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Frydrych A, Frankowski M, Jurowski K. The toxicological analysis and safety assessment of heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd, and As) in Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP) available in Polish pharmacies for oncological patients. Food Chem Toxicol 2024; 192:114932. [PMID: 39142554 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
The presence of heavy metals in food products may seem an archaic concern; however, our study reveals that the risk is significant, unexpectedly in Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP) for oncology patients available in Polish pharmacies. This investigation fills that gap through a detailed toxicological analysis and health risk assessment of these heavy metals in FSMP products (n = 23) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Our comprehensive risk assessment involved evaluating (1) the concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb in both liquid and powdered FSMP formulations, (2) the amount of heavy metals ingested per serving as specified by the manufacturer, and (3) the cumulative daily and weekly intake adjusted for body weight, benchmarked against the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). While most samples were below PTWI limits, Cd levels raised concerns due to potential cumulative exposure risks, particularly for oncology patients consuming these products regularly. This study underscores the hidden dangers of heavy metal contamination in FSMP, emphasizing the need for vigilant monitoring and stringent regulatory frameworks to ensure patient safety. By uncovering these latent risks through meticulous toxicological assessment, our research provides crucial insights that could safeguard vulnerable populations. This study is significant due to concerns related to the complex risk assessment of FSMP for cancer patients, considering the complexity of oncological diseases and other comorbid factors, as well as the verification of available legal and regulatory acts of FSMP at the European Community level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Frydrych
- Laboratory of Innovative Toxicological Research and Analyzes, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College, Rzeszów University, Al. mjr. W. Kopisto 2a, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Marcin Frankowski
- Department of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Kamil Jurowski
- Laboratory of Innovative Toxicological Research and Analyzes, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College, Rzeszów University, Al. mjr. W. Kopisto 2a, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland; Department of Regulatory and Forensic Toxicology, Institute of Medical Expertises in Łódź, ul. Aleksandrowska 67/93, 91-205 Łódź, Poland.
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2
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Moyebi OD, Lebbie T, Carpenter DO. Standards for levels of lead in soil and dust around the world. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2024; 0:reveh-2024-0030. [PMID: 38856075 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2024-0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Lead poisoning is a serious environmental health problem in every country in the world. Exposure to lead results in neurocognitive and behavioral changes, has adverse effects on the immune system, causes anemia, hypertension and perturbs other organ systems. The effects of lead poisoning are most critical for children because their bodies are growing and developing, and particularly because agents that reduce cognitive function and attention span as well as promote disruptive behavior will have life-long consequences. Lead exposure, especially to children, is a major health disparity issue. If the next generation starts with reduced cognitive ability, there will be significant barriers for development of skills and country-wide development. While there are many sources of exposure to lead, the commonest source is lead in soil and dust. Since lead is an element, it does not go away and past releases of lead into the environment remain as soil and dust contamination. This is an especially important route of exposure to children because children regularly play in soil and are exposed via hand-to-mouth activity. In addition to indoor sources of lead, contaminated soil is tracked on shoes or feet and blown by air currents into homes, accumulating in household dust which is a major source of exposure for both children and adults. The purpose of this review is to determine standards presumed to be health protective for lead and dust in different countries. We find that many countries have no standards for lead in soil and dust and rely on standards set by the World Health Organization or the US Environmental Protection Agency, and these standards may or may not be enforced. There is considerable variation in standards set by other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omosehin D Moyebi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, 1084 University at Albany , Rensselaer, NY, USA
- Nursing Program, School of Science, Navajo Technical University, Crownpoint, NM, USA
| | - Tamba Lebbie
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, 1084 University at Albany , Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - David O Carpenter
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, 1084 University at Albany , Rensselaer, NY, USA
- A World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Environmental Health, 1084 Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany , Rensselaer, NY, USA
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3
