Contamination Of Drinking Water Research Articles

Invited Perspective: Oil and Gas Development and Adverse Birth Outcomes: What More Do We Need to Know?

Invited Perspective: Oil and Gas Development and Adverse Birth Outcomes: What More Do We Need to Know?

Model development for evidence-based prioritisation of policy action on emerging chemical and microbial drinking water risks

While the burden of disease from well-studied drinking water contaminants is declining, risks from emerging chemical and microbial contaminants arise because of social, technological, demographic and climatological developments. At present, emerging chemical and microbial drinking water contaminants are not assessed in a systematic way, but reactively and incidence based. Furthermore, they are assessed separately despite similar pollution sources. As a result, risks might be addressed ineffectively. Integrated risk assessment approaches are thus needed that elucidate the uncertainties in the risk evaluation of emerging drinking water contaminants, while considering risk assessors’ values. This study therefore aimed to (1) construct an assessment hierarchy for the integrated evaluation of the potential risks from emerging chemical and microbial contaminants in drinking water and (2) develop a decision support tool, based on the agreed assessment hierarchy, to quantify (uncertain) risk scores. A multi-actor approach was used to construct the assessment hierarchy, involving chemical and microbial risk assessors, drinking water experts and members of responsible authorities. The concept of value-focused thinking was applied to guide the problem-structuring and model-building process. The development of the decision support tool was done using Decisi-o-rama, an open-source Python library. With the developed decision support tool (uncertain) risk scores can be calculated for emerging chemical and microbial drinking water contaminants, which can be used for the evidence-based prioritisation of actions on emerging chemical and microbial drinking water risks. The decision support tool improves existing prioritisation approaches as it combines uncertain indicator levels with a multi-stakeholder approach and integrated the risk assessment of chemical and microbial contaminants. By applying the concept of value-focused thinking, this study addressed difficulties in evidence-based decision-making related to emerging drinking water contaminants. Suggestions to improve the model were made to guide future research in assisting policy makers to effectively protect public health from emerging drinking water risks.

Drinking water contamination by heavy metals in different cities of Pakistan

The most important concern in developing countries like Pakistan is the contamination of groundwater because of the heavy metals from industrial waste which are affecting the ecosystem and public health. Some heavy metals such as Arsenic (As), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) are mostly reported in different cities of Pakistan and their concentrations are also to be found above the permissible levels of WHO. For domestic purposes and irrigation, groundwater is the main source in Pakistan. Its quality is getting poor because of the untreated discharge from industries. In the country, water-borne diseases are spreading quickly because of the use of unfiltered environmentally contaminated water as well as a lack of awareness of environmental laws. Â

Infrastructure upgrades and lead exposure: Do cities face trade-offs when replacing water mains?

Concerns about drinking water contamination through lead service lines, which connect street water mains to homes in many cities in the United States, might hinder resource-constrained municipalities from performing important infrastructure upgrades. Construction on water mains might disturb the service lines and increase lead levels in drinking water. We estimate the effects of water main maintenance on drinking water and children's blood levels by exploiting unique geocoded data and over 2,200 water main replacements in Chicago, a city with almost 400,000 known lead service lines. By comparing water and blood samples in homes at different distances from replaced mains before and after replacement, we find no evidence that water main replacement affects water or children's lead levels.

Bacteriological and physical quality of Fiche drinking water from households and reservoirs, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract Drinking water is the major source of bacteria pathogens in developing countries along with poor sanitation and contamination of food with a pathogen. More than half of the population of the country uses unimproved sanitation facilities while 36% of them practiced open defecation. The aim of the study was to investigate the suitability of public water for drinking. The study is designed to include a survey of 90 respondents and experimental analysis of 170 water samples from households and reservoirs. Water quality parameters, such as temperature, electrical conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids, and bacteriological parameters like total coliforms (TC) and fecal coliforms (FC) were determined. Many of the respondents (88.8%) remarked that the water has no smells, tastes, and color. The experimental analysis confirmed that temperature (19.7 °C), electrical conductivity (269.63 μS/cm), turbidity (1.17 NTU), and total dissolved solids (134.3 mg/L) were found to be below the prescribed limit of World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water. Total coliforms (9.29 CFU/100 mL) and fecal coliforms (5.07 CFU/100 mL) were detected from pipe water sources during the wet season showing non-compliance with the guidelines. The reservoir samples were free from bacterial contamination. The main point of drinking water contamination was the household, where unsafe water handling practice was a common habit in the study area. Hence, awareness conception training on safe water handling practices is highly recommended for the communities.

