Abstract
The naturally occurring geogenic elements iodine (I), lithium (Li), and strontium (Sr) have a beneficial effect on human health. Iodine has an essential role in human metabolism while Li and Sr are used, respectively, as a treatment for various mental disorders and for post-menopausal osteoporosis. The aim here is to evaluate the potential for future epidemiological investigations in Denmark of lifelong and chronic exposure to low doses of these compounds. The drinking water data represents approximately 45% of the annual Danish groundwater abstraction for drinking water purposes, which supplies approximately 2.5 million persons. The spatial patterns were studied using inverse distance weighted interpolation and cluster analysis. The exposed population was estimated based on two datasets: (1) population density in the smallest census unit, the parishes, and (2) geocoded addresses where at least one person is residing. We found significant spatial variation in the exposure for all three elements, related mainly to geochemical processes. This suggests a prospective opportunity for future epidemiological investigation of long-term effects of I, Li, and Sr, either alone or in combinations with other geogenic elements such as Ca, Mg or F.
Highlights
Most chemical elements do not occur exclusively in drinking water (DW), exposures via DW, even at low concentrations, may have important consequences across the entire population [1].The three trace elements which are in focus here (I, Li, and Sr) have in common that they are essential (I) or possibly essential (Li, Sr) for humans and are currently used as part of pharmaceuticals or dietary supplements
Iodine concentrations in Danish groundwater are characterised by both small-scale heterogeneity and large-scale spatial trends [4]
The general objective of this study is to evaluate the potential for future epidemiological investigations of long-term exposure to low doses of three naturally occurring compounds (I, Li, and Sr) from DW
Summary
The three trace elements which are in focus here (I, Li, and Sr) have in common that they are essential (I) or possibly essential (Li, Sr) for humans and are currently used as part of pharmaceuticals or dietary supplements. Their concentrations in DW can vary spatially, and lifelong exposure to different naturally occurring levels may have an impact on public health in various ways. Iodine concentrations in Danish groundwater are characterised by both small-scale heterogeneity and large-scale spatial trends [4]. Voutchkova et al [4] found that elevated groundwater-I concentrations originate from
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