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Tully J, Schock M, Shilling S, Bosscher V, Lytle D, Harmon S, Bennett-Stamper C. An evaluation of properly operated NSF/ANSI-53 Pb certified drinking water filters in Benton Harbor, MI. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2024; 22:296-308. [PMID: 38421624 PMCID: PMC11182191 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2024.231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Communities across the United States and particularly in the Midwest continue to grapple with the complications associated with aging infrastructure. This includes the presence of lead (Pb)-bearing plumbing components such as lead service lines, downstream galvanized iron pipes, and Pb/tin solder. The community of Benton Harbor, MI, experienced six Pb action level exceedances between 2018 and 2021, leading to increasing community concern and a request from the state of Michigan for the US Environmental Protection Agency involvement. Between 9 November and 17 December 2021, US EPA Region 5 and Office of Research and Development, along with the state of Michigan, conducted a water filter efficacy and Pb-nanoparticulate (<100 nm) study to evaluate the performance of NSF/ANSI-53 Pb-certified drinking water filters and the presence of nanoparticulate. In this study, a total of 199 properly installed and operated drinking water filters (combination of faucet mounted and pitcher) were tested in their residential locations. One hundred percent of the water filters were found to perform to the standard to which they were certified, with filtered drinking water Pb concentrations below 5 ppb (maximum observed was 2.5 ppb). In addition, Pb particulate was identified; however, discrete Pb-containing nanoparticles were not widely found or identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Tully
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA E-mail:
| | - Michael Schock
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Scott Shilling
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Valerie Bosscher
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Water Division, Ground Water and Drinking Water Branch, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
| | - Darren Lytle
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Stephen Harmon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Christina Bennett-Stamper
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
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Dorevitch S, Geiger SD, Kelly W, Jacobs DE, Demirtas H. Repeated home drinking water sampling to improve detection of particulate lead spikes: a simulation study. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 34:148-154. [PMID: 37012385 PMCID: PMC10907284 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00534-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lead can be present in drinking water in soluble and particulate forms. The intermittent release of lead particulates in drinking water can produce highly variable water lead levels (WLLs) in individual homes, a health concern because both particulate and soluble lead are bioavailable. More frequent water sampling would increase the likelihood of identifying sporadic lead "spikes," though little information is available to aid in estimating how many samples are needed to achieve a given degree of sensitivity to spike detection. OBJECTIVE To estimate the number of rounds of tap water sampling needed to determine with a given level of confidence that an individual household is at low risk for the intermittent release of lead particulates. METHODS We simulated WLLs for 100,000 homes on 15 rounds of sampling under a variety of assumptions about lead spike release. A Markovian structure was used to describe WLLs for individual homes on subsequent rounds of sampling given a set of transitional probabilities, in which homes with higher WLLs at baseline were more likely to exhibit a spike on repeated sampling. RESULTS Assuming 2% of homes had a spike on the first round of sampling and a mid-range estimate of transitional probabilities, the initial round of sampling had a 6.4% sensitivity to detect a spike. Seven rounds of sampling would be needed to increase the sensitivity to 50%, which would leave unrecognized the more than 15,000 homes that intermittently exhibit spikes. SIGNIFICANCE For assessing household risk for lead exposure through drinking water, multiple rounds of water sampling are needed to detect the infrequent but high spikes in WLLs due to particulate release. Water sampling procedures for assessment of lead exposure in individual homes should be modified to account for the infrequent but high spikes in WLL. IMPACT It has been known for decades that intermittent "spikes" in water lead occur due to the sporadic release of lead particulates. However, conventional water sampling strategies do not account for these infrequent but hazardous events. This research suggests that current approaches to sampling tap water for lead testing identify only a small fraction of homes in which particulate spikes occur, and that sampling procedures should be changed substantially to increase the probability of identifying the hazard of particulate lead release into drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Dorevitch
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Institute for Environmental Science and Policy, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Sarah D Geiger
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Walton Kelly
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Prairie Research Institute, Illinois State Water Survey, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - David E Jacobs