A Statistical Analysis of Impact of Risk Factors Causing Lung Cancer among Non-Smokers

Most survey reveals that 40% of cancer deaths are caused by Lung cancer. It is very unfortunate that even the drinking water contaminants may aggravate lung cancer when contaminated water is consumed regularly. Among various carcinogens polluting water arsenic is proved to more hazardous in triggering lung cancer by modifying DNA through genetic mutations. Measure of levels and percentages of carcinogens present in drinking water can direct the research to analyse how the domestic drinking water turns as a killer by causing life threatening problem of lung cancer. The research is carried out with patient data of non-smoking persons who aggravated lung cancer with prolonged usage of arsenic polluted water for drinking and few other factors like childhood pneumonia, genetical history, poor diet and carcinogens in working environment. Chi-square test is performed with non-smoking patient data record and results are evaluated with the discussion of preventive measures.

Chemical contaminants in Brazilian drinking water: a systematic review.

The goals of this research are to evaluate which chemical contaminations were detected in Brazil's drinking water reported in papers published from 2012 to 2019, to propose guideline values for emerging contaminants and assess which are the priority parameters from a health risk perspective. The methodology used was a systematic review. The chemical contaminants quantified were evaluated according to Brazilian drinking-water standards, and Guideline Values were proposed for emerging pollutants using conservative endpoints from NOAEL and LOAEL available in literature. From 1351 articles evaluated, 15 reached the research goal. Seventy-seven parameters were quantified in Brazilian drinking water from underground, surface and rainwater sources. Soil composition, mining, sewage and agricultural activities were the main sources for the seven classes framed: pesticides, metals, organic, endocrine disruptors, drugs, personal care products and illicit drugs. Twenty-two parameters are listed in the current Brazilian drinking water quality standard and 54 are not. Water was not considered appropriate to drink due to cadmium, aluminum, iron, nickel, mercury, atrazine, propionaldehyde, beryllium, acetone and 17 α-ethinyl estradiol (carcinogenic). Measures to reduce chemical contamination in drinking water need to be taken such as the expansion of sewage treatment and upgrading to tertiary treatment, and controlling and reducing the application of pesticides.

Heavy metals drinking water contamination and health risk assessment among primary school children of Pakistan

The purpose of this study was to characterize the concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), and Fe (Fe) in drinking water sources in primary schools in Sindh Province, Pakistan and to quantify potential health risks among those school children. We conducted a representative, cross-sectional study among 425 primary schools in Sindh province of Pakistan. We used risk assessment models to estimate the metal index, pollution index, lifetime cancer risk, and hazard quotient index. Across the 425 sampled schools, the levels of heavy metals in the drinking water often exceeded the WHO permissible limits (67% of schools exceeded Pb limit, 17% for Cd, 15% for Fe). The average incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for Pb exceeded tolerable limits in all of the districts under study. The findings, particularly for Pb, are of concern, as Pb may negatively influence children’s growth, development, school performance, and long-term health.

Drinking water contaminants in California and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

We linked water quality data on 13 contaminants and two violations from the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool to birth records from vital statistics and hospital discharge records (2007-2012) to examine the relationship between drinking water contamination and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. We examined contaminants in single- and multipollutant models. Additionally, we examined if the relationship between water contamination and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy differed by neighborhood poverty, individual socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity. Arsenic, nitrate, trihalomethane, hexavalent chromium, and uranium were detected in a majority of water systems. Increased risk of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy was modestly associated with exposure to cadmium, lead, trihalomethane, and hexavalent chromium in drinking water after adjusting for covariates in single pollutant models with odds ratios ranging from 1.01 to 1.08. In multipollutant models, cadmium was consistent, lead and trihalomethane were stronger, and additional contaminants were associated with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy including trichloroethylene, 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane, nitrate, and tetrachloroethylene. Other contaminants either showed null results or modest inverse associations. The relationship between water contaminants and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy did not differ by neighborhood poverty. We found increased risk of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy associated with exposure to several contaminants in drinking water in California. Results for cadmium, lead, trihalomethane, and hexavalent chromium were robust in multipollutant models.

