PFAS contamination sources. PMID:27752509

Succession of Biofilm Microbial Community during Nitrification in Lab-Scale Reactors Simulating Chloraminated Drinking Water Distribution System Conditions: the Impact of Simultaneously Increasing Monochloramine and Chlorine to Nitrogen Mass Ratios

EPA Science Inventory

Chloramination has been shown to promote nitrifying bacteria and 30 to 63% of utility plants using secondary chloramine disinfection experience nitrification episodes. Although nitrifying bacteria are not considered human pathogens, nitrification can affect drinking water qualit...

TWENTY WEEK EXPOSURES TO THE DRINKING WATER DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCT DIBROMOACETIC ACID: REPRODUCTIVE CYCLICITY AND STEROID CONCENTRATIONS IN THE FEMALE SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RAT

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract
Elevated gavage exposures to the drinking water disinfection by-product dibromoacetic acid (DBA) have been found to disrupt estrous cyclicity in the rat and induce increases in estradiol concentrations in both cycling (day of estrus) and ovariectomized/estradiol-impla...

Assessing the microbial quality of improved drinking water sources: results from the Dominican Republic.

PubMed

Baum, Rachel; Kayser, Georgia; Stauber, Christine; Sobsey, Mark

2014-01-01

Millennium Development Goal Target 7c (to halve between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of the global population without sustainable access to safe drinking water), was celebrated as achieved in 2012. However, new studies show that we may be prematurely celebrating. Access to safe drinking water may be overestimated if microbial water quality is considered. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between microbial drinking water quality and drinking water source in the Puerto Plata region of the Dominican Republic. This study analyzed microbial drinking water quality data from 409 households in 33 communities. Results showed that 47% of improved drinking water sources were of high to very-high risk water quality, and therefore unsafe for drinking. This study provides evidence that the current estimate of safe water access may be overly optimistic, and microbial water quality data are needed to reliably assess the safety of drinking water.

Assessing the Microbial Quality of Improved Drinking Water Sources: Results from the Dominican Republic

PubMed Central

Baum, Rachel; Kayser, Georgia; Stauber, Christine; Sobsey, Mark

2014-01-01

Millennium Development Goal Target 7c (to halve between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of the global population without sustainable access to safe drinking water), was celebrated as achieved in 2012. However, new studies show that we may be prematurely celebrating. Access to safe drinking water may be overestimated if microbial water quality is considered. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between microbial drinking water quality and drinking water source in the Puerto Plata region of the Dominican Republic. This study analyzed microbial drinking water quality data from 409 households in 33 communities. Results showed that 47% of improved drinking water sources were of high to very-high risk water quality, and therefore unsafe for drinking. This study provides evidence that the current estimate of safe water access may be overly optimistic, and microbial water quality data are needed to reliably assess the safety of drinking water. PMID:24218411

Overnight stagnation of drinking water in household taps induces microbial growth and changes in community composition.

PubMed

Lautenschlager, Karin; Boon, Nico; Wang, Yingying; Egli, Thomas; Hammes, Frederik

2010-09-01

Drinking water quality is routinely monitored in the distribution network but not inside households at the point of consumption. Fluctuating temperatures, residence times (stagnation), pipe materials and decreasing pipe diameters can promote bacterial growth in buildings. To test the influence of stagnation in households on the bacterial cell concentrations and composition, water was sampled from 10 separate households after overnight stagnation and after flushing the taps. Cell concentrations, measured by flow cytometry, increased (2-3-fold) in all water samples after stagnation. This increase was also observed in adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) concentrations (2-18-fold) and heterotrophic plate counts (4-580-fold). An observed increase in cell biovolume and ATP-per-cell concentrations furthermore suggests that the increase in cell concentrations was due to microbial growth. After 5 min flushing of the taps, cell concentrations and water temperature decreased to the level generally found in the drinking water network. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis also showed a change in the microbial composition after stagnation. This study showed that water stagnation in household pipes results in considerable microbial changes. While hygienic risk was not directly assessed, it emphasizes the need for the development of good material validation methods, recommendations and spot tests for in-house water installations. However, a simple mitigation strategy would be a short flushing of taps prior to use. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Breakpoint chlorination and free-chlorine contact time: implications for drinking water N-nitrosodimethylamine concentrations.

PubMed

Charrois, Jeffrey W A; Hrudey, Steve E

2007-02-01

North American drinking water utilities are increasingly incorporating alternative disinfectants, such as chloramines, in order to comply with disinfection by-product (DBP) regulations. N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a non-halogenated DBP, associated with chloramination, having a drinking water unit risk two to three orders of magnitude greater than currently regulated halogenated DBPs. We quantified NDMA from two full-scale chloraminating water treatment plants in Alberta between 2003 and 2005 as well as conducted bench-scale chloramination/breakpoint experiments to assess NDMA formation. Distribution system NDMA concentrations varied and tended to increase with increasing distribution residence time. Bench-scale disinfection experiments resulted in peak NDMA production near the theoretical monochloramine maximum in the sub-breakpoint region of the disinfection curve. Breakpoints for the raw and partially treated waters tested ranged from 1.9:1 to 2.4:1 (Cl(2):total NH(3)-N, M:M). Bench-scale experiments with free-chlorine contact (2h) before chloramination resulted in significant reductions in NDMA formation (up to 93%) compared to no free-chlorine contact time. Risk-tradeoff issues involving alternative disinfection methods and unregulated DBPs, such as NDMA, are emerging as a major water quality and public health information gap.

Studying Drinking Water Quality and its Change During Transportation through Samara Water-Supply Facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kichigin, V. I.; Egorova, Y. A.; Nesterenko, O. I.

2017-11-01

The paper investigates changes in water physico-chemical composition and its physical indicators through ζ-potential in residential buildings in eight administrative districts of Samara. The results are processed by the methods of mathematical statistics and presented at the 0.05 level of importance. The sampling points for water in the city districts were chosen with the aid of random numbers tables. It was determined that the quality of drinking water was stable and consistent with the existing standards in Zheleznodorozhniy, Samarskiy, Leninskiy, Octyabrskiy, Kirovsliy, Sovetskiy and Promyshlenniy districts of Samara. The following indicators were taken into account: pH, colour, turbidity, alkalinity, general rigidity, content of ions Ca2 +, Mg2 +. It was also established that drinking water in Kuibyshevskiy district (with all other excellent indicators) had increased mineralization due to the natural hydrological conditions of the water inlet. Some change in the size of zeta-potential of the water was detected during its transportation through the existing water-supplying networks of the city. It was shown that the link between zeta-potential and various kinds of contamination in drinking water is underexplored and requires further detailed study.

Changes in the renal handling of urea in sheep on a low protein diet exposed to saline drinking water.

PubMed

Meintjes, R A; Engelbrecht, H

2004-09-01

Previous trials have demonstrated that sheep on a low protein diet and free access to water, and sheep dosed with boluses of NaCl intraruminally also with free access to water, showed decreases in urea loss via the urine compared to control animals. We monitored urea excretion in sheep on a relatively poor protein diet when they were exposed to saline drinking water, i.e. they were unable to vary their intake of NaCl:water. Sheep on isotonic saline drinking water (phase 3) excreted significantly more urea via the urine (284 mM/day) compared to phase 1 when they were on non-saline drinking water (urea excretion = 230 mM/day) and phase 2 when they were on half isotonic saline drinking water (urea excretion = 244 mM/day). This finding was explained by the high glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 91.9 l/day, compared to 82.4 l/day (phase 1) and 77.9 l/day (phase 2), together with a significantly raised fractional excretion of urea (FEurea) (51.1 %) during this phase, and was in spite of the significantly lower plasma concentrations of urea in phase 3 compared to phase 1. The FEurea probably results from the osmotic diuresis caused by the salt. There were indications of a raised plasma antidiuretic hormone (ADH) concentration and this would have opposed urea loss, as ADH promotes urea reabsorption. However, this ADH effect was probably counteracted to some extent by a low plasma angiotensin II concentration, for which again there were indications, inhibiting urea reabsorption during the phases of salt loading. As atrial natriuretic peptide both increases GFR and decrease sodium reabsorption from the tubule, it was probably instrumental in causing the increase in GFR and the increase in the fractional excretion of sodium (FE(Na)).

Salt and nitric oxide synthase inhibition-induced hypertension: kidney dysfunction and brain anti-oxidant capacity.

PubMed

Oktar, Süleyman; Ilhan, Selçuk; Meydan, Sedat; Aydin, Mehmet; Yönden, Zafer; Gökçe, Ahmet

2010-01-01

The specific aim of this study was to examine the effects of salt-loading on kidney function and brain antioxidant capacity. Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Control rats were given normal drinking water and no drug treatment for 2 weeks. LNNA group: rats were given normal drinking water and the nitric oxide (NO) inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), 3 mg/kg/day. LNNA + Salt group: rats were given drinking water containing salt 2% and 3 mg/kg L-NNA. Salt group: rats were given drinking water containing salt 2% and no drug treatment. Basal blood pressure and the levels of serum BUN, creatinine, uric acid, cortisol, electrolyte, serum antioxidant capacity, and oxidative stress were measured. NO, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels were measured in the hypothalamus, brainstem, and cerebellum. Salt overload increased the blood pressure of the LNNA + Salt group. Salt-loading enhanced BUN, creatinine, sodium retention. High salt produced an increase in uric acid levels and a decrease in cortisol levels in serum. Additionally, the oxidative stress index in serum increased in the LNNA + Salt group. Salt-loading enhanced brain NO levels, but not SOD and CAT activity. L-NNA increased brain SOD activity, but not CAT and NO levels. In conclusion, salt-loading causes hypertension, kidney dysfunction, and enhances oxidative stress in salt-sensitive rats.

Nitrate in drinking water and risk of colorectal cancer in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

PubMed

Fathmawati; Fachiroh, Jajah; Gravitiani, Evi; Sarto; Husodo, Adi Heru

2017-01-01

Nitrate concentration in well water in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and its surroundings tended to increase rapidly from time to time, and it may be associated with an elevated risk for several types of cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between nitrate in drinking water and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk occurrence. A case-control study was conducted in Yogyakarta Special Province. Pathologically confirmed 75 CRC patients and 75 controls were consulted and their individual well water was sampled and examined for nitrate concentrations. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to establish the association between nitrate and CRC risk development. There was a significant correlation between nitrate in drinking water and CRC occurrence, and this value was relatively stable after being adjusted for protein intake, smoking history, age, and family history of cancer. These findings demonstrated that the risk of CRC development was fourfold among those with >10 years of nitrate exposure from well water compared with those with ≤10 years of nitrate exposure. Consequently, a significant association between nitrate in drinking water and occurrence of CRC in Yogyakarta was established.

Trends in Nitrate Drinking Water Violations Across the US ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Background/Question/Methods Safe drinking water is essential for the health and well-being of humans and life on Earth. Previous studies have shown that groundwater and other sources of drinking water can be contaminated with nitrate above the 10 mg nitrate-N L-1 maximum contaminant level (MCL), which is known to have adverse health effects, including certain cancers. Public water systems (PWS) across the US have been required since 1979 to report violations of the nitrate MCL to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). The objective of this research was to use SDWIS data to assess temporal and spatial trends for nitrate violations. We collected data from SDWIS on the number of PWS that violated the nitrate MCL at least once each year. The proportion of systems in violation each year was calculated by diving the number of systems in violation by the total number of active systems that year. The number of people served by systems in violation was calculated by summing the number of people served by each PWS in violation. Results/Conclusions We found that the number and proportion of systems in violation for nitrate significantly increased over time, almost doubling from 280 (0.16%) to 527 (0.33%) systems between 1994 and 2010. The increase in number and proportion of systems in violation is attributed to an increase in violations for groundwater systems, whereas violations for surface water systems have

Inflow rate-driven changes in the composition and dynamics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in a large drinking water lake.

PubMed

Zhou, Yongqiang; Zhang, Yunlin; Jeppesen, Erik; Murphy, Kathleen R; Shi, Kun; Liu, Mingliang; Liu, Xiaohan; Zhu, Guangwei

2016-09-01

Drinking water lakes are threatened globally and therefore in need of protection. To date, few studies have been carried out to investigate how the composition and dynamics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in drinking water lakes are influenced by inflow rate. Such CDOM can lead to unpleasant taste and odor of the water and produce undesirable disinfection byproducts during drinking water treatment. We studied the drinking water Lake Qiandao, China, and found that the concentrations of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the lake increased significantly with inflow rate (p < 0.001). Similarly, close relationships between inflow rate and the CDOM absorption coefficient at 350 nm a(350) and with terrestrial humic-like fluorescence C3 and a negative relationship between inflow rate and the first principal component (PC1) scores, which, in turn, were negatively related to the concentrations and relative molecular size of CDOM (p < 0.001), i.e. the concentration and molecular size of CDOM entering the lake increased proportionately with inflow rate. Furthermore, stable isotopes (δD and δ(18)O) were depleted in the upstream river mouth relative to downstream remaining lake regions, substantiating that riverine CDOM entering the lake was probably driven by inflow rate. This was further underpinned by remarkably higher mean chlorophyll-a and in situ measured terrestrial CDOM fluorescence (365/480 nm) and apparent oxygen utilization (AOU), and notably lower mean PC1 and CDOM spectral slope (S275-295) recorded in the upstream river mouth than in the downstream main lake area. Strong negative correlations between inflow rate and a(250):a(365), S275-295, and the spectral slope ratio (SR) implied that CDOM input to the lake in rainy period was dominated by larger organic molecules with a more humic-like character. Rainy period, especially rainstorm events, therefore poses a risk to drinking water safety and requires higher removal efficiency of CDOM during drinking water treatment processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Price elasticity of the demand for soft drinks, other sugar-sweetened beverages and energy dense food in Chile.