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
- National Center for Healthy Housing, Columbia, MD, USA
| | - Hakan Demirtas
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
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Chen H, Zhang W, Luo S, Li Y, Zhu Q, Xia Y, Tan H, Bian Y, Li Y, Ma J, Chen W, Luo X, Zhu G. Lead exposure induces neuronal apoptosis via NFκB p65/RBBP4/Survivin signaling pathway. Toxicology 2023; 499:153654. [PMID: 37866543 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb), as a heavy metal that is easily exposed in daily life, can cause damage to various systems of body. Apoptosis is an autonomous cell death process regulated by genes in order to maintain the stability of internal environment, which plays an important role in the development of nervous system. RB binding protein 4 (RBBP4) is one of the core histone binding subunits and is closely related to the apoptosis process of nervous system cells. However, it is not known whether RBBP4 can regulate neuronal apoptosis in lead-exposed environments. We exposed PC12 cells to 0 μM (control group), 1 μM, and 100 μM PbAc for 24 h to obtain cell samples. The female rats ingested drinking water containing 0, 0.5 g/L, and 2.0 g/L PbAc from the first day of pregnancy to three weeks after delivery to obtain hippocampal tissue samples from mammary rats. The results of TUNEL showed that lead exposure promoted the onset of apoptosis in cells and hippocampus. The mRNA and protein levels of the apoptosis-related protein Survivin were significantly reduced in the lead-exposed group compared to the control group. In addition, we found that lead exposure reduces the mRNA and protein levels of RBBP4 in PC12 cells and hippocampus, and increases the mRNA and protein levels of NFκB p65. Moreover, inhibiting NFκB p65 can reverse the decrease in RBBP4 expression in the lead exposure model. Overexpression of RBBP4 increased Survivin expression and reduced apoptosis induced by lead exposure. This suggests that lead exposure induces apoptosis through the NFκB p65/RBBP4/Survivin signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Chen
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Song Luo
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nanchang Hongdu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Diezihu Avenue Honggutan District, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Yanshu Li
- Jiangxi Center of Medical Device Testing, Nanchang 330029, PR China
| | - Qian Zhu
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Yongli Xia
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Hong Tan
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Ying Bian
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Yaobing Li
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Jianmin Ma
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Xietian Luo
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China
| | - Gaochun Zhu
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, BaYi Road 461, Nanchang 330006, PR China.
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Stefan DS, Bosomoiu M, Teodorescu G. The Behavior of Polymeric Pipes in Drinking Water Distribution System-Comparison with Other Pipe Materials. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:3872. [PMID: 37835921 PMCID: PMC10575437 DOI: 10.3390/polym15193872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The inner walls of the drinking water distribution system (DWDS) are expected to be clean to ensure a safe quality of drinking water. Complex physical, chemical, and biological processes take place when water comes into contact with the pipe surface. This paper describes the impact of leaching different compounds from the water supply pipes into drinking water and subsequent risks. Among these compounds, there are heavy metals. It is necessary to prevent these metals from getting into the DWDS. Those compounds are susceptible to impacting the quality of the water delivered to the population either by leaching dangerous chemicals into water or by enhancing the development of microorganism growth on the pipe surface. The corrosion process of different pipe materials, scale formation mechanisms, and the impact of bacteria formed in corrosion layers are discussed. Water treatment processes and the pipe materials also affect the water composition. Pipe materials act differently in the flowing and stagnation conditions. Moreover, they age differently (e.g., metal-based pipes are subjected to corrosion while polymer-based pipes have a decreased mechanical resistance) and are susceptible to enhanced bacterial film formation. Water distribution pipes are a dynamic environment, therefore, the models that are used must consider the changes that occur over time. Mathematical modeling of the leaching process is complex and includes the description of corrosion development over time, correlated with a model for the biofilm formation and the disinfectants-corrosion products and disinfectants-biofilm interactions. The models used for these processes range from simple longitudinal dispersion models to Monte Carlo simulations and 3D modeling. This review helps to clarify what are the possible sources of compounds responsible for drinking water quality degradation. Additionally, it gives guidance on the measures that are needed to maintain stable and safe drinking water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Simina Stefan
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (D.S.S.); (G.T.)
| | - Magdalena Bosomoiu
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (D.S.S.); (G.T.)
| | - Georgeta Teodorescu
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (D.S.S.); (G.T.)