A Better Way to Boil: Comparing Methods of Purifying Water at Home.

A Better Way to Boil: Comparing Methods of Purifying Water at Home.

BISPHENOL A DETECTION IN PACKAGED DRINKING WATER AND BEVERAGES USING HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY

Background: Bisphenol A is characterized as an endocrine disruptor as it interferes with the synthesis of hormones and metabolism resulting in abnormality in the homeostatis of exposed persons. It is used in the production of polycarbonate and epoxy resins which are utilized in the preparation of almost all plastic packaging materials like plastic bottles, cans, food containers, and coating on food containers. Objective: To detect leaching of Bisphenol A in 15 samples of Bottled water and Beverages using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Methods: Liquid-liquid extraction technique was used for analytical detection of BPA from bottled drinking water and beverages. Results: BPA contamination in Bottled drinking water was calculated through mean concentration for a time period of 30 days as (0.38 ng/ml - 0 day), 8.86 ng/ml (5th day), 17.85 ng/ml (10th day), 30.35 ng/ml (20th day) and 44.48 ng/ml (30th day)). The mean concentration of BPA was observed to be 0.25 to 2.25 ng/ml. Also, the mean concentration of BPA at different temperatures was observed to be 5.96 ng/ml (at 40C), 5.62 ng/ml (at 200C) and 8.80 ng/ml (at 550C). The above results revealed presence of high concentration of BPA in all the samples of bottled drinking water and beverages. Conclusion: The results obtained in the above study depicted considerable amount of BPA leaching from bottled containers into drinking water and beverages. Prolong usage of bottled water and beverages should be avoided to reduce the risk of human exposure to BPA through leaching. Also, it was found that high temperatures resulted in increased BPA leaching.

Managing Uncertainty in Geological CO2 Storage Using Bayesian Evidential Learning

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been increasingly looking like a promising strategy to reduce CO2 emissions and meet the Paris agreement’s climate target. To ensure that CCS is safe and successful, an efficient monitoring program that will prevent storage reservoir leakage and drinking water contamination in groundwater aquifers must be implemented. However, geologic CO2 sequestration (GCS) sites are not completely certain about the geological properties, which makes it difficult to predict the behavior of the injected gases, CO2 brine leakage rates through wellbores, and CO2 plume migration. Significant effort is required to observe how CO2 behaves in reservoirs. A key question is: Will the CO2 injection and storage behave as expected, and can we anticipate leakages? History matching of reservoir models can mitigate uncertainty towards a predictive strategy. It could prove challenging to develop a set of history matching models that preserve geological realism. A new Bayesian evidential learning (BEL) protocol for uncertainty quantification was released through literature, as an alternative to the model-space inversion in the history-matching approach. Consequently, an ensemble of previous geological models was developed using a prior distribution’s Monte Carlo simulation, followed by direct forecasting (DF) for joint uncertainty quantification. The goal of this work is to use prior models to identify a statistical relationship between data prediction, ensemble models, and data variables, without any explicit model inversion. The paper also introduces a new DF implementation using an ensemble smoother and shows that the new implementation can make the computation more robust than the standard method. The Utsira saline aquifer west of Norway is used to exemplify BEL’s ability to predict the CO2 mass and leakages and improve decision support regarding CO2 storage projects.

Quantitation of Total Vanadium in Rodent Plasma and Urine by Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)