PubMed

Guerrero-López, Carlos M; Unar-Munguía, Mishel; Colchero, M Arantxa

2017-02-10

Chile is the second world's largest per capita consumer of caloric beverages. Caloric beverages are associated with overweight, obesity and other chronic diseases. The objective of this study is to estimate the price elasticity of demand for soft drinks, other sugar-sweetened beverages and high-energy dense foods in urban areas in Chile in order to evaluate the potential response of households' consumption to changes in prices. We used microdata from the VII Family Budget Survey 2012-2013, which collects information on expenditures made by Chilean urban households on items such as beverages and foods. We estimated a Linear Approximation of an Almost Ideal Demand System Model to derive own and cross price elasticities of milk, coffee, tea and other infusions, plain water, soft drinks, other flavored beverages, sweet snacks, sugar and honey, and desserts. We considered the censored nature of the data and included the Inverse Mills Ratio in each equation of the demand system. We estimated a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System and a two-part model as sensitivity analysis. We found an own price-elasticity of -1.37 for soft drinks. This implies that a price increase of 10% is associated with a reduction in consumption of 13.7%. We found that the rest of food and beverages included in the demand system behave as substitutes for soft drinks. For instance, plain water showed a cross-price elasticity of 0.63: a 10% increase in price of soft drinks could lead to an increase of 6.3% of plain water. Own and cross price elasticities were similar between models. The demand of soft drinks is price sensitive among Chilean households. An incentive system such as subsidies to non-sweetened beverages and tax to soft drinks could lead to increases in the substitutions for other healthier beverages.

Integration of Aquifer Storage Transfer and Recovery and HACCP for Ensuring Drinking Water Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S. I.; Ji, H. W.

2015-12-01

The integration of ASTR (Aquifer Storage Transfer and Recovery) and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is being attempted to ensure drinking water quality in a delta area. ASTR is a water supply system in which surface water is injected into a well for storage and recovered from a different well. During the process natural water treatment is achieved in the aquifer. ASTR has advantages over surface reservoirs in that the water is protected from external contaminants and free from water loss by evaporation. HACCP, originated from the food industry, can efficiently manage hazards and reduce risks when it is introduced to the drinking water production. The study area is the located in the Nakdong River Delta, South Korea. Water quality of this region has been deteriorated due to the increased pollution loads from the upstream cities and industrial complexes. ASTR equipped with HACCP system is suggested as a means to heighten the public trust in drinking water. After the drinking water supply system using ASTR was decomposed into ten processes, principles of HACCP were applied. Hazardous event analysis was conducted for 114 hazardous events and nine major hazardous events were identified based on the likelihood and the severity assessment. Potential risk of chemical hazards, as a function of amounts, travel distance and toxicity, was evaluated and the result shows the relative threat a city poses to the drinking water supply facility. Next, critical control points were determined using decision tree analysis. Critical limits, maximum and/or minimum values to which biological, chemical or physical parameters must be controlled, were established. Other procedures such as monitoring, corrective actions and will be presented.

Elevated tissue Cr levels, increased plasma oxidative markers, and global hypomethylation of blood DNA in male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to potassium dichromate in drinking water.

PubMed

Wang, Yu; Wu, Wei; Yao, Chunji; Lou, Jianlin; Chen, Riping; Jin, Lingzhi; Wu, Nanxiang; Gao, Ming; Song, Peng; Tan, Yufeng; Liu, Kecheng

2016-09-01

Hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)] is prevalent in ground water in some areas, but evidence on the toxic effects of Cr (VI) via ingestion through drinking water remains insufficient. The aims of our study were to investigate the toxic effects of Cr (VI) through oral water ingestion on oxidative stress and DNA methylation. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, and exposed to porassium dichromate (K2 Cr2 O7 ; 0, 30, 100, and 300 mg/L) in drinking water for 4 weeks. Mean body weight gain, mean water consumption, clinical chemistry determinations, and oxidative stress levels in plasma were measured. Global DNA methylation changes and DNA methylation status at the promoter of p16 gene were also detected. After 4 weeks, mild anemic effects and increased plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels occurred in rats exposed to 100 mg/L or 300 mg/L of Cr (VI). Plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity decreased in all exposed groups. Global DNA methylation levels were reduced in 100 mg/L and 300 mg/L exposure groups. However, DNA methylation status at the promoter of P16 gene remained unchanged in all K2 Cr2 O7- treated groups. The correlation analysis indicated that increased MDA levels were closely correlated to global DNA hypomethylation. Our results indicated that oral ingestion of Cr (VI) through drinking water caused not only oxidative stress in plasma, but also global DNA hypomethylation in blood cells from male rats, and a good correlation was found between increased MDA levels and reduced global DNA methylation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1080-1090, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Investigation of organic matter migrating from polymeric pipes into drinking water under different flow manners.

PubMed

Zhang, Ling; Liu, Shuming; Liu, Wenjun

2014-02-01

Polymeric pipes, such as unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) pipes, polypropylene random (PPR) pipes and polyethylene (PE) pipes are increasingly used for drinking water distribution lines. Plastic pipes may include some additives like metallic stabilizers and other antioxidants for the protection of the material during its production and use. Thus, some compounds can be released from those plastic pipes and cast a shadow on drinking water quality. This work develops a new procedure to investigate three types of polymer pipes (uPVC, PE and PPR) with respect to the migration of total organic carbon (TOC) into drinking water. The migration test was carried out in stagnant conditions with two types of migration processes, a continuous migration process and a successive migration process. These two types of migration processes are specially designed to mimic the conditions of different flow manners in drinking water pipelines, i.e., the situation of continuous stagnation with long hydraulic retention times and normal flow status with regular water renewing in drinking water networks. The experimental results showed that TOC release differed significantly with different plastic materials and under different flow manners. The order of materials with respect to the total amount of TOC migrating into drinking water was observed as PE > PPR > uPVC under both successive and continuous migration conditions. A higher amount of organic migration from PE and PPR pipes was likely to occur due to more organic antioxidants being used in pipe production. The results from the successive migration tests indicated the trend of the migration intensity of different pipe materials over time, while the results obtained from the continuous migration tests implied that under long stagnant conditions, the drinking water quality could deteriorate quickly with the consistent migration of organic compounds and the dramatic consumption of chlorine to a very low level. Higher amounts of TOC were released under the continuous migration tests.

Public health significance of zoonotic Cryptosporidium species in wildlife: Critical insights into better drinking water management.

PubMed

Zahedi, Alireza; Paparini, Andrea; Jian, Fuchun; Robertson, Ian; Ryan, Una

2016-04-01

Cryptosporidium is an enteric parasite that is transmitted via the faecal-oral route, water and food. Humans, wildlife and domestic livestock all potentially contribute Cryptosporidium to surface waters. Human encroachment into natural ecosystems has led to an increase in interactions between humans, domestic animals and wildlife populations. Increasing numbers of zoonotic diseases and spill over/back of zoonotic pathogens is a consequence of this anthropogenic disturbance. Drinking water catchments and water reservoir areas have been at the front line of this conflict as they can be easily contaminated by zoonotic waterborne pathogens. Therefore, the epidemiology of zoonotic species of Cryptosporidium in free-ranging and captive wildlife is of increasing importance. This review focuses on zoonotic Cryptosporidium species reported in global wildlife populations to date, and highlights their significance for public health and the water industry.

Muddying the Waters: A New Area of Concern for Drinking Water Contamination in Cameroon

PubMed Central

Healy Profitós, Jessica M.; Mouhaman, Arabi; Lee, Seungjun; Garabed, Rebecca; Moritz, Mark; Piperata, Barbara; Tien, Joe; Bisesi, Michael; Lee, Jiyoung

2014-01-01

In urban Maroua, Cameroon, improved drinking water sources are available to a large majority of the population, yet this water is frequently distributed through informal distribution systems and stored in home containers (canaries), leaving it vulnerable to contamination. We assessed where contamination occurs within the distribution system, determined potential sources of environmental contamination, and investigated potential pathogens. Gastrointestinal health status (785 individuals) was collected via health surveys. Drinking water samples were collected from drinking water sources and canaries. Escherichia coli and total coliform levels were evaluated and molecular detection was performed to measure human-associated faecal marker, HF183; tetracycline-resistance gene, tetQ; Campylobacter spp.; and Staphylococcus aureus. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between microbial contamination and gastrointestinal illness. Canari samples had higher levels of contamination than source samples. HF183 and tetQ were detected in home and source samples. An inverse relationship was found between tetQ and E. coli. Presence of tetQ with lower E. coli levels increased the odds of reported diarrhoeal illness than E. coli levels alone. Further work is warranted to better assess the relationship between antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and other pathogens in micro-ecosystems within canaries and this relationship’s impact on drinking water quality. PMID:25464137

Muddying the waters: a new area of concern for drinking water contamination in Cameroon.

PubMed

Profitós, Jessica M Healy; Mouhaman, Arabi; Lee, Seungjun; Garabed, Rebecca; Moritz, Mark; Piperata, Barbara; Tien, Joe; Bisesi, Michael; Lee, Jiyoung

2014-11-28

In urban Maroua, Cameroon, improved drinking water sources are available to a large majority of the population, yet this water is frequently distributed through informal distribution systems and stored in home containers (canaries), leaving it vulnerable to contamination. We assessed where contamination occurs within the distribution system, determined potential sources of environmental contamination, and investigated potential pathogens. Gastrointestinal health status (785 individuals) was collected via health surveys. Drinking water samples were collected from drinking water sources and canaries. Escherichia coli and total coliform levels were evaluated and molecular detection was performed to measure human-associated faecal marker, HF183; tetracycline-resistance gene, tetQ; Campylobacter spp.; and Staphylococcus aureus. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between microbial contamination and gastrointestinal illness. Canari samples had higher levels of contamination than source samples. HF183 and tetQ were detected in home and source samples. An inverse relationship was found between tetQ and E. coli. Presence of tetQ with lower E. coli levels increased the odds of reported diarrhoeal illness than E. coli levels alone. Further work is warranted to better assess the relationship between antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and other pathogens in micro-ecosystems within canaries and this relationship's impact on drinking water quality.

Effect of increasing bromide concentration on toxicity in treated drinking water.

PubMed

Sawade, Emma; Fabris, Rolando; Humpage, Andrew; Drikas, Mary

2016-04-01

Research is increasingly indicating the potential chronic health effects of brominated disinfection by-products (DBPs). This is likely to increase with elevated bromide concentrations resulting from the impacts of climate change, projected to include extended periods of drought and the sudden onset of water quality changes. This will demand more rigorous monitoring throughout distribution systems and improved water quality management at water treatment plants (WTPs). In this work the impact of increased bromide concentration on formation of DBPs following conventional treatment and chlorination was assessed for two water sources. Bioanalytical tests were utilised to determine cytotoxicity of the water post disinfection. Coagulation was shown to significantly reduce the cytotoxicity of the water, indicating that removal of natural organic matter DBP precursors continues to be an important factor in drinking water treatment. Most toxic species appear to form within the first half hour following disinfectant addition. Increasing bromide concentration across the two waters was shown to increase the formation of trihalomethanes and shifted the haloacetic acid species distribution from chlorinated to those with greater bromine substitution. This correlated with increasing cytotoxicity. This work demonstrates the challenges faced by WTPs and the possible effects increasing levels of bromide in source waters could have on public health.

Protective effects of hot spring water drinking and radon inhalation on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in mice

PubMed Central

Etani, Reo; Kataoka, Takahiro; Kanzaki, Norie; Sakoda, Akihiro; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Ishimori, Yuu; Mitsunobu, Fumihiro; Taguchi, Takehito

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Radon therapy using radon (222Rn) gas is classified into two types of treatment: inhalation of radon gas and drinking water containing radon. Although short- or long-term intake of spa water is effective in increasing gastric mucosal blood flow, and spa water therapy is useful for treating chronic gastritis and gastric ulcer, the underlying mechanisms for and precise effects of radon protection against mucosal injury are unclear. In the present study, we examined the protective effects of hot spring water drinking and radon inhalation on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in mice. Mice inhaled radon at a concentration of 2000 Bq/m3 for 24 h or were provided with hot spring water for 2 weeks. The activity density of 222Rn ranged from 663 Bq/l (start point of supplying) to 100 Bq/l (end point of supplying). Mice were then orally administered ethanol at three concentrations. The ulcer index (UI), an indicator of mucosal injury, increased in response to the administration of ethanol; however, treatment with either radon inhalation or hot spring water inhibited the elevation in the UI due to ethanol. Although no significant differences in antioxidative enzymes were observed between the radon-treated groups and the non-treated control groups, lipid peroxide levels were significantly lower in the stomachs of mice pre-treated with radon or hot spring water. These results suggest that hot spring water drinking and radon inhalation inhibit ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury. PMID:28498931

Long-term spatial and temporal microbial community dynamics in a large-scale drinking water distribution system with multiple disinfectant regimes.

PubMed

Potgieter, Sarah; Pinto, Ameet; Sigudu, Makhosazana; du Preez, Hein; Ncube, Esper; Venter, Stephanus

2018-08-01

Long-term spatial-temporal investigations of microbial dynamics in full-scale drinking water distribution systems are scarce. These investigations can reveal the process, infrastructure, and environmental factors that influence the microbial community, offering opportunities to re-think microbial management in drinking water systems. Often, these insights are missed or are unreliable in short-term studies, which are impacted by stochastic variabilities inherent to large full-scale systems. In this two-year study, we investigated the spatial and temporal dynamics of the microbial community in a large, full scale South African drinking water distribution system that uses three successive disinfection strategies (i.e. chlorination, chloramination and hypochlorination). Monthly bulk water samples were collected from the outlet of the treatment plant and from 17 points in the distribution system spanning nearly 150 km and the bacterial community composition was characterised by Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. Like previous studies, Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria dominated the drinking water bacterial communities, with an increase in Betaproteobacteria post-chloramination. In contrast with previous reports, the observed richness, diversity, and evenness of the bacterial communities were higher in the winter months as opposed to the summer months in this study. In addition to temperature effects, the seasonal variations were also likely to be influenced by changes in average water age in the distribution system and corresponding changes in disinfectant residual concentrations. Spatial dynamics of the bacterial communities indicated distance decay, with bacterial communities becoming increasingly dissimilar with increasing distance between sampling locations. These spatial effects dampened the temporal changes in the bulk water community and were the dominant factor when considering the entire distribution system. However, temporal variations were consistently stronger as compared to spatial changes at individual sampling locations and demonstrated seasonality. This study emphasises the need for long-term studies to comprehensively understand the temporal patterns that would otherwise be missed in short-term investigations. Furthermore, systematic long-term investigations are particularly critical towards determining the impact of changes in source water quality, environmental conditions, and process operations on the changes in microbial community composition in the drinking water distribution system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National trends in drinking water quality violations.

PubMed

Allaire, Maura; Wu, Haowei; Lall, Upmanu

2018-02-27

Ensuring safe water supply for communities across the United States is a growing challenge in the face of aging infrastructure, impaired source water, and strained community finances. In the aftermath of the Flint lead crisis, there is an urgent need to assess the current state of US drinking water. However, no nationwide assessment has yet been conducted on trends in drinking water quality violations across several decades. Efforts to reduce violations are of national concern given that, in 2015, nearly 21 million people relied on community water systems that violated health-based quality standards. In this paper, we evaluate spatial and temporal patterns in health-related violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act using a panel dataset of 17,900 community water systems over the period 1982-2015. We also identify vulnerability factors of communities and water systems through probit regression. Increasing time trends and violation hot spots are detected in several states, particularly in the Southwest region. Repeat violations are prevalent in locations of violation hot spots, indicating that water systems in these regions struggle with recurring issues. In terms of vulnerability factors, we find that violation incidence in rural areas is substantially higher than in urbanized areas. Meanwhile, private ownership and purchased water source are associated with compliance. These findings indicate the types of underperforming systems that might benefit from assistance in achieving consistent compliance. We discuss why certain violations might be clustered in some regions and strategies for improving national drinking water quality.

Do estrogenic compounds in drinking water migrating from plastic pipe distribution system pose adverse effects to human? An analysis of scientific literature.

PubMed

Liu, Ze-Hua; Yin, Hua; Dang, Zhi

2017-01-01

With the widespread application of plastic pipes in drinking water distribution system, the effects of various leachable organic chemicals have been investigated and their occurrence in drinking water supplies is monitored. Most studies focus on the odor problems these substances may cause. This study investigates the potential endocrine disrupting effects of the migrating compound 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-d-t-BP). The summarized results show that the migration of 2,4-d-t-BP from plastic pipes could result in chronic exposure and the migration levels varied greatly among different plastic pipe materials and manufacturing brands. Based on estrogen equivalent (EEQ), the migrating levels of the leachable compound 2,4-d-t-BP in most plastic pipes were relative low. However, the EEQ levels in drinking water migrating from four out of 15 pipes may pose significant adverse effects. With the increasingly strict requirements on regulation of drinking water quality, these results indicate that some drinking water transported with plastic pipes may not be safe for human consumption due to the occurrence of 2,4-d-t-BP. Moreover, 2,4-d-t-BP is not the only plastic pipe-migrating estrogenic compound, other compounds such as 2-tert-butylphenol (2-t-BP), 4-tert-butylphenol (4-t-BP), and others may also be leachable from plastic pipes.

Evaluation of the possible role of copper ions in drinking water in the pathogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis: a pilot study.

PubMed

Arakeri, Gururaj; Patil, Shekhar Gowda; Ramesh, D N S V; Hunasgi, Santosh; Brennan, Peter A

2014-01-01

We aimed to investigate the concentration of copper ions in drinking water and to assess whether copper has a role in the pathogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF). We studied 50 patients with clinically and histologically diagnosed OSMF from the Yadgir district of Karnataka in India. Fifty healthy people matched for age and sex were used as controls. In both groups concentrations of copper ions in serum, saliva, and home drinking water were measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy and intelligent nephelometry technology. Serum ceruloplasmin concentrations were also estimated in both groups. The mean (SD) concentration of copper in the home drinking water of patients with OSMF was significantly higher (764.3 (445.9)μmol/L) than in the controls (305.7 (318.5)μmol/L) (p<0.001). Patients with OSMF also had a significantly higher copper concentrations in serum and saliva, and serum ceruloplasmin than controls (p<0.001). For the first time these data have shown a positive association between copper concentrations in home drinking water and OSMF. It raises the possibility that increased copper in drinking water contributes to the development of OSMF, and adds to that ingested when areca nut is chewed. Copyright © 2013 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating Nanoparticle Breakthrough during Drinking Water Treatment

PubMed Central

Chalew, Talia E. Abbott; Ajmani, Gaurav S.; Huang, Haiou

2013-01-01

Background: Use of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) in consumer products is resulting in NPs in drinking water sources. Subsequent NP breakthrough into treated drinking water is a potential exposure route and human health threat. Objectives: In this study we investigated the breakthrough of common NPs—silver (Ag), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and zinc oxide (ZnO)—into finished drinking water following conventional and advanced treatment. Methods: NPs were spiked into five experimental waters: groundwater, surface water, synthetic freshwater, synthetic freshwater containing natural organic matter, and tertiary wastewater effluent. Bench-scale coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation simulated conventional treatment, and microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) simulated advanced treatment. We monitored breakthrough of NPs into treated water by turbidity removal and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results: Conventional treatment resulted in 2–20%, 3–8%, and 48–99% of Ag, TiO2, and ZnO NPs, respectively, or their dissolved ions remaining in finished water. Breakthrough following MF was 1–45% for Ag, 0–44% for TiO2, and 36–83% for ZnO. With UF, NP breakthrough was 0–2%, 0–4%, and 2–96% for Ag, TiO2, and ZnO, respectively. Variability was dependent on NP stability, with less breakthrough of aggregated NPs compared with stable NPs and dissolved NP ions. Conclusions: Although a majority of aggregated or stable NPs were removed by simulated conventional and advanced treatment, NP metals were detectable in finished water. As environmental NP concentrations increase, we need to consider NPs as emerging drinking water contaminants and determine appropriate drinking water treatment processes to fully remove NPs in order to reduce their potential harmful health outcomes. Citation: Abbott Chalew TE, Ajmani GS, Huang H, Schwab KJ. 2013. Evaluating nanoparticle breakthrough during drinking water treatment. Environ Health Perspect 121:1161–1166; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1306574 PMID:23933526

Drinking water contaminants from epoxy resin-coated pipes: A field study.

PubMed

Rajasärkkä, Johanna; Pernica, Marek; Kuta, Jan; Lašňák, Jonáš; Šimek, Zdenĕk; Bláha, Luděk

2016-10-15

Rehabilitation of aged drinking water pipes is an extensive renovation and increasingly topical in many European cities. Spray-on-lining of drinking water pipes is an alternative cost-effective rehabilitation technology in which the insides of pipes are relined with organic polymer. A commonly used polymer is epoxy resin consisting of monomer bisphenol A (BPA). Leaching of BPA from epoxy lining to drinking water has been a concern among public and authorities. Currently epoxy lining is not recommended in some countries. BPA leaching has been demonstrated in laboratory studies but the behavior and ageing process of epoxy lining in situ is not well known. In this study 6 locations with different age epoxy linings of drinking water pipes done using two distinct technologies were studied. While bisphenol F, 4-n-nonylphenol, and 4-t-octylphenol were rarely found and in trace concentrations, BPA was detected in majority of samples. Pipes lined with the older technology (LSE) leached more BPA than those with more recent technology (DonPro): maxima in cold water were 0.25 μg/L and 10 ng/L, respectively. Incubation of water in pipes 8-10 h prior to sampling increased BPA concentration in cold water 1.1-43-fold. Hot water temperature caused even more BPA leaching - at maximum 23.5 μg/L. The influence of ageing of epoxy lining on BPA leaching on could be shown in case of LSE technology: locations with 8-9 years old lining leached 4-20-fold more BPA compared to a location with 2-year-old lining. Analysis of metals showed that epoxy lining can reduce especially iron concentration in water. No significant burden to water could be shown by the analyzed 72 volatile organic compounds, including epichlorhydrin, precursor used in epoxy resin. Estrogenicity was detected in water samples with the highest BPA loads. Comparable responses of two yeast bioreporters (estrogen receptor α and BPA-targeted) indicated that bisphenol-like compounds were the main cause of estrogenicity. Compared to the estimated average daily BPA exposure, additional BPA load via cold drinking water in the studied locations was low, maximum 8.7%. However, hot water should also be considered as exposure source due to higher BPA concentrations. Epoxy lined locations should be monitored in future in order to evaluate ageing process and control increasing leaching of potentially harmful chemicals. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

30 CFR 71.603 - Drinking water; dispensing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Drinking water; dispensing requirements. 71.603... COAL MINES Drinking Water § 71.603 Drinking water; dispensing requirements. (a) Water shall be dispensed through a drinking fountain or from a water storage container with an adequate supply of single...

30 CFR 71.603 - Drinking water; dispensing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Drinking water; dispensing requirements. 71.603... COAL MINES Drinking Water § 71.603 Drinking water; dispensing requirements. (a) Water shall be dispensed through a drinking fountain or from a water storage container with an adequate supply of single...

76 FR 38158 - Meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council; Notice of Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

... water supplies. The Council will also receive updates about several on-going drinking water program... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9425-8] Meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory... meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC), established under the Safe Drinking Water...

30 CFR 71.603 - Drinking water; dispensing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Drinking water; dispensing requirements. 71.603... COAL MINES Drinking Water § 71.603 Drinking water; dispensing requirements. (a) Water shall be dispensed through a drinking fountain or from a water storage container with an adequate supply of single...

30 CFR 71.603 - Drinking water; dispensing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Drinking water; dispensing requirements. 71.603... COAL MINES Drinking Water § 71.603 Drinking water; dispensing requirements. (a) Water shall be dispensed through a drinking fountain or from a water storage container with an adequate supply of single...

30 CFR 71.603 - Drinking water; dispensing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Drinking water; dispensing requirements. 71.603... COAL MINES Drinking Water § 71.603 Drinking water; dispensing requirements. (a) Water shall be dispensed through a drinking fountain or from a water storage container with an adequate supply of single...

[Study on pipe material's influence on chlorine dioxide drinking water disinfection].

PubMed

He, Tao; Yue, Yinling; Ling, Bo; Zhang, Lan

2010-09-01

To study the pipe material's influence on chlorine dioxide drinking water disinfection. 0.8 mg/L chlorine dioxide solution was injected into 5 kinds of pipes respectively, PPR, PVC-U, Steel with Zinc coating, copper and PE pipes. Dipped free from light for 48 hours and the concentrations of chlorine dioxide, chlorite and chlorate were tested from samples taken from each kind of pipe at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours respectively. Chlorine dioxides decay rates in the water dipping the pipes increase as the dipping time increases and the decay of chlorine dioxide mainly occurs within 6 hours after the dipping. But for different pipe, the influence of decay differs. The consumption of chlorine dioxide of the metal pipes is more than that of the plastic pipes. And with 2 hours after the dipping experiment begins, the concentrations of the chlorite of the copper pipe and of the steel with zinc coating pipe increase quickly and reach the maximum concentration. But then the chlorite concentration decreases greatly. After dipped 24 hours, the chlorite in the water in the pipe can not be detected. For other plastic piples, all the chlorite concentrations in the dipping water increase as the dipping time increase. Compared with the start of the dipping experiment, the chlorate concentration in the dipping water of each pipe has no obvious change. The material of the water transportation pipe does have influence on chlorine dioxide drinking water disinfection.

Qualitative and quantitative aspects of drinking water supply in Sardinia, Italy. A descriptive analysis of the ordinances and public notices issued during the years 2010-2015.

PubMed

Dettori, M; Piana, A; Castiglia, P; Loria, E; Azara, A

2016-01-01

The aim of the study is to analyze the regional district ordinances and the warnings regarding qualitative and quantitavive drinking water abnormalities discovered by the Sardinian Municipalities and the Water Managing Authority between 2010 and 2015 in order to describe and identify the causes leading to an interruption or a limitation of the drinking water supply. We carefully reviewed all ordinances and warnings of non-potable water and service interruption published between 2010 and 2015 by the websites of 377 Sardinian Municipalities and by the main regional newspapers, the Water Managing Authority and the Regional Health Trusts. From 2010 to 2015, 738 warnings/ordinances regarding drinking water supply limitation or interruption were issued. The warnings involved more than half (n. 191, 50.7%) of the 377 Sardinian Municipalities. Considering that these Municipalities included the main Sardinian cities we estimated that 80.3% of the population was affected by the issue. During the 6 years we observed a progressive increase of Municipalities involved beginning with 25 and reaching up 110 in 2014. The initial 29 warnings rose to 256 in 2014 along with an increased number of abnormal values, parameters and standards of the drinking water. Regarding the ordinances issued by the 191 Mayors we noticed that the legal limits were exceeded in 23 cases. Among those, we underline the abnormal levels of chlorites and trihalomethanes (22% of cases), the turbidity, the abnormal concentration of total chemical substances and the abnormal level of coliforms, Escherichia coli, manganese, aluminum, nitrites and iron. According to our observations, the Sardinian drinking water supply system is affected by a major inconvenience and the data suggest that qualitative abnormalities are mainly due to water purification treatments used in addition to the poor water supply network in existence. Considering these results, a cooperation between all Authorities involved would be desirable in order to analyze official data and provide a careful evaluation of population exposure and real risks related to the level of every parameter considered.