- Doctoral School, Specialization of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
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7
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Adhikari S, Lu HJ, Ng DQ. Lead levels in drinking water from point-of-use dispensers: a case study of elementary schools in Taichung, Taiwan. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:86846-86855. [PMID: 37407862 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28475-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Drinking water contaminated with lead has adverse health consequences, particularly in young children. Water dispensed from point-of-use dispensers is generally regarded as drinking water instead of conventional tap water in Taiwan, and such dispensers are installed in all public facilities, including elementary schools. However, studies on drinking water quality are mainly focused on tap water, while dispenser water quality is less known. Hence, this study investigated lead concentrations in drinking water from point-of-use dispensers in elementary schools of Taichung, Taiwan. Water samples were collected between September 2019 and February 2021 from 86 schools across 24 districts utilizing a modified first draw sampling protocol to collect ten 100-mL sequential samples. Approximately 26% of the schools had at least one sample exceeding 10 μg/L (Taiwan EPA standard), with the highest level reaching 99.2 μg/L. Exceedance tendency varied with water use, seasons, and age of the schools. Samples collected over the weekends and during summer showed higher levels and frequencies of contamination. Lead levels surpassing the standard were observed in 14% of weekend and 17% of summer samples, compared to only 4% of weekday and 4% of winter samples. Similarly, while older schools (age > 40 years) exhibited higher contamination, young schools (age < 20 years) were also not entirely safe. This study reveals that point-of-use dispensers do not always provide safe drinking water. Findings also indicate the susceptibility of children in elementary schools to lead exposure through their drinking water. Therefore, a routine monitoring program for heavy metals, including lead, in drinking water is urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saroj Adhikari
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Chaoyang University of Technology, 168, Jifeng E. Rd, Wufeng District, Taichung City, 413310, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Jhe Lu
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Chaoyang University of Technology, 168, Jifeng E. Rd, Wufeng District, Taichung City, 413310, Taiwan
| | - Ding-Quan Ng
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Chaoyang University of Technology, 168, Jifeng E. Rd, Wufeng District, Taichung City, 413310, Taiwan.
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Hatam F, Blokker M, Doré E, Prévost M. Reduction in water consumption in premise plumbing systems: Impacts on lead concentration under different water qualities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 879:162975. [PMID: 36965725 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Water conservation measures are increasing in response to regulatory requirements addressing the need for lower environmental footprint and in response to water shortages. In households with lead service lines (LSLs), lowering consumption can adversely impact lead release as it will increase stagnation. Using a lead dissolution model and data from extensive pilot studies on excavated LSLs, the impact of adaptation to different water conservation strategies on dissolved lead contamination at the kitchen tap is assessed under three water qualities and three LSL lengths (3, 14 and 30 m) using hydraulic and water quality modelling. Consumers' behavioural variability is also assessed based on integration of EPANET and results of the stochastic water demand model SIMDEUM. Demand reduction increased the dissolved lead concentrations (Pbdiss) at the end of the LSL with mean values ranging from 28.4 to 63.3 μg/L (without corrosion control) and from 4.6 to 9.9 μg/L with corrosion control (addition of orthophosphate and pH adjustment). Adding orthophosphate (1 mg P/L) to the water reduces the mean Pbdiss values at the kitchen tap from 7.1 μg/L to 1.2 μg/L for a high water demand scenario and from 31.2 to 4.9 μg/L for a low water demand scenario. Finally, the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic (IEUBK) model is used to predict the potential blood lead levels (BLLs) for children aged 0-84 months. Results showed that the orthophosphate addition of only 1 mg P/L can significantly decrease the proportion of children with a BLL >5 μg/dL, from 82 % to 17 %, under the most extreme water conservation scenario studied, using the 90th percentile of Pbdiss concentrations during usage at kitchen tap. Wide variations of Pbdiss concentrations at the kitchen tap were calculated at times of use over a week (up to 155 μg/L in lower demand scenarios, without corrosion control) showing evident limitations of single random daytime sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Hatam
- Industrial Chair on Drinking Water, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, CP 6079, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3A7, Canada.