Human exposure to vanadium (V) is anticipated because it is a drinking water contaminant. Due to limited data on soluble V salts, the National Toxicology Program is investigating the toxicity in rodents following drinking water exposure. Measurement of internal V dose allows for interpretation of toxicology data. The objective of this study was to develop and validate an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometric method to quantitate total V in rat plasma. The method was linear (r ≥ 0.99) from 5.00 − 1,000 ng V/mL. Intra- and inter-day relative error (% RE) and relative standard deviation (% RSD) of spiked plasma samples were 8.5% to 15.6% RE and ≤ 1.8% RSD and 7.3% to 11.7% RE and ≤ 3.1% RSD, respectively. The limit of detection was 0.268 ng V/mL plasma and absolute percent recovery was 113%. Standards up to 7,500 ng V/mL plasma were diluted into the validated range (5.6% RE, 0.9% RSD). V in extracted plasma samples over 15 days at ambient and refrigerated conditions was from 97.7 to 126% of day 0. Determined plasma V concentrations after three freeze-thaw cycles and after frozen storage for up to 63 days ranged from 100 to 106% and 100 to 122% of day 0, respectively. The method was extended to rat urine (accuracy and precision −2.0 to 0.3% RE and <0.6% RSD, respectively for same linear range). These data demonstrate that the method is suitable to quantitate V in rat plasma and urine.

Risk assessment of heavy metals in drinking water on the human health, Assiut City, and its environs, Egypt

The continuous urbanization and industrialization in many parts of the Assiut City have led to the incidence of elevated concentrations of heavy metal (HM) in soil, surface water, and groundwater. Nine HMs (As, Mn, Pb, Fe, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cd, and Cu) were investigated in 35 drinking water samples in Assiut City and its villages. In this study, the HMs are higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline for drinking water and so were not acceptable. The chronic daily intake (CDIingestion) values of these metals appeared according to the order of As > Mn > Pb> Fe > Cr > Ni > Zn > Cd > Cu. The rating of human health hazard by using the hazard quotient (HQ) values had desirable limits, represented to be non-carcinogenic to humans by oral intake and dermal surface assimilation of water. In addition, the HIdermal values are almost negligible compared with those of HIingestion, reflecting the great concern of ingestion pathway than other exposure pathways, where the HI of all metals by ingestion is more than 200 times higher dermal contact. The results of carcinogenic risk for Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn were less than the acceptable limit (10−6), while Co is not detected in all samples. Regarding the target cancer rate (TCR), 91.62% of carcinogenic values are probably attributed to As, which is classified as a human carcinogen followed by Ni (with TCR of 5.43%), Cr (2.81%), Cd (0.13%), and Pb (0.01%), while other HMs as Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn have no carcinogenic adverse health effect. Using this study as a database for the groundwater-drinking and surface standards should be revised for different countries to show the intake rates of other water resources. Government should pay attention to improve the water quality of Assiut City and its vicinities by reducing the causes of drinking water contamination with HMs.

Private Wells 101: Bacterial Contamination and Shock Chlorination

Private well users are responsible for the management and protection of their wells. This new 4-page EDIS publication is for Florida homeowners who are interested in learning more about their well-water system and understanding how to properly shock, or disinfect, the well if there is evidence of drinking water contamination. Written by Yilin Zhuang and Mary Lusk, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Soil and Water Sciences.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss700

Solvay withheld PFAS toxicity data, group claims

Environmental advocates are urging the US Environmental Protection Agency to fine Solvay Specialty Polymers a total of $434 million for allegedly withholding information about the toxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) the company used as processing aids to make fluoropolymers. At issue are chloroperfluoropolyether carboxylates, compounds that Solvay used as replacements for surfactants containing salts of perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Solvay stopped using those two chemicals more than a decade ago because they are toxic and persist in the environment. Both are known drinking-water contaminants. In a Jan. 26 petition , the advocacy organization Environmental Working Group (EWG) claims that Solvay violated reporting requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) by waiting more than 5 years to notify the EPA about potential risks to human health and the environment posed by chloroperfluoropolyether carboxylates. According to the EWG, Solvay identified risks in a 4-week oral toxicity

Physico-chemical and Biological Properties of Groundwater Quality in Rural Settlement, Nadi, Fiji

The current study investigated drinking water quality of samples taken from Arolevu village, a locality situated in Nadi, Fiji. The groundwater samples were collected and subjected to a comprehensive physicochemical and biological analysis. The analysis for the drinking water sample was conducted seasonally, six times a year, that is, three for the dry season and three for the wet season. The results retrieved from the analysis were compared to its maximum contamination levels (MCLs) based on the health-based guidelines provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO standards were used as an attribute to determine the sources of contaminants likely to be present at the study site. A degradation trend in drinking water quality in the context of climate change may lead to potential health impacts. Hence, it is important to understand seasonal variations in drinking water quality. A proper understanding of the drinking water quality through seasonal water analysis for nitrate, nitrite, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chlorine content as well as its microbiological presence to reduce preventable risks such as using calculated amounts of fertilisers and upgrading the sewerage system to alleviate drinking water contamination is devised through this study.

Pesticide Contamination in Drinking and Surface Water in the Cienega, Jalisco, Mexico

Sixty percent of global agricultural production depends on the use of pesticides, despite their adverse effects on human health and the ecosystem. In Mexico, the application of these products has been exacerbated, including pesticides already banned in other countries. The objective of this study was to determine pesticide concentrations in samples of water purification plants and surface water from the Cienega area of Jalisco, Mexico. A survey of 119 farmers with occupational exposure to pesticides was carried out in order to obtain information on the most frequently used pesticides. Subsequently, 51 samples taken at 7 different sites were analyzed using liquid chromatography and mass-mass spectrometry. The most frequently used pesticides were organophosphates (28.87%), pyrethroids (12.89%), and the herbicide paraquat (31.95%). In surface water, the prevalent pesticides were glyphosate (56.96–510.46 ppb) and malathion (311.76–863.49 ppb). Glyphosate levels were higher than the limits acceptable in daily water intake in Cumuato. Malathion levels exceeded the limits permissible by EPA in water purification plants in urban public establishments (100 ppb for children, and 200 ppb for adults). In addition, a multidimensional scaling analysis showed that the sampled sites could be grouped into 2 different bodies of water, based on similarities in their glyphosate concentrations (stress = 0.005), while the concentrations of malathion were heterogeneous (stress = 0.001).

One-step removal of lead from water using an electricity-free and sustainable membrane filtration

Lead (Pb) is a typical contaminant in water with adverse effects on human health. Hong Kong’s incident of drinking water contamination by Pb in 2015 caused severe public concerns regarding drinking water safety. Conventional treatment methods for Pb removal generally require electricity, chemical dosage, and considerable time and space, which significantly restrict their use for rapid water purification under emergency situations. In this study, a polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylic acid (PVA/PAA) composite nanofibrous membrane was developed for the rapid and effective removal of Pb from water. The PVA/PAA membrane had a high water permeability of 550 L/m2/h/kPa - 710 L/m2/h/kPa, which allowed the filtration to be driven by gravity (e.g. with a water height of 10.0 cm). The membrane showed consistently high removal efficiency of Pb (&gt; 95%) with a volumetric loading up to 3000 L/m2. This high removal efficiency was attributed to the combined effects of complexing and electrostatic attraction between Pb and PAA. An esculent citric acid was used to regenerate the exhausted PVA/PAA membrane. The regenerated membrane maintained its removal efficiency of Pb over a five-cycle filtration. These results imply that the PVA/PAA composite membrane can be repeatedly used in electricity-free filtration devices for rapid elimination of Pb under emergency situations.

Characterizing the Air Emissions, Transport, and Deposition of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances from a Fluoropolymer Manufacturing Facility.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been released into the environment for decades, yet contributions of air emissions to total human exposure, from inhalation and drinking water contamination via deposition, are poorly constrained. The atmospheric transport and fate of a PFAS mixture from a fluoropolymer manufacturing facility in North Carolina were investigated with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model applied at high resolution (1 km) and extending ∼150 km from the facility. Twenty-six explicit PFAS compounds, including GenX, were added to CMAQ using current best estimates of air emissions and relevant physicochemical properties. The new model, CMAQ-PFAS, predicts that 5% by mass of total emitted PFAS and 2.5% of total GenX are deposited within ∼150 km of the facility, with the remainder transported out. Modeled air concentrations of total GenX and total PFAS around the facility can reach 24.6 and 8500 ng m-3 but decrease to ∼0.1 and ∼10 ng m-3 at 35 km downwind, respectively. We find that compounds with acid functionality have higher deposition due to enhanced water solubility and pH-driven partitioning to aqueous media. To our knowledge, this is the first modeling study of the fate of a comprehensive, chemically resolved suite of PFAS air emissions from a major manufacturing source.