Drinking water boosts food intake rate, body mass increase and fat accumulation in migratory blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla).

PubMed

Tsurim, Ido; Sapir, Nir; Belmaker, Jonathan; Shanni, Itai; Izhaki, Ido; Wojciechowski, Michał S; Karasov, William H; Pinshow, Berry

2008-05-01

Fat accumulation by blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) is a prerequisite for successful migratory flight in the autumn and has recently been determined to be constrained by availability of drinking water. Birds staging in a fruit-rich Pistacia atlantica plantation that had access to water increased their body mass and fat reserves both faster and to a greater extent than birds deprived of water. We conducted a series of laboratory experiments on birds captured during the autumn migration period in which we tested the hypotheses that drinking water increases food use by easing limitations on the birds' dietary choices and, consequently, feeding and food processing rates, and that the availability of drinking water leads to improved digestion and, therefore, to higher apparent metabolizable energy. Blackcaps were trapped in autumn in the Northern Negev Desert, Israel and transferred to individual cages in the laboratory. Birds were provided with P. atlantica fruit and mealworms, and had either free access to water (controls) or were water-deprived. In experiment 1, in which mealworm availability was restricted, water-deprived birds had a fourfold lower fruit and energy intake rates and, consequently, gained less fat and total mass than control birds. Water availability did not affect food metabolizability. In experiment 2, in which mealworms were provided ad libitum, water availability influenced the birds' diet: water-restricted birds ate more mealworms, while control birds consumed mainly P. atlantica fruit. Further, in experiment 2, fat and mass gain did not differ between the two treatment groups. We conclude that water availability may have important consequences for fat accumulation in migrating birds while they fatten at stopover sites, especially when water-rich food is scarce. Restricted water availability may also impede the blackcap's dietary shift from insectivory to frugivory, a shift probably necessary for successful pre-migratory fattening.

Lead and Drinking Water from Private Wells

MedlinePlus

... Drinking Water Policy & Recommendations History of Drinking Water Treatment Drinking Water FAQ Fast Facts Healthy Water Sites Healthy Water ... if needed. You may also wish to consider water treatment methods such as reverse osmosis, distillation, and carbon ...

Historical reconstruction of wastewater and land use impacts to groundwater used for public drinking water: exposure assessment using chemical data and GIS.

PubMed

Swartz, Christopher H; Rudel, Ruthann A; Kachajian, Jennifer R; Brody, Julia G

2003-09-01

Land use in geographic areas that replenish groundwater and surface water resources is increasingly recognized as an important factor affecting drinking water quality. Efforts to understand the implications for health, particularly outcomes with long latency or critical exposure windows, have been hampered by lack of historical exposure data for unregulated pollutants. This limitation has hindered studies of the possible links between breast cancer risk and drinking water impacted by endocrine disrupting compounds and mammary carcinogens, for example. This paper describes a methodology to assess potential historical exposure to a broad range of chemicals associated with wastewater and land use impacts to 132 groundwater wells and one surface water body supplying drinking water to 18 public distribution systems on Cape Cod, MA. We calculated annual measures of impact to each distribution system and used the measures as exposure estimates for the residential addresses of control women in the Cape Cod Breast Cancer and Environment Study (Cape Cod Study). Impact was assessed using (1) historical chemical measurements of nitrate at the water supply sources (performed as required by the Safe Water Drinking Act) and (2) a geographic information system analysis of land use within the zones of contribution (ZOCs) delineated for each well in a state-mandated wellhead protection program. The period for which these impact estimates were developed (1972-1995) was constrained by the availability of chemical measurements and land use data and consideration of time required for groundwater transport of contaminants to the water supply wells. Trends in these estimates for Cape Cod suggest increasing impact to drinking water quality for land use over the study period. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the effect on the distribution of controls' cumulative exposure estimates from (1) reducing the area of the ZOCs to reflect typical well operating conditions rather than extreme pumping conditions used for the regulatory ZOCs, (2) assuming residences received their drinking water entirely from the closest well or cluster of wells rather than a volume-weighted annual district-wide average, and (3) changing the travel time considered for contaminants to reach wells from land use sources. We found that the rank and distribution of controls' cumulative exposure estimates were affected most by the assumption concerning district mixing; in particular, assignment of exposure estimates based on impact values for the closest well(s) consistently produced a larger number of unexposed controls than when a district-wide average impact value was used. As expected, the results suggest that adequate characterization of water quality heterogeneity within water supplies is an important component of exposure assessment methodologies in health studies investigating impacted drinking water.

Impacts of global change on the concentrations and dilution of combined sewer overflows in a drinking water source.

PubMed

Jalliffier-Verne, Isabelle; Leconte, Robert; Huaringa-Alvarez, Uriel; Madoux-Humery, Anne-Sophie; Galarneau, Martine; Servais, Pierre; Prévost, Michèle; Dorner, Sarah

2015-03-01

This study presents an analysis of climate change impacts on a large river located in Québec (Canada) used as a drinking water source. Combined sewer overflow (CSO) effluents are the primary source of fecal contamination of the river. An analysis of river flowrates was conducted using historical data and predicted flows from a future climate scenario. A spatio-temporal analysis of water quality trends with regard to fecal contamination was performed and the effects of changing flowrates on the dilution of fecal contaminants were analyzed. Along the river, there was a significant spatial trend for increasing fecal pollution downstream of CSO outfalls. Escherichia coli concentrations (upper 95th percentile) increased linearly from 2002 to 2012 at one drinking water treatment plant intake. Two critical periods in the current climate were identified for the drinking water intakes considering both potential contaminant loads and flowrates: local spring snowmelt that precedes river peak flow and extra-tropical storm events that occur during low flows. Regionally, climate change is expected to increase the intensity of the impacts of hydrological conditions on water quality in the studied basin. Based on climate projections, it is expected that spring snowmelt will occur earlier and extreme spring flowrates will increase and low flows will generally decrease. High and low flows are major factors related to the potential degradation of water quality of the river. However, the observed degradation of water quality over the past 10 years suggests that urban development and population growth may have played a greater role than climate. However, climate change impacts will likely be observed over a longer period. Source water protection plans should consider climate change impacts on the dilution of contaminants in addition to local land uses changes in order to maintain or improve water quality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sensory Ecology of Water Detection by Bats: A Field Experiment

PubMed Central

Russo, Danilo; Cistrone, Luca; Jones, Gareth

2012-01-01

Bats face a great risk of dehydration, so sensory mechanisms for water recognition are crucial for their survival. In the laboratory, bats recognized any smooth horizontal surface as water because these provide analogous reflections of echolocation calls. We tested whether bats also approach smooth horizontal surfaces other than water to drink in nature by partly covering watering troughs used by hundreds of bats with a Perspex layer mimicking water. We aimed 1) to confirm that under natural conditions too bats mistake any horizontal smooth surface for water by testing this on large numbers of individuals from a range of species and 2) to assess the occurrence of learning effects. Eleven bat species mistook Perspex for water relying chiefly on echoacoustic information. Using black instead of transparent Perspex did not deter bats from attempting to drink. In Barbastella barbastellus no echolocation differences occurred between bats approaching the water and the Perspex surfaces respectively, confirming that bats perceive water and Perspex to be acoustically similar. The drinking attempt rates at the fake surface were often lower than those recorded in the laboratory: bats then either left the site or moved to the control water surface. This suggests that bats modified their behaviour as soon as the lack of drinking reward had overridden the influence of echoacoustic information. Regardless of which of two adjoining surfaces was covered, bats preferentially approached and attempted to drink from the first surface encountered, probably because they followed a common route, involving spatial memory and perhaps social coordination. Overall, although acoustic recognition itself is stereotyped and its importance in the drinking process overwhelming, our findings point at the role of experience in increasing behavioural flexibility under natural conditions. PMID:23133558

Breast cancer risk and drinking water contaminated by wastewater: a case control study

PubMed Central

Brody, Julia Green; Aschengrau, Ann; McKelvey, Wendy; Swartz, Christopher H; Kennedy, Theresa; Rudel, Ruthann A

2006-01-01

Background Drinking water contaminated by wastewater is a potential source of exposure to mammary carcinogens and endocrine disrupting compounds from commercial products and excreted natural and pharmaceutical hormones. These contaminants are hypothesized to increase breast cancer risk. Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has a history of wastewater contamination in many, but not all, of its public water supplies; and the region has a history of higher breast cancer incidence that is unexplained by the population's age, in-migration, mammography use, or established breast cancer risk factors. We conducted a case-control study to investigate whether exposure to drinking water contaminated by wastewater increases the risk of breast cancer. Methods Participants were 824 Cape Cod women diagnosed with breast cancer in 1988–1995 and 745 controls who lived in homes served by public drinking water supplies and never lived in a home served by a Cape Cod private well. We assessed each woman's exposure yearly since 1972 at each of her Cape Cod addresses, using nitrate nitrogen (nitrate-N) levels measured in public wells and pumping volumes for the wells. Nitrate-N is an established wastewater indicator in the region. As an alternative drinking water quality indicator, we calculated the fraction of recharge zones in residential, commercial, and pesticide land use areas. Results After controlling for established breast cancer risk factors, mammography, and length of residence on Cape Cod, results showed no consistent association between breast cancer and average annual nitrate-N (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 0.6 – 5.0 for ≥ 1.2 vs. < .3 mg/L), the sum of annual nitrate-N concentrations (OR = 0.9; 95% CI 0.6 – 1.5 for ≥ 10 vs. 1 to < 10 mg/L), or the number of years exposed to nitrate-N over 1 mg/L (OR = 0.9; 95% CI 0.5 – 1.5 for ≥ 8 vs. 0 years). Variation in exposure levels was limited, with 99% of women receiving some of their water from supplies with nitrate-N levels in excess of background. The total fraction of residential, commercial, and pesticide use land in recharge zones of public supply wells was associated with a small statistically unstable higher breast cancer incidence (OR = 1.4; 95% CI 0.8–2.4 for highest compared with lowest land use), but risk did not increase for increasing land use fractions. Conclusion Results did not provide evidence of an association between breast cancer and drinking water contaminated by wastewater. The computer mapping methods used in this study to link routine measurements required by the Safe Drinking Water Act with interview data can enhance individual-level epidemiologic studies of multiple health outcomes, including diseases with substantial latency. PMID:17026759

Toxicity of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) following exposure of Wistar Rats for 13 weeks or one year via drinking water.

PubMed

Bermudez, Edilberto; Willson, Gabrielle; Parkinson, Horace; Dodd, Darol

2012-09-01

Thirteen-week and one-year toxicity studies of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) administered in drinking water to Wistar rats were conducted. Male and female rats were exposed to MTBE in drinking water at 0.5, 3, 7.5 and 15 mg ml(-1) for 13 weeks and at 0.5, 3 and 7.5 (males) or 0.5, 3 and 15 mg ml(-1) (females) for 1 year. Body weights were reduced only in males following 13 weeks of exposure. Reduced water consumption and urine output were observed in males and females exposed to MTBE. Kidney cell replication and α(2u)-globulin levels in males were increased at 1 and 4 weeks of MTBE exposure and tubular cell regeneration was increased in male kidneys exposed to MTBE concentrations of 7.5 mg ml(-1) or greater for 13 weeks. Wet weights of male kidneys were increased following 13 weeks, 6 months and 1 year of exposure to MTBE concentrations of 7.5 mg ml(-1) or greater. Kidney wet weights were increased in females at MTBE concentrations of 15 mg ml(-1) for 13 weeks. Tertiary-butyl alcohol blood levels increased linearly with dose in males and females following 1 year of exposure. Chronic progressive nephropathy (CPN), of minimal to mild severity, increased in males, but not females, with 1 year of MTBE exposure. In summary, exposure of Wistar rats to MTBE in the drinking water resulted in minimal exposure-related effects including limited renal changes in male rats suggestive of α(2u)-globulin nephropathy following 13 weeks of exposure and an exacerbation of CPN in males at the end of 1 year of exposure. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Estimation of Arsenic Intake from Drinking Water and Food (Raw and Cooked) in a Rural Village of Northern Chile. Urine as a Biomarker of Recent Exposure

PubMed Central

Diaz, Oscar Pablo; Arcos, Rafael; Tapia, Yasna; Pastene, Rubén; Velez, Dínoraz; Devesa, Vicenta; Montoro, Rosa; Aguilera, Valeska; Becerra, Miriam

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate both the contribution of drinking water and food (raw and cooked) to the total (t-As) and inorganic (i-As) arsenic intake and the exposure of inhabitants of Socaire, a rural village in Chile´s Antofagasta Region, by using urine as biomarker. The i-As intake from food and water was estimated using samples collected between November 2008 and September 2009. A 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire was given to 20 participants. Drinking water, food (raw and cooked) and urine samples were collected directly from the homes where the interviewees lived. The percentage of i-As/t-As in the drinking water that contributed to the total intake was variable (26.8–92.9). Cereals and vegetables are the food groups that contain higher concentrations of i-As. All of the participants interviewed exceeded the reference intake FAO/OMS (149.8 µg∙i-As·day−1) by approximately nine times. The concentration of t-As in urine in each individual ranged from 78 to 459 ng·mL−1. Estimated As intake from drinking water and food was not associated with total urinary As concentration. The results show that both drinking water and food substantially contribute to i-As intake and an increased exposure risk to adult residents in contaminated areas. PMID:26006131

Health risk assessment of fluoride in drinking water from Anhui Province in China.

PubMed

Gao, Hong-jian; Jin, You-qian; Wei, Jun-ling

2013-05-01

This study analyzes the concentrations and health risks of fluoride in 249 drinking water samples collected from different regions of Anhui Province in China. Results indicated that fluoride content in drinking water ranged from 0.12 to 1.94 mg L(-1) (mean = 0.57 mg L(-1)) in the following order: Huaibei plain region > Jianghuai hill region ≈ Dabieshan mountainous region > plain along the Yangtze River region > southern Anhui mountainous region. The fluoride contents were less than 0.50 mg L(-1) in 66.66 % of the drinking water samples, 0.51-1.0 mg L(-1) in 23.29 %, and higher than 1.0 mg L(-1) in 12.04 %. The fluoride levels in some samples were lower than the recommended values for controlling dental caries (0.50-1.0 mg L(-1)). The total fluoride intake from drinking water was between 0.14 and 2.33 mg per day in different regions of the province, supposing an individual consumes 1.2 L of water per day. Therefore, measures should be taken to increase fluoride intake in the Jianghuai hill region, Dabieshan mountainous region, plain along the Yangtze River, and southern Anhui mountainous region to control dental caries. On the other hand, the fluoride levels must be reduced in the Huaibei plain region to decrease endemic fluorosis. The results serve as crucial guidelines for managing fluoride safety in drinking water and controlling endemic fluorosis in different regions of Anhui Province.

Handbook for the Institutional and Financial Implementation of Water Utilities.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-01

water . From a public health standpoint, water is necessary for drinking and sanitation. While public drinking water use aver- ages approximately 5 pints a... water . Domestic water includes that water furnished to homes, hotels, apartments, etc., for sanitary, drinking , washing, and other purposes. This use...with establishing Primary Drinking Water Standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-523) for all public

Determination of six iodotrihalomethanes in drinking water in Korea.

PubMed

Woo, Bomi; Park, Ju-Hyun; Kim, Seungki; Lee, Jeongae; Choi, Jong-Ho; Pyo, Heesoo

2018-06-02

Trihalomethanes (THMs) are chemicals regulated by Environmental Protection Agency's first drinking water regulation issued after the passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Among THMs, iodotrihalomethanes (I-THMs) are produced by treating water containing iodides ion with chlorine or ozone. I-THMs are more carcinogenic and biotoxic than chlorinated or brominated THMs. The purpose of this study was to analyze of I-THMs in drinking water using the liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method with various extraction solvents. The calibration curves ranged from 0.01 to 20 ng/mL and the correlation coefficient showed a good linearity of 0.99 or more. The method detection limit ranged from 0.01 to 0.10 ng/mL. The accuracy of the LLE method ranged from 99.43 to 112.40%, and its precision ranged from 1.10 to 10.36%. Good recoveries (71.35-118.60%) were obtained for spiked drinking water samples, demonstrating that the LLE method is suitable for the analysis of drinking water samples. Dichloroiodomethane, bromochloroiodomethane, and dibromoiodomethane were identified in drinking water collected from 70 places of water purification plants in Korea. The samples were classified by disinfection systems, regions, seasons, and water sources. The concentration of I-THMs in pre-/postchlorination facilities owing to excess chlorine usage was higher than in ozonization/postchlorination facilities. Moreover, the concentrations of I-THMs were high in the coastal region, because of the large amount of halide ions from the sea. There was no seasonal difference; however, the concentration of I-THMs in pre-/postchlorination facilities increased in spring and summer. The concentration of I-THMs in water sources was high in samples from the Geum River and the Yeongsan and Sumjin River. The concentration and detection frequency of I-THMs in Han River and Nakdong River were high in the coastal region, because of numerous pre-/postchlorination facilities and the abundance of halide ions from the ocean. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages induces ghrelin release and increased food consumption in male rats: Implications on the onset of obesity.

PubMed

Eweis, Dureen Samandar; Abed, Fida; Stiban, Johnny

The dangerous health risks associated with obesity makes it a very serious public health issue. Numerous studies verified a correlation between the increase in obesity and the parallel increase in soft drink consumption among world populations. The effects of one main component in soft drinks namely the carbon dioxide gas has not been studied thoroughly in any previous research. Male rats were subjected to different categories of drinks and evaluated for over a year. Stomach ex vivo experiments were undertaken to evaluate the amount of ghrelin upon different beverage treatments. Moreover, 20 male students were tested for their ghrelin levels after ingestion of different beverages. Here, we show that rats consuming gaseous beverages over a period of around 1 year gain weight at a faster rate than controls on regular degassed carbonated beverage or tap water. This is due to elevated levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and thus greater food intake in rats drinking carbonated drinks compared to control rats. Moreover, an increase in liver lipid accumulation of rats treated with gaseous drinks is shown opposed to control rats treated with degassed beverage or tap water. In a parallel study, the levels of ghrelin hormone were increased in 20 healthy human males upon drinking carbonated beverages compared to controls. These results implicate a major role for carbon dioxide gas in soft drinks in inducing weight gain and the onset of obesity via ghrelin release and stimulation of the hunger response in male mammals. Copyright © 2017 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE INDUCTION OF ABERRANT CRYPT FOCI IN THE COLONS OF MALE F344/N RATS EXPOSED TO THIHALOMETHANE MIXTURES IN THE DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

THE INDUCTION OF ABERRANT CRYPT FOCI IN THE COLONS OF MALE F344/N
RATS EXPOSED TO TRIHALOMETHANE MIXTURES IN THE DRINKING WATER

The trihalomethanes (THM), bromoform (TBM) and bromodichloromethane (BDCM), administered by corn oil gavage were found to increase large...

Application of in vivo measurements for the management of cyanobacteria breakthrough into drinking water treatment plants.

PubMed

Zamyadi, Arash; Dorner, Sarah; Ndong, Mouhamed; Ellis, Donald; Bolduc, Anouka; Bastien, Christian; Prévost, Michèle

2014-02-01

The increasing presence of potentially toxic cyanobacterial blooms in drinking water sources and within drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) has been reported worldwide. The objectives of this study are to validate the application of in vivo probes for the detection and management of cyanobacteria breakthrough inside DWTPs, and to verify the possibility of treatment adjustment based on intensive real-time monitoring. In vivo phycocyanin YSI probes were used to monitor the fate of cyanobacteria in raw water, clarified water, filtered water, and chlorinated water in a full scale DWTP. Simultaneous samples were also taken for microscopic enumeration. The in vivo probe was successfully used to detect the incoming densities of high cyanobacterial cell number into the clarification process and their breakthrough into the filtered water. In vivo probes were used to trace the increase in floating cells over the clarifier, a robust sign of malfunction of the coagulation-sedimentation process. Pre-emptive treatment adjustments, based on in vivo probe monitoring, resulted in successful removal of cyanobacterial cells. The field results on validation of the probes with cyanobacterial bloom samples showed that the probe responses are highly linear and can be used to trigger alerts to take action.

Nitrogen-nitrate exposure from drinking water and colorectal cancer risk for rural women in Wisconsin, USA.

PubMed

McElroy, Jane A; Trentham-Dietz, Amy; Gangnon, Ronald E; Hampton, John M; Bersch, Andrew J; Kanarek, Marty S; Newcomb, Polly A

2008-09-01

One unintentional result of widespread adoption of nitrogen application to croplands over the past 50 years has been nitrate contamination of drinking water with few studies evaluating the risk of colorectal cancer. In our population-based case-control study of 475 women age 20-74 years with colorectal cancer and 1447 community controls living in rural Wisconsin, drinking water nitrate exposure were interpolated to subjects residences based on measurements which had been taken as part of a separate water quality survey in 1994. Individual level risk factor data was gathered in 1990-1992 and 1999-2001. Logistic regression models estimated the risk of colorectal cancer for the study period, separately and pooled. In the pooled analyses, an overall colorectal cancer risk was not observed for exposure to nitrate-nitrogen in the highest category (> or =10 ppm) compared to the lowest category (<0.5 ppm). However, a 2.9 fold increase risk was observed for proximal colon cancer cases in the highest compared to the lowest category. Statistically significant increased distal colon or rectal cancer risk was not observed. These results suggest that if an association exists with nitrate-nitrogen exposure from residential drinking water consumption, it may be limited to proximal colon cancer.

[Geographic distribution and exposure population of drinking water with high concentration of arsenic in China].

PubMed

Zhang, L; Chen, C

1997-09-01

According to the data obtained from the "National Survey on Drinking Water Quality and Waterborne Diseases", the geographic distribution and exposure population of high arsenic drinking water were reported. From the data of more than 28,800 water samples, we found 9.02 million people drinking the water with As concentration of 0.030-0.049 mg/L, 3.34 million people having their water of 0.050-0.099 mg/L and 2.29 million people having water of > 0.1 mg/L. A total of 14.6 million people, about 1.5% of the surveyed population was exposed to As (> 0.030 mg/L) from drinking water. 80% of high-As-drinking water was groundwater. The situation of As in drinking water in provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities were listed. The locations of sampling site where water As exceeded the national standard for drinking water were illustrated.

A new approach to data evaluation in the non-target screening of organic trace substances in water analysis.

PubMed

Müller, Alexander; Schulz, Wolfgang; Ruck, Wolfgang K L; Weber, Walter H

2011-11-01

Non-target screening via high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) has gained increasingly in importance for monitoring organic trace substances in water resources targeted for the production of drinking water. In this article a new approach for evaluating the data from non-target HPLC-MS screening in water is introduced and its advantages are demonstrated using the supply of drinking water as an example. The crucial difference between this and other approaches is the comparison of samples based on compounds (features) determined by their full scan data. In so doing, we take advantage of the temporal, spatial, or process-based relationships among the samples by applying the set operators, UNION, INTERSECT, and COMPLEMENT to the features of each sample. This approach regards all compounds, detectable by the used analytical method. That is the fundamental meaning of non-target screening, which includes all analytical information from the applied technique for further data evaluation. In the given example, in just one step, all detected features (1729) of a landfill leachate sample could be examined for their relevant influences on water purification respectively drinking water. This study shows that 1721 out of 1729 features were not relevant for the water purification. Only eight features could be determined in the untreated water and three of them were found in the final drinking water after ozonation. In so doing, it was possible to identify 1-adamantylamine as contamination of the landfill in the drinking water at a concentration in the range of 20 ng L(-1). To support the identification of relevant compounds and their transformation products, the DAIOS database (Database-Assisted Identification of Organic Substances) was used. This database concept includes some functions such as product ion search to increase the efficiency of the database query after the screening. To identify related transformation products the database function "transformation tree" was used. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dose-effect relationship between drinking water fluoride levels and damage to liver and kidney functions in children.

PubMed

Xiong, Xianzhi; Liu, Junling; He, Weihong; Xia, Tao; He, Ping; Chen, Xuemin; Yang, Kedi; Wang, Aiguo

2007-01-01

Although a dose-effect relationship between water fluoride levels and damage to liver and kidney functions in animals has been reported, it was not demonstrated in humans. To evaluate the effects of drinking water fluoride levels on the liver and kidney functions in children with and without dental fluorosis, we identified 210 children who were divided into seven groups with 30 each based on different drinking water fluoride levels in the same residential area. We found that the fluoride levels in serum and urine of these children increased as the levels of drinking water fluoride increased. There were no significant differences in the levels of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), aspartate transamine (AST), and alanine transamine (ALT) in serum among these groups. However, the activities of serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), urine N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG), and urine gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) in children with dental fluorosis and having water fluoride of 2.15-2.96 mg/L and in children having water fluoride of 3.15-5.69 mg/L regardless of dental fluorosis were significantly higher than children exposed to water fluoride of 0.61-0.87 mg/L in a dose-response manner. In contrast to children with dental fluorosis and having water fluoride of 2.15-2.96 and 3.10-5.69 mg/L, serum LDH activity of children without dental fluorosis but exposed to the same levels of water fluoride as those with dental fluorosis were also markedly lower, but the activities of NAG and gamma-GT in their urine were not. Therefore, our results suggest that drinking water fluoride levels over 2.0mg/L can cause damage to liver and kidney functions in children and that the dental fluorosis was independent of damage to the liver but not the kidney. Further studies on the mechanisms and significance underlying damage to the liver without dental fluorosis in the exposed children are warranted.

Relationship of drinking water disinfectants to plasma cholesterol and thyroid hormone levels in experimental studies.

PubMed Central

Revis, N W; McCauley, P; Bull, R; Holdsworth, G

1986-01-01

The effects of drinking water containing 2 or 15 ppm chlorine (pH 6.5 and 8.5), chlorine dioxide, and monochloramine on thyroid function and plasma cholesterol were studied because previous investigators have reported cardiovascular abnormalities in experimental animals exposed to chlorinated water. Plasma thyroxine (T4) levels, as compared to controls, were significantly decreased in pigeons fed a normal or high-cholesterol diet and drinking water containing these drinking water disinfectants at a concentration of 15 ppm (the exception was chlorine at pH 6.5) for 3 months. In most of the treatment groups, T4 levels were significantly lower following the exposure to drinking water containing the 2 ppm dose. Increases in plasma cholesterol were frequently observed in the groups with lower T4 levels. This association was most evident in pigeons fed the high-cholesterol diet and exposed to these disinfectants at a dose of 15 ppm. For example, after 3 months of exposure to deionized water or water containing 15 ppm monochloramine, plasma cholesterol was 1266 +/- 172 and 2049 +/- 212 mg/dl, respectively, a difference of 783 mg/dl. The factor(s) associated with the effect of these disinfectants on plasma T4 and cholesterol is not known. We suggest however that these effects are probably mediated by products formed when these disinfectants react with organic matter in the upper gastrointestinal tract. PMID:3456597

Mapping of drinking water research: a bibliometric analysis of research output during 1992-2011.

PubMed

Fu, Hui-Zhen; Wang, Ming-Huang; Ho, Yuh-Shan

2013-01-15

A bibliometric analysis based on the Science Citation Index Expanded from the Web of Science was carried out to provide insights into research activities and tendencies of the global drinking water from 1992 to 2011. Study emphases included performance of publication covering annual outputs, mainstream journals, Web of Science categories, leading countries, institutions, research tendencies and hotspots. The results indicated that annual output of the related scientific articles increased steadily. Water Research, Environmental Science & Technology, and Journal American Water Works Association were the three most common journals in drinking water research. The USA took a leading position out of 168 countries/territories, followed by Japan and Germany. A summary of the most frequently used keywords obtained from words in paper title analysis, author keyword analysis and KeyWords Plus analysis provided the clues to discover the current research emphases. The mainstream research related to drinking water was water treatment methods and the related contaminants. Disinfection process and consequent disinfection by-products attracted much attention. Ozonation and chlorination in disinfection, and adsorption were common techniques and are getting popular. Commonly researched drinking water contaminants concerned arsenic, nitrate, fluoride, lead, and cadmium, and pharmaceuticals emerged as the frequently studied contaminants in recent years. Disease caused by contaminants strongly promoted the development of related research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Drinking water biofilm cohesiveness changes under chlorination or hydrodynamic stress.

PubMed

Mathieu, L; Bertrand, I; Abe, Y; Angel, E; Block, J C; Skali-Lami, S; Francius, G

2014-05-15

Attempts at removal of drinking water biofilms rely on various preventive and curative strategies such as nutrient reduction in drinking water, disinfection or water flushing, which have demonstrated limited efficiency. The main reason for these failures is the cohesiveness of the biofilm driven by the physico-chemical properties of its exopolymeric matrix (EPS). Effective cleaning procedures should break up the matrix and/or change the elastic properties of bacterial biofilms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in the cohesive strength of two-month-old drinking water biofilms under increasing hydrodynamic shear stress τw (from ∼0.2 to ∼10 Pa) and shock chlorination (applied concentration at T0: 10 mg Cl2/L; 60 min contact time). Biofilm erosion (cell loss per unit surface area) and cohesiveness (changes in the detachment shear stress and cluster volumes measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM)) were studied. When rapidly increasing the hydrodynamic constraint, biofilm removal was found to be dependent on a dual process of erosion and coalescence of the biofilm clusters. Indeed, 56% of the biofilm cells were removed with, concomitantly, a decrease in the number of the 50-300 μm(3) clusters and an increase in the number of the smaller (i.e., <50 μm(3)) and larger (i.e., >600 μm(3)) ones. Moreover, AFM evidenced the strengthening of the biofilm structure along with the doubling of the number of contact points, NC, per cluster volume unit following the hydrodynamic disturbance. This suggests that the compactness of the biofilm exopolymers increases with hydrodynamic stress. Shock chlorination removed cells (-75%) from the biofilm while reducing the volume of biofilm clusters. Oxidation stress resulted in a decrease in the cohesive strength profile of the remaining drinking water biofilms linked to a reduction in the number of contact points within the biofilm network structure in particular for the largest biofilm cluster volumes (>200 μm(3)). Changes in the cohesive strength of drinking water biofilms subsequent to cleaning/disinfection operations call into question the effectiveness of cleaning-in-place procedures. The combined alternating use of oxidation and shear stress sequences needs to be investigated as it could be an important adjunct to improving biofilm removal/reduction procedures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Profiles and risk assessment of phthalate acid esters (PAEs) in drinking water sources and treatment plants, East China.

PubMed

Kong, Yanli; Shen, Jimin; Chen, Zhonglin; Kang, Jing; Li, Taiping; Wu, Xiaofei; Kong, XiangZhen; Fan, Leitao

2017-10-01

This study is the first report describing the occurrence of 15 phthalate acid esters (PAEs) in the three typical water sources of YiXing City, Taihu Upper-River Basin, East China. The fate of target PAEs in the Jiubin drinking water treatment plant (JTP) was also analyzed. The amounts of Σ 15 PAE in the Hengshan (HS), Youche (YC), and Xijiu (XJ) water sources were relatively moderate, with mean values of 360, 357, and 697 ng L -1 , respectively. Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) dominated the PAE concentration, making up 80% of the 15 total PAEs. The highest levels of Σ 15 PAE were found in HS, YC, and XJ in March 2015, January 2015, and July 2014, respectively. The occurrence and concentrations of these compounds were spatially dependent, and the mean concentrations of Σ 15 PAE in HS, YC, and XJ samples increased from the surface layer to the bottom layer with varied percentage increases. The removal efficiency of the PAEs in the finished water varied markedly, and the removal of PAEs by the JTP ranged from 12.8 to 64.5%. The potential ecosystem risk assessment indicated that the risk of PAEs was relatively low in these three water sources. However, risks posed by PAEs due to drinking water still exist; therefore, special attention should be paid to source control in the JTP, and advanced treatment processes for drinking water supplies should be implemented.

Biomonitoring of Perfluorinated Compounds in Children and Adults Exposed to Perfluorooctanoate-Contaminated Drinking Water

PubMed Central

Hölzer, Jürgen; Midasch, Oliver; Rauchfuss, Knut; Kraft, Martin; Reupert, Rolf; Angerer, Jürgen; Kleeschulte, Peter; Marschall, Nina; Wilhelm, Michael

2008-01-01

Objective 40,000 residents in Arnsberg, Germany, had been exposed to drinking water contaminated with perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). Internal exposure of the residents of Arnsberg to six PFCs was assessed in comparison with reference areas. Design and participants One hundred seventy children (5–6 years of age), 317 mothers (23–49 years), and 204 men (18–69 years) took part in the cross-sectional study. Measurements Individual consumption of drinking water and personal characteristics were assessed by questionnaire and interview. Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanoate, perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoropentanoate, and perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) in blood plasma and PFOA/PFOS in drinking water samples were measured by solid-phase extraction, high-performance liquid chromatrography, and tandem mass spectrometry detection. Results Of the various PFCs, PFOA was the main compound found in drinking water (500–640 ng/L). PFOA levels in blood plasma of residents living in Arnsberg were 4.5–8.3 times higher than those for the reference population (arithmetic means Arnsberg/controls: children 24.6/5.2 μg/L, mothers 26.7/3.2 μg/L, men 28.5/6.4 μg/L). Consumption of tap water at home was a significant predictor of PFOA blood concentrations in Arnsberg. PFHxS concentrations were significantly increased in Arnsberg compared with controls (p < 0.05). PFBS was detected in 33% of the children, 4% of the women, and 13% of the men in Arnsberg compared with 5%, 0.7%, and 3%, respectively, in the reference areas (p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that age and male sex were significant predictors of PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS; associations of other regressors (diet, body mass index) varied among PFCs. Conclusions PFC concentrations in blood plasma of children and adults exposed to PFC-contaminated drinking water were increased 4- to 8-fold compared with controls. PMID:18470314

Dehydration and drinking behavior of the marine file snake Acrochordus granulatus.

PubMed

Lillywhite, Harvey B; Heatwole, Harold; Sheehy, Coleman M

2014-01-01

Dehydration and drinking behaviors were investigated in the little file snake (Acrochordus granulatus) collected from marine populations in the Philippines and in Australia. File snakes dehydrate in seawater and do not drink seawater when dehydrated in air and offered seawater to drink. Dehydrated file snakes drink freshwater, and the threshold of dehydration for first drinking response is a deficit of -7.4% ± 2.73% (mean ± SD) of original body mass. The thirst mechanism in this species is more sensitive than that recently studied in sea snakes. The volume of water ingested increases with increasing dehydration. Mean plasma osmolality was 278.89 ± 33.17 mMol/kg, mean hematocrit was 59% ± 5.45%, and both decreased in snakes that drank freshwater following acclimation in seawater. Snakes always drank freshwater at the water's surface, testing water with tongue flicks between each swallowing of water. Some snakes ingested large volumes of freshwater, approaching 50% of body mass. Visual observations and measurements of osmolality in plasma and stomach fluids suggest that water is taken up from the gut and dilutes body fluids slowly over the course of 48 h or longer. Eighty percent of snakes that were collected during the dry season (following >4 mo of drought) in Australia drank freshwater immediately following their capture, indicating that snakes were dehydrated in their marine environment even when known to have been feeding at the time. Snakes kept in seawater maintained a higher state of body condition when freshwater was periodically available. These results support a growing conclusion that diverse taxa of marine snakes require environmental sources of freshwater to maintain water balance, contrary to earlier belief. Identifying the freshwater requirements of secondarily marine vertebrates is important for better understanding how they maintain water balance in marine habitats, especially with respect to conservation in changing environments.

Hypospadias and maternal exposure to atrazine via drinking water in the National Birth Defects Prevention study.

PubMed

Winston, Jennifer J; Emch, Michael; Meyer, Robert E; Langlois, Peter; Weyer, Peter; Mosley, Bridget; Olshan, Andrew F; Band, Lawrence E; Luben, Thomas J

2016-07-15

Hypospadias is a relatively common birth defect affecting the male urinary tract. It has been suggested that exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals might increase the risk of hypospadias by interrupting normal urethral development. Using data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a population-based case-control study, we considered the role of maternal exposure to atrazine, a widely used herbicide and potential endocrine disruptor, via drinking water in the etiology of 2nd and 3rd degree hypospadias. We used data on 343 hypospadias cases and 1,422 male controls in North Carolina, Arkansas, Iowa, and Texas from 1998-2005. Using catchment level stream and groundwater contaminant models from the US Geological Survey, we estimated atrazine concentrations in public water supplies and in private wells. We assigned case and control mothers to public water supplies based on geocoded maternal address during the critical window of exposure for hypospadias (i.e., gestational weeks 6-16). Using maternal questionnaire data about water consumption and drinking water, we estimated a surrogate for total maternal consumption of atrazine via drinking water. We then included additional maternal covariates, including age, race/ethnicity, parity, and plurality, in logistic regression analyses to consider an association between atrazine and hypospadias. When controlling for maternal characteristics, any association between hypospadias and daily maternal atrazine exposure during the critical window of genitourinary development was found to be weak or null (odds ratio for atrazine in drinking water = 1. 00, 95 % CI = 0.97 to 1.03 per 0.04 μg/day increase; odds ratio for maternal consumption = 1.02, 95 % CI = 0.99 to 1.05; per 0.05 μg/day increase). While the association that we observed was weak, our results suggest that additional research into a possible association between atrazine and hypospadias occurrence, using a more sensitive exposure metric, would be useful.

Water Quality Index for measuring drinking water quality in rural Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Akter, Tahera; Jhohura, Fatema Tuz; Akter, Fahmida; Chowdhury, Tridib Roy; Mistry, Sabuj Kanti; Dey, Digbijoy; Barua, Milan Kanti; Islam, Md Akramul; Rahman, Mahfuzar

2016-02-09

Public health is at risk due to chemical contaminants in drinking water which may have immediate health consequences. Drinking water sources are susceptible to pollutants depending on geological conditions and agricultural, industrial, and other man-made activities. Ensuring the safety of drinking water is, therefore, a growing problem. To assess drinking water quality, we measured multiple chemical parameters in drinking water samples from across Bangladesh with the aim of improving public health interventions. In this cross-sectional study conducted in 24 randomly selected upazilas, arsenic was measured in drinking water in the field using an arsenic testing kit and a sub-sample was validated in the laboratory. Water samples were collected to test water pH in the laboratory as well as a sub-sample of collected drinking water was tested for water pH using a portable pH meter. For laboratory testing of other chemical parameters, iron, manganese, and salinity, drinking water samples were collected from 12 out of 24 upazilas. Drinking water at sample sites was slightly alkaline (pH 7.4 ± 0.4) but within acceptable limits. Manganese concentrations varied from 0.1 to 5.5 mg/L with a median value of 0.2 mg/L. The median iron concentrations in water exceeded WHO standards (0.3 mg/L) at most of the sample sites and exceeded Bangladesh standards (1.0 mg/L) at a few sample sites. Salinity was relatively higher in coastal districts. After laboratory confirmation, arsenic concentrations were found higher in Shibchar (Madaripur) and Alfadanga (Faridpur) compared to other sample sites exceeding WHO standard (0.01 mg/L). Of the total sampling sites, 33 % had good-quality water for drinking based on the Water Quality Index (WQI). However, the majority of the households (67 %) used poor-quality drinking water. Higher values of iron, manganese, and arsenic reduced drinking water quality. Awareness raising on chemical contents in drinking water at household level is required to improve public health.

A stepped wedge, cluster-randomized trial of a household UV-disinfection and safe storage drinking water intervention in rural Baja California Sur, Mexico.

PubMed

Gruber, Joshua S; Reygadas, Fermin; Arnold, Benjamin F; Ray, Isha; Nelson, Kara; Colford, John M

2013-08-01

In collaboration with a local non-profit organization, this study evaluated the expansion of a program that promoted and installed Mesita Azul, an ultraviolet-disinfection system designed to treat household drinking water in rural Mexico. We conducted a 15-month, cluster-randomized stepped wedge trial by randomizing the order in which 24 communities (444 households) received the intervention. We measured primary outcomes (water contamination and diarrhea) during seven household visits. The intervention increased the percentage of households with access to treated and safely stored drinking water (23-62%), and reduced the percentage of households with Escherichia coli contaminated drinking water (risk difference (RD): -19% [95% CI: -27%, -14%]). No significant reduction in diarrhea was observed (RD: -0.1% [95% CI: -1.1%, 0.9%]). We conclude that household water quality improvements measured in this study justify future promotion of the Mesita Azul, and that future studies to measure its health impact would be valuable if conducted in populations with higher diarrhea prevalence.

A Stepped Wedge, Cluster-Randomized Trial of a Household UV-Disinfection and Safe Storage Drinking Water Intervention in Rural Baja California Sur, Mexico

PubMed Central

Gruber, Joshua S.; Reygadas, Fermin; Arnold, Benjamin F.; Ray, Isha; Nelson, Kara; Colford, John M.

2013-01-01

In collaboration with a local non-profit organization, this study evaluated the expansion of a program that promoted and installed Mesita Azul, an ultraviolet-disinfection system designed to treat household drinking water in rural Mexico. We conducted a 15-month, cluster-randomized stepped wedge trial by randomizing the order in which 24 communities (444 households) received the intervention. We measured primary outcomes (water contamination and diarrhea) during seven household visits. The intervention increased the percentage of households with access to treated and safely stored drinking water (23–62%), and reduced the percentage of households with Escherichia coli contaminated drinking water (risk difference (RD): −19% [95% CI: −27%, −14%]). No significant reduction in diarrhea was observed (RD: −0.1% [95% CI: −1.1%, 0.9%]). We conclude that household water quality improvements measured in this study justify future promotion of the Mesita Azul, and that future studies to measure its health impact would be valuable if conducted in populations with higher diarrhea prevalence. PMID:23732255

Air Emissions Damages from Municipal Drinking Water Treatment Under Current and Proposed Regulatory Standards.

PubMed

Gingerich, Daniel B; Mauter, Meagan S

2017-09-19

Water treatment processes present intersectoral and cross-media risk trade-offs that are not presently considered in Safe Drinking Water Act regulatory analyses. This paper develops a method for assessing the air emission implications of common municipal water treatment processes used to comply with recently promulgated and proposed regulatory standards, including concentration limits for, lead and copper, disinfection byproducts, chromium(VI), strontium, and PFOA/PFOS. Life-cycle models of electricity and chemical consumption for individual drinking water unit processes are used to estimate embedded NO x , SO 2 , PM 2.5 , and CO 2 emissions on a cubic meter basis. We estimate air emission damages from currently installed treatment processes at U.S. drinking water facilities to be on the order of $500 million USD annually. Fully complying with six promulgated and proposed rules would increase baseline air emission damages by approximately 50%, with three-quarters of these damages originating from chemical manufacturing. Despite the magnitude of these air emission damages, the net benefit of currently implemented rules remains positive. For some proposed rules, however, the promise of net benefits remains contingent on technology choice.

Ammonia pollution characteristics of centralized drinking water sources in China.

PubMed

Fu, Qing; Zheng, Binghui; Zhao, Xingru; Wang, Lijing; Liu, Changming

2012-01-01

The characteristics of ammonia in drinking water sources in China were evaluated during 2005-2009. The spatial distribution and seasonal changes of ammonia in different types of drinking water sources of 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions and 4 municipalities were investigated. The levels of ammonia in drinking water sources follow the order of river > lake/reservoir > groundwater. The levels of ammonia concentration in river sources gradually decreased from 2005 to 2008, while no obvious change was observed in the lakes/reservoirs and groundwater drinking water sources. The proportion of the type of drinking water sources is different in different regions. In river drinking water sources, the ammonia level was varied in different regions and changed seasonally. The highest value and wide range of annual ammonia was found in South East region, while the lowest value was found in Southwest region. In lake/reservoir drinking water sources, the ammonia levels were not varied obviously in different regions. In underground drinking water sources, the ammonia levels were varied obviously in different regions due to the geological permeability and the natural features of regions. In the drinking water sources with higher ammonia levels, there are enterprises and wastewater drainages in the protected areas of the drinking water sources.

Behavior of microorganisms in drinking water treatment by inductively coupled plasma system: Case study in ground water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desmiarti, Reni; Hazmi, Ariadi; Martynis, Munas; Sutopo, Ulung Muhammad; Li, Fusheng

2018-02-01

Pathogenic bacteria, such as total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC) and other coliforms (OC), were removed from groundwater by inductively coupled plasma system treatment in continuous flow experiments. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of flowrate and frequency on the behavior of microorganisms in drinking water treatment using inductively coupled plasma system (ICPS). The results showed that after 120 minutes of ICPS treatment, the removal efficiency with respect to TC, FC and OC decreased with increasing flowrate. The removal efficiency of FC was achieved at 100% in all runs. Compared to FC, the removal efficiencies with respect to TC and FC were lower than those with respect to TC and OC in the following order: FC >OC> TC. The disinfection yield of TC and OC significantly increased when the removal efficiency increased. The electromagnetic flux varied from 8.08±0.46 to 10.54±0.19 W/cm2. The results in the present work can be used to design a new technology for drinking water treatment to remove all pathogenic bacteria without using hazardous chemicals.

The association between drinking water turbidity and gastrointestinal illness: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Mann, Andrea G; Tam, Clarence C; Higgins, Craig D; Rodrigues, Laura C

2007-01-01

Background Studies suggest that routine variations in public drinking water turbidity may be associated with endemic gastrointestinal illness. We systematically reviewed the literature on this topic. Methods We searched databases and websites for relevant studies in industrialized countries. Studies investigating the association between temporal variations in drinking water turbidity and incidence of acute gastrointestinal illness were assessed for quality. We reviewed good quality studies for evidence of an association between increased turbidity and gastrointestinal illness. Results We found six relevant good quality studies. Of five studies investigating effluent water turbidity, two found no association. Two studies from Philadelphia reported increased paediatric and elderly hospital use on specific days after increased turbidity. A fifth study reported more telephone health service calls on specific days after peak turbidity. There were differences between studies affecting their comparability, including baseline turbidity and adjustment for seasonal confounders. Conclusion It is likely that an association between turbidity and GI illness exists in some settings or over a certain range of turbidity. A pooled analysis of available data using standard methods would facilitate interpretation. PMID:17888154

The association between drinking water turbidity and gastrointestinal illness: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mann, Andrea G; Tam, Clarence C; Higgins, Craig D; Rodrigues, Laura C

2007-09-21

Studies suggest that routine variations in public drinking water turbidity may be associated with endemic gastrointestinal illness. We systematically reviewed the literature on this topic. We searched databases and websites for relevant studies in industrialized countries. Studies investigating the association between temporal variations in drinking water turbidity and incidence of acute gastrointestinal illness were assessed for quality. We reviewed good quality studies for evidence of an association between increased turbidity and gastrointestinal illness. We found six relevant good quality studies. Of five studies investigating effluent water turbidity, two found no association. Two studies from Philadelphia reported increased paediatric and elderly hospital use on specific days after increased turbidity. A fifth study reported more telephone health service calls on specific days after peak turbidity. There were differences between studies affecting their comparability, including baseline turbidity and adjustment for seasonal confounders. It is likely that an association between turbidity and GI illness exists in some settings or over a certain range of turbidity. A pooled analysis of available data using standard methods would facilitate interpretation.

Drinking water quality in Indigenous communities in Canada and health outcomes: a scoping review

PubMed Central

Bradford, Lori E. A.; Bharadwaj, Lalita A.; Okpalauwaekwe, Udoka; Waldner, Cheryl L.

2016-01-01

Background Many Indigenous communities in Canada live with high-risk drinking water systems and drinking water advisories and experience health status and water quality below that of the general population. A scoping review of research examining drinking water quality and its relationship to Indigenous health was conducted. Objective The study was undertaken to identify the extent of the literature, summarize current reports and identify research needs. Design A scoping review was designed to identify peer-reviewed literature that examined challenges related to drinking water and health in Indigenous communities in Canada. Key search terms were developed and mapped on five bibliographic databases (MEDLINE/PubMED, Web of Knowledge, SciVerse Scopus, Taylor and Francis online journal and Google Scholar). Online searches for grey literature using relevant government websites were completed. Results Sixteen articles (of 518; 156 bibliographic search engines, 362 grey literature) met criteria for inclusion (contained keywords; publication year 2000–2015; peer-reviewed and from Canada). Studies were quantitative (8), qualitative (5) or mixed (3) and included case, cohort, cross-sectional and participatory designs. In most articles, no definition of “health” was given (14/16), and the primary health issue described was gastrointestinal illness (12/16). Challenges to the study of health and well-being with respect to drinking water in Indigenous communities included irregular funding, remote locations, ethical approval processes, small sample sizes and missing data. Conclusions Research on drinking water and health outcomes in Indigenous communities in Canada is limited and occurs on an opportunistic basis. There is a need for more research funding, and inquiry to inform policy decisions for improvements of water quality and health-related outcomes in Indigenous communities. A coordinated network looking at First Nations water and health outcomes, a database to store and create access to research findings, increased funding and time frames for funding, and more decolonizing and community-based participatory research aimed at understanding the relationship between drinking water quality and health outcomes in First Nations communities in Canada are needed. PMID:27478143

Small Drinking Water System Initiative | Drinking Water in New ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-07-06

Reliable, safe, high quality drinking water is essential to sustaining our communities. Approximately 90% of New England's drinking water systems - about 10,000 systems - are small and most use ground water sources.

Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water

MedlinePlus

... Water and Drinking Water Contact Us Share Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water Have a question ... Related Information from Other Federal Government Agencies General Information about Lead in Drinking Water How Lead Gets ...

Secondary Drinking Water Standards: Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn about Secondary Drinking Water Regulations for nuisance chemicals contained in some drinking water. They are established only as guidelines to assist public water systems in managing their drinking water for aesthetic considerations.

White Sands Missile Range 2011 Drinking Water Quality Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

This Annual Drinking Water Quality Report, or the Consumer Confi dence Report, is required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The SDWA ensures...public drinking water systems meet national standards for the protection of your health. This report provides details about where your water comes...NMED). WSMR tap water meets all EPA and NMED drinking water standards. What is This Water Quality Report? Este informe contiene informacion importante

Occurrence, impact variables and potential risk of PPCPs and pesticides in a drinking water reservoir and related drinking water treatment plants in the Yangtze Estuary.

PubMed

Xu, Cong; Chen, Lei; You, Luhua; Xu, Zheng; Ren, Long-Fei; Yew-Hoong Gin, Karina; He, Yiliang; Kai, Weizhi

2018-06-14

PPCPs and pesticides have been documented throughout the world over the years, yet relatively little is known about the factors affecting their spatial distribution and temporal change in order to know their potential risk to the ecosystem or human health in the future. In our study, 5 PPCPs and 9 pesticides were selected to study their occurrence, impact variables and potential risk in a drinking water reservoir in Yangtze Estuary and related drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in China. The detection results showed the presence of PPCPs and pesticides reflected in a large part of croplands and urban and built-up land in the adjacent basin. The discrepancy of concentration among the different PPCPs and pesticides was mainly decided by their application amount or daily usage. Then, the major factors regulating the occurrence of these contaminants in the surface water were found as the living expenditure attributed to food and medicine based on a correlation analysis. Also, the PPCPs were found to negatively correlate to the effectiveness of sewage management. The detection of the PPCPs and pesticides in DWTPs indicated that, except for atrazine and simazine, the removal percentages were increased significantly in advanced DWTPs. Moreover, risk assessment estimated by a Risk Quotient and Hazard Quotient showed that while caffeine, bisphenol A, estrone and simazine were at a high-risk level in the reservoir water, all of the contaminants detected posed no risk to human health through drinking water. It's possible that atrazine could pose a high risk to the ecosystem while simazine could pose a risk to human health in the future considering the increasing expenditure attributed to food.

Geochemical evidence for possible natural migration of Marcellus Formation brine to shallow aquifers in Pennsylvania

PubMed Central

Warner, Nathaniel R.; Jackson, Robert B.; Darrah, Thomas H.; Osborn, Stephen G.; Down, Adrian; Zhao, Kaiguang; White, Alissa; Vengosh, Avner

2012-01-01

The debate surrounding the safety of shale gas development in the Appalachian Basin has generated increased awareness of drinking water quality in rural communities. Concerns include the potential for migration of stray gas, metal-rich formation brines, and hydraulic fracturing and/or flowback fluids to drinking water aquifers. A critical question common to these environmental risks is the hydraulic connectivity between the shale gas formations and the overlying shallow drinking water aquifers. We present geochemical evidence from northeastern Pennsylvania showing that pathways, unrelated to recent drilling activities, exist in some locations between deep underlying formations and shallow drinking water aquifers. Integration of chemical data (Br, Cl, Na, Ba, Sr, and Li) and isotopic ratios (87Sr/86Sr, 2H/H, 18O/16O, and 228Ra/226Ra) from this and previous studies in 426 shallow groundwater samples and 83 northern Appalachian brine samples suggest that mixing relationships between shallow ground water and a deep formation brine causes groundwater salinization in some locations. The strong geochemical fingerprint in the salinized (Cl > 20 mg/L) groundwater sampled from the Alluvium, Catskill, and Lock Haven aquifers suggests possible migration of Marcellus brine through naturally occurring pathways. The occurrences of saline water do not correlate with the location of shale-gas wells and are consistent with reported data before rapid shale-gas development in the region; however, the presence of these fluids suggests conductive pathways and specific geostructural and/or hydrodynamic regimes in northeastern Pennsylvania that are at increased risk for contamination of shallow drinking water resources, particularly by fugitive gases, because of natural hydraulic connections to deeper formations. PMID:22778445

Geochemical evidence for possible natural migration of Marcellus Formation brine to shallow aquifers in Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Warner, Nathaniel R; Jackson, Robert B; Darrah, Thomas H; Osborn, Stephen G; Down, Adrian; Zhao, Kaiguang; White, Alissa; Vengosh, Avner

2012-07-24

The debate surrounding the safety of shale gas development in the Appalachian Basin has generated increased awareness of drinking water quality in rural communities. Concerns include the potential for migration of stray gas, metal-rich formation brines, and hydraulic fracturing and/or flowback fluids to drinking water aquifers. A critical question common to these environmental risks is the hydraulic connectivity between the shale gas formations and the overlying shallow drinking water aquifers. We present geochemical evidence from northeastern Pennsylvania showing that pathways, unrelated to recent drilling activities, exist in some locations between deep underlying formations and shallow drinking water aquifers. Integration of chemical data (Br, Cl, Na, Ba, Sr, and Li) and isotopic ratios ((87)Sr/(86)Sr, (2)H/H, (18)O/(16)O, and (228)Ra/(226)Ra) from this and previous studies in 426 shallow groundwater samples and 83 northern Appalachian brine samples suggest that mixing relationships between shallow ground water and a deep formation brine causes groundwater salinization in some locations. The strong geochemical fingerprint in the salinized (Cl > 20 mg/L) groundwater sampled from the Alluvium, Catskill, and Lock Haven aquifers suggests possible migration of Marcellus brine through naturally occurring pathways. The occurrences of saline water do not correlate with the location of shale-gas wells and are consistent with reported data before rapid shale-gas development in the region; however, the presence of these fluids suggests conductive pathways and specific geostructural and/or hydrodynamic regimes in northeastern Pennsylvania that are at increased risk for contamination of shallow drinking water resources, particularly by fugitive gases, because of natural hydraulic connections to deeper formations.

Estimation of incidence and social cost of colon cancer due to nitrate in drinking water in the EU: a tentative cost-benefit assessment

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Presently, health costs associated with nitrate in drinking water are uncertain and not quantified. This limits proper evaluation of current policies and measures for solving or preventing nitrate pollution of drinking water resources. The cost for society associated with nitrate is also relevant for integrated assessment of EU nitrogen policies taking a perspective of welfare optimization. The overarching question is at which nitrogen mitigation level the social cost of measures, including their consequence for availability of food and energy, matches the social benefit of these measures for human health and biodiversity. Methods Epidemiological studies suggest colon cancer to be possibly associated with nitrate in drinking water. In this study risk increase for colon cancer is based on a case-control study for Iowa, which is extrapolated to assess the social cost for 11 EU member states by using data on cancer incidence, nitrogen leaching and drinking water supply in the EU. Health costs are provisionally compared with nitrate mitigation costs and social benefits of fertilizer use. Results For above median meat consumption the risk of colon cancer doubles when exposed to drinking water exceeding 25 mg/L of nitrate (NO3) for more than ten years. We estimate the associated increase of incidence of colon cancer from nitrate contamination of groundwater based drinking water in EU11 at 3%. This corresponds to a population-averaged health loss of 2.9 euro per capita or 0.7 euro per kg of nitrate-N leaching from fertilizer. Conclusions Our cost estimates indicate that current measures to prevent exceedance of 50 mg/L NO3 are probably beneficial for society and that a stricter nitrate limit and additional measures may be justified. The present assessment of social cost is uncertain because it considers only one type of cancer, it is based on one epidemiological study in Iowa, and involves various assumptions regarding exposure. Our results highlight the need for improved epidemiological studies. PMID:20925911

Lifetime risk of urothelial carcinoma and lung cancer in the arseniasis-endemic area of Northeastern Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tse-Yen; Hsu, Ling-I.; Chen, Hui-Chi; Chiou, Hung-Yi; Hsueh, Yu-Mei; Wu, Meei-Maan; Chen, Chi-Ling; Wang, Yuan-Hung; Liao, Ya-Tang; Chen, Chien-Jen

2013-11-01

Arsenic in drinking water has been shown to increase the risk of urothelial carcinoma and lung cancer. However, the lifetime risk of developing urothelial carcinoma and lung cancer caused by exposure to arsenic in drinking water has not been reported. This study aimed to assess the lifetime risk of urothelial carcinoma and lung cancer caused by arsenic exposure from drinking water and cigarette smoking habit for residents living in the arseniasis-endemic area in Northeastern Taiwan. We recruited 8086 residents in 1991-1994 and monitored them for their newly developed types of cancers, identified by computerized linkage with the national cancer registry profile. There were 37 newly diagnosed urothelial carcinoma cases and 223 new lung cancer cases during the follow-up period (until 2007). The lifetime (35-85 years old) cumulative risk of developing urothelial carcinoma from an arsenic concentration in the drinking water of <10, 10-99, and 100+ μg/L was 0.29%, 1.07% and 3.43%, respectively. The corresponding probabilities were 7.42%, 8.99% and 17.09% for the lifetime risk of developing lung cancer. Cigarette smoking was associated with an increased risk of urothelial carcinoma and lung cancer, showing the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of 2.48 (1.27-4.82) and 3.44 (2.00-5.90) after adjusting for the arsenic concentration in drinking water. After adjusting for cigarette smoking, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of developing urothelial carcinoma caused by the arsenic concentration in drinking water of <10, 10-99 and 100+ μg/L was 1.0 (the reference group), 2.18 (0.59-8.01), and 8.71 (2.49-30.48), respectively. The corresponding figures were 1.0 (the reference group), 1.14 (0.80-1.61), 1.84 (1.28-2.65) for lung cancer. Synergistic effects on the development of urothelial carcinoma and lung cancer existed between the arsenic exposure level and cigarette smoking. It is suggested that people who have had a high exposure to arsenic in drinking water should stop smoking cigarettes to lower their lifetime risk of urothelial carcinoma and lung cancer.

Trihalomethane levels in Madras public drinking water supply system and its impact on public health.

PubMed

Rajan, S; Azariah, J; Bauer, U

1990-02-01

It is known that trihalomethanes (THM) are formed during chlorination of drinking water for disinfection. Heightened concern about these substances is due to the fact that THMs are now characterized as potential mutagen, carcinogen and teratogen. Thus, it is a risk factor in human beings. In the present study, a total number of 13 stations located in different drinking water trunk mains of the city of Madras were analysed for THM using the Gas Liquid Chromatographic method. It is reported that THM are formed after treatment of raw water with chlorine at the levels required for disinfection. The THM level in drinking water increased towards the dead-end of the water trunk mains. A relationship between the distance travelled by the potable water and the level of THM was established. At certain stations, the total trihalomethanes level (TTHM) was found to exceed the EPA's maximum contaminant level. Further, an intermittent addition of the precursors for the formation of THM through the seepage of polluted River Cooum water into the pipe lines has been demonstrated. An experiment on the trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) clearly revealed the occurrence of higher magnitude of humic substances in source water. Therefore, it is suggested that if suitable steps are not taken, various environmental factors may trigger the THM kinetics. Hence, it is obvious that pretreatment regulations proposed by developed countries are essential if safe drinking water is to be supplied to the people of Madras.

New England Drinking Water Program | US EPA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-07-06

Information on Drinking Water in New England. Major Topics covered include: Conservation, Private Wells, Preventing Contamination, Drinking Water Sources, Consumer Confidence Reports, and Drinking Water Awards.

Women's drinking decisions in sexually risky situations: Effects of a low level of intoxication.

PubMed

Noel, Nora E; Daniels, Karen A; Ogle, Richard L; Maisto, Stephen A; Lee A, Jackson; Ehlke, Sarah J; Carroll, Mallorie G

2015-08-01

Alcohol administration studies assessing alcohol's deleterious effects on women's threat perception and response in potential sexual assault situations usually employ a moderate to high dose (.07% BAC or more) and measure alcohol's effects specifically on women's sexual decisions. The current study used a low dose (.03%, equivalent to about 1-2 drinks) to assess women's projected decisions on a different risky behavior: decisions to continue drinking and to drink higher amounts in a series of ecologically-valid sexual risk situations. Young adult women (n=17; M age=21.8, SD=1.3, range 21-25) participated in a three-session double-blind within subjects 2 (type of scenario)×3( beverage) experiment, responding each time to 6 vignettes with an attractive man who was either Familiar or had Just Met her. In each session participants consumed a beverage (alcohol, placebo or water, random order) and projected emotional reactions and drinking decisions (likelihood and amount) in each of the 6 scenarios. Regardless of beverage, women predicted greater happiness, drinking likelihood, and drinking amount with "Familiar" men. However, there was also an interaction: they projected increased subsequent amounts in the .03% BAC (vs. water and placebo) condition differentially in the "Familiar" scenarios. When the woman is Familiar with the man in a risky sexual situation, just one drink may increase subsequent projected alcohol amount over that originally intended. Implications include a low dose as a possible prime for more drinking, increasing sexual assault risk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public Infrastructure Disparities and the Microbiological and Chemical Safety of Drinking and Surface Water Supplies in a Community Bordering a Landfill

PubMed Central

Heaney, Christopher D.; Wing, Steve; Wilson, Sacoby M.; Campbell, Robert L.; Caldwell, David; Hopkins, Barbara; O’Shea, Shannon; Yeatts, Karin

2015-01-01

The historically African-American Rogers-Eubanks community straddles unincorporated boundaries of two municipalities in Orange County, North Carolina, and predates a regional landfill sited along its border in 1972. Community members from the Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA), concerned about deterioration of private wells and septic systems and a lack of public drinking water and sewer services, implemented a community-driven research partnership with university scientists and community-based organizations to investigate water and sewer infrastructure disparities and the safety of drinking and surface water supplies. RENA drafted memoranda of agreement with partners and trained community monitors to collect data (inventory households, map water and sewer infrastructure, administer household water and sewer infrastructure surveys, and collect drinking and surface water samples). Respondents to the surveys reported pervasive signs of well vulnerability (100%) and septic system failure (68%). Each 100-m increase in distance from the landfill was associated with a 600 most probable number/100 mL decrease in enterococci concentrations in surface water (95% confidence interval = −1106, −93). Pervasive private household water and sewer infrastructure failures and poor water quality were identified in this community bordering a regional landfill, providing evidence of a need for improved water and sanitation services. PMID:23858663

Watering cattle (young bulls) with brackish water--a hazard due to its salt content?

PubMed

Visscher, C F; Witzmann, S; Beyerbach, M; Kamphues, J

2013-01-01

The aim of this experimental study was primarily to test the effects and reactions of cattle offered salty water as the only source of drinking water. Mineral balance studies were carried out on three bull, continuously fed a ration based on hay, hay cobs, barley, soybean meal and a vitamin/mineral supplement. The salt content of the drinking water varied between the trials (trials I/II/III: 0.10/5.00/10.0 g/l; town water supplemented by different amounts of an additive containing 95.4% sodium chloride and 4.6% potassium chloride). Rising salt concentration of the drinking water led to significantly higher sodium, potassium and chloride intake (sodium: trial I/II/III = 5.42/59.5/ 157 g/day; potassium: trials I/II/III = 108/117/121 g/day; chloride: trials I/II/III = 22.8/112/266 g/day) mainly caused by a significantly higher water intake (trials I/II/III: 21.8 ± 2.03/30.4 ± 3.08/41.5 ± 5.89 kg/day). Amounts of urine increased significantly (trials I/II/III: 3.99 ± 0.46/ 9.66 ± 1.34/20.2 ± 3.14 kg/day). The concentrations of minerals in the urine (sodium: trials I/II/III = 123/3729/6705 mg/kg; potassium: trials I/II/III = 17345/9996/ 5496 mg/kg; chloride: trials I/II/III = 2020/ 9672/11870 mg/kg) and faeces (sodium: trials I/II/III = 1299/6544/ 7653 mg/kg; potassium: trials I/II/III = 6343/3719/3490 mg/kg; chloride: trials I/II/III = 3851/4580/4693 mg/kg) also changed significantly over time. Serum values of sodium tended to decrease (trials I/II/III: 142/137/137 mmol/l) within the physiological range, whereas those of chloride increased (trials I/II/III: 91.5/95.6/97.5 mmol/l) at higher salt concentrations in drinking water. The haematocrit, pH-value as well as urea content in blood were not affected by the higher salt intake. In balance trial III (highest salt load: 10.0 g/l), sodium intake of the bulls reached 0.57 ± 0.03 g/kg BW (~22.1 ± 0.9 g sodium/kg dry matter feed). An increase of salinity in drinking water up to 10 g/l--with otherwise harmless water quality--had no measurable negative effects on animal health in the investigation period and subsequent periods (total of 58 days with more than 5.00 g of salt per litre drinking water).