| | - Mirjam Blokker
- KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Evelyne Doré
- Industrial Chair on Drinking Water, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, CP 6079, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Michèle Prévost
- Industrial Chair on Drinking Water, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, CP 6079, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3A7, Canada
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Hwang YH, Wu HC, Shyu MK, Lee CN, Lin SY, Chen PC, Chuang HY, Lin PW, Wu TH, Chen YT. Temporal transition trends of cord blood lead levels in various human development index countries and in the Taipei metropolitan area. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023:121900. [PMID: 37244535 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Since low-level lead exposure is still of concern for neonates, it is worth further characterizing the temporal transition trends of cord blood lead levels (CBLLs) globally and locally in Taipei, Taiwan, after the cessation of leaded gasoline use. A literature review on CBLLs around the world was performed by searching three databanks, i.e., PubMed, Google Scholar and Web of Science, with the search keywords "cord blood" combined with "lead" or "Pb" for studies published from 1975 to May 2021. In total, 66 articles were included. Linear regressions for the reciprocal of sample size weighed CBLLs against calendar year presented a high r2 value (0.722) for the very high Human Development Index (HDI) countries and a moderate r2 value (0.308) for the combined high and medium HDI countries. The predicted CBLLs in 2030 and 2040 were 6.92 (95% CI: 6.02-7.81) μg/L and 5.85 (95% CI: 5.04-6.66) μg/L, respectively, for the very high HDI countries and 13.10 (95% CI: 7.12-19.09) μg/L and 10.63 (95% CI: 5.37-15.89) μg/L, respectively, for the combined high and medium HDI countries. To characterize the CBLL transitions in the Great Taipei metropolitan area, data from five studies conducted from 1985 to 2018 were employed. Although the results of the early four studies indicated that the Great Taipei metropolitan area did not reach the pace in CBLL reduction among the very high HDI countries, the CBLLs of the latest study during 2016-2018 were pretty low (8.1 ± 4.5 μg/L), approximately 3 years in advance of the very high HDI countries as one group to reach this low CBLL. In conclusion, further effective reduction in environmental lead exposure is challenging and must be based on the efforts from the aspects reflected by the HDI index compositions, i.e., economics, education and health, mostly implying health disparity and inequality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaw-Huei Hwang
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Master of Public Health Program, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Hui-Chu Wu
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ming-Kwang Shyu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chien-Nan Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Shin-Yu Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pau-Chung Chen
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taiwan, ROC; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hung-Yi Chuang
- Department of Public Health and Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pei-Wen Lin
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tso-Hsien Wu
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yen-Tzu Chen
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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10
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Devine C, Triantafyllidou S. A literature review of bench top and pilot lead corrosion assessment studies. AWWA WATER SCIENCE 2023; 5:10.1002/aws2.1324. [PMID: 37538099 PMCID: PMC10395321 DOI: 10.1002/aws2.1324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Bench top and pilot lead corrosion studies are gaining more interest, considering revisions and upcoming improvements to the Lead and Copper Rule. This literature review identified studies ranging from simpler month(s)-long bench top dump-and-fill stagnant water tests (coupon tests/standing pipe tests) to more complicated year(s)-long intermittent flow pilot studies (recirculating pipe loops/once through pipe rigs). With increasing complexity in design and operation, studies more closely approximated real plumbing conditions (e.g., by incorporating harvested lead pipes and intermittent flow regimes) at increased cost, footprint, and duration. Comparison of bench top and pilot designs (in terms of lead test piece age/dimensions/configuration/replicates, study duration, sample collection, and other factors) can assist drinking water utilities, consultants, academics, and others to select a design that matches their needs and constraints. No matter the choice, surrogate systems cannot replace actual system water testing and are best complemented by other corrosion assessment tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Devine
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Postdoctoral
Fellow at the U.S. Environmental Protect Agency, Office of Research and Development,
Center for Environmental Solutions & Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure
Division, Drinking Water Quality Branch, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Simoni Triantafyllidou
- U.S. Environmental Protect Agency, Office of Research and
Development, Center for Environmental Solutions & Emergency Response, Water
Infrastructure Division, Drinking Water Quality Branch, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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11
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Bradham KD, Nelson CM, Sowers TD, Lytle DA, Tully J, Schock MR, Li K, Blackmon MD, Kovalcik K, Cox D, Dewalt G, Friedman W, Pinzer EA, Ashley PJ. A national survey of lead and other metal(loids) in residential drinking water in the United States. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:160-167. [PMID: 35986209 PMCID: PMC10807215 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00461-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to lead (Pb), arsenic (As) and copper (Cu) may cause significant health issues including harmful neurological effects, cancer or organ damage. Determination of human exposure-relevant concentrations of these metal(loids) in drinking water, therefore, is critical. OBJECTIVE We sought to characterize exposure-relevant Pb, As, and Cu concentrations in drinking water collected from homes participating in the American Healthy Homes Survey II, a national survey that monitors the prevalence of Pb and related hazards in United States homes. METHODS Drinking water samples were collected from a national survey of 678 U.S. homes where children may live using an exposure-based composite sampling protocol. Relationships between metal(loid) concentration, water source and house age were evaluated. RESULTS 18 of 678 (2.6%) of samples analyzed exceeded 5 µg Pb L-1 (Mean = 1.0 µg L-1). 1.5% of samples exceeded 10 µg As L-1 (Mean = 1.7 µg L-1) and 1,300 µg Cu L-1 (Mean = 125 µg L-1). Private well samples were more likely to exceed metal(loid) concentration thresholds than public water samples. Pb concentrations were correlated with Cu and Zn, indicative of brass as a common Pb source is samples analyzed. SIGNIFICANCE Results represent the largest national-scale effort to date to inform exposure risks to Pb, As, and Cu in drinking water in U.S. homes using an exposure-based composite sampling approach. IMPACT STATEMENT To date, there are no national-level estimates of Pb, As and Cu in US drinking water collected from household taps using an exposure-based sampling protocol. Therefore, assessing public health impacts from metal(loids) in drinking water remains challenging. Results presented in this study represent the largest effort to date to test for exposure-relevant concentrations of Pb, As and Cu in US household drinking water, providing a critical step toward improved understanding of metal(loid) exposure risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen D Bradham
- Center of Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA.
| | | | - Tyler D Sowers
- Center of Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
| | - Darren A Lytle
- Center for Environmental Solutions & Emergency Response, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Jennifer Tully
- Center for Environmental Solutions & Emergency Response, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Michael R Schock
- Center for Environmental Solutions & Emergency Response, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Kevin Li
- Independent Researcher, Lansing, MI, 48915, USA
| | - Matthew D Blackmon
- Center of Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
| | - Kasey Kovalcik
- Center of Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
| | - David Cox
- QuanTech, 6110 Executive Blvd Suite 206, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Gary Dewalt
- QuanTech, 6110 Executive Blvd Suite 206, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Warren Friedman
- Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC, 20410, USA
| | - Eugene A Pinzer
- Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC, 20410, USA
| | - Peter J Ashley
- Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC, 20410, USA
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12
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Trujillo-Vázquez SK, Gaona-Domínguez S, Villeda-González JD, Librado-Osorio R, Luna-López A, Bonilla-González E, Valencia-Quintana PR, Gómez-Olivares JL. Oxidative stress in the ovaries of mice chronically exposed to a low lead concentration: A generational approach. Reprod Toxicol 2023; 115:40-48. [PMID: 36473649 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal that alters the oxidation-reduction balance, affecting reproductive health and transfer during pregnancy and lactation. However, the multigenerational impact of exposure to low concentrations of Pb on mammalian ovaries has not been assessed. This study evaluated general parameters, histology, redox state (RS), protein carbonylation (PC), lipid peroxidation (LP), and hormone concentrations in the ovaries of mice (CD1® ICR) of three successive generations with both unigenerational (E1) and multigenerational (E2) exposure to 0.2 ppm lead acetate through the drinking water and a control group. Body weight, food consumption, the number of born pups, and their weight after weaning were not significantly affected by Pb exposure in E1 and E2. However, the ovaries of three successive generations of the E1 group, in which only the F0 was exposed, showed alterations in the ovarian histoarchitecture, increase in follicular atresia, decrease in the number of available follicles, and a significant RS and PC elevation that were surprisingly similar to those observed in the E2 group. LP increased in the second generation of E1 and E2, while hormone concentration was not altered. This is the first demonstration that exposure to low concentration of Pb induces multigenerational histological alterations and oxidative stress in mouse ovaries, that the termination of this exposure does not ensure the safety of later generations and that the lack of modifications in general parameters may facilitate the silent development of pathologies that affect ovarian health.
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Affiliation(s)
- S K Trujillo-Vázquez
- Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, México.
| | - S Gaona-Domínguez
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) Campus sur, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - J D Villeda-González
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Departamento de Neurodesarrollo y Fisiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - R Librado-Osorio
- Departamento de Investigación Básica, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - A Luna-López
- Departamento de Investigación Básica, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - E Bonilla-González
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - P R Valencia-Quintana
- Laboratorio "Rafael Villalobos Petrini" de Toxicología Genómica y Química Ambiental, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - J L Gómez-Olivares
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico
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13
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Ommati MM, Ahmadi HN, Sabouri S, Retana-Marquez S, Abdoