MSGID: 1:317/3 64421174   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Water arsenic including in public water is linked to higher urinary   
   arsenic totals among the U.S. population    
    Highest concentrations found in the West and South and among Mexican   
   American and other Hispanic participants    
      
     Date:   
         April 20, 2023   
     Source:   
         Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health   
     Summary:   
         A new study shows that water arsenic levels are linked to higher   
         urinary arsenic among the U.S. population for users of both private   
         wells and public water systems.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   A new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of   
   Public Health shows that water arsenic levels are linked to higher   
   urinary arsenic among the U.S. population for users of both private   
   wells and public water systems. The findings are published in the journal   
   Environmental Research.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Long-term exposure to arsenic even at low and moderate levels can   
   increase the risk of cancer and other types of chronic disease. While   
   drinking water along with diet is a major source of arsenic for the   
   general population, the contribution of arsenic in drinking water to   
   total arsenic exposure has been unclear in U.S. populations, especially   
   at less than high levels in public water supplies.   
      
   The researchers evaluated the association between arsenic in private   
   wells and public water supplies using urinary arsenic biomarkers within   
   U.S. populations.   
      
   "To date, no nationwide study had evaluated the link between drinking   
   water arsenic with arsenic biomarkers in urine to assess how drinking   
   water contributes to arsenic exposure for both regulated community   
   water systems (CWS) and unregulated private wells," said Maya Spaur,   
   a PhD candidate in environmental health sciences at Columbia Mailman   
   School of Public Health.   
      
   The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic   
   Substances and Disease Registry includes arsenic as a potent carcinogen   
   and toxicant associated with numerous adverse health outcomes, ranking   
   it number one on their substance priority list. The U.S. Environmental   
   Protection Agency (EPA) regulates arsenic in public drinking water   
   supplies and sets the maximum contaminant level (MCL) allowable in public   
   water systems. However, differences in CWS arsenic concentrations persist   
   across the U.S.   
      
   In 2006, the EPA reduced allowable maximum contaminant levels to10 myg/L,   
   from 50 myg/L. However, based solely on risk to health, the EPA set an MCL   
   goal (MCLG) of 0 myg/L. In addition to community water systems, arsenic   
   exposure from drinking water is also a major concern for approximately   
   40 million U.S.   
      
   residents reliant on private well water. However private wells are not   
   subject to EPA's MCL or other federal regulations.   
      
   To conduct the study the researchers evaluated 11,088 participants   
   from the 2003-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey   
   (NHANES). For each participant, the researchers assigned private well   
   and CWS arsenic levels according to county of residence using estimates   
   previously derived by the U.S.   
      
   Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey. Participants   
   also completed an in-person interview, dietary recall, and physical   
   examination.   
      
   The average recalibrated urinary dimethylarsinate (rDMA), the main   
   metabolite of arsenic excreted in urine was 2.52 myg/L among private well   
   users and 2.64 myg/L among CWS users. Urinary rDMA was highest among   
   participants in the West and South, and among Mexican American, other   
   Hispanic, and non-Hispanic other participants. Urinary rDMA levels were 25   
   percent and 20 percent higher comparing the highest to the lowest third of   
   the population distribution of CWS and private well arsenic, respectively.   
      
   "We found that higher private well and public water arsenic levels were   
   linked to higher urinary arsenic among NHANES participants," noted   
   Spaur. "We further observed very similar relationships between water   
   arsenic and urinary arsenic for both regulated public water supplies   
   and unregulated private wells, but did see differences by region with   
   the strongest associations in the South and West, and among Mexican   
   American participants. Our findings show that water arsenic, including   
   in public water, is a major contributor to total arsenic as measured in   
   urine. Additional efforts are needed to target regions and communities   
   that continue to experience higher exposure."  "Evaluating the link   
   between drinking water arsenic and arsenic levels within U.S. populations   
   is critical for informing drinking water regulatory policies going forward   
   and for identifying communities that need additional financial, technical,   
   and regulatory assistance to reduce the exposure to their residents,"   
   said Anne E. Nigra, assistant professor of environmental health sciences   
   at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, and senior author.   
      
   Co-authors are Melissa Lombard and Joseph Ayotte, U.S. Geological Survey,   
   New England Water Science Center; Benjamin Bostick and Steven Chillrud,   
   Lamont- Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University; and Ana   
   Navas-Acienand Anne Nigra, Columbia Public Health.   
      
   The study was supported by NIEHS grants P42ES010349 and P30ES009089,   
   and F31ES034284, and by NIH/National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial   
   Research grant DP5OD031849.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Health_&_Medicine   
                   # Public_Health_Education # Health_Policy # Urology #   
                   Workplace_Health   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Water # Hazardous_Waste # Drought_Research #   
                   Environmental_Issues   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Arsenic o Water_resources o Surface_runoff o   
             Water_fluoridation o Bismuth o Brackish_water o Lake o Urology   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   Columbia_University's_Mailman_School_of_Public_Health.   
      
   Note: Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Maya Spaur, Melissa A. Lombard, Joseph D. Ayotte, Benjamin   
      C. Bostick,   
         Steven N. Chillrud, Ana Navas-Acien, Anne E. Nigra. Cross-sectional   
         associations between drinking water arsenic and urinary inorganic   
         arsenic in the United States: NHANES 2003-2014. Environmental   
         Research, 2023; 227: 115741 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115741   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230420134547.htm   
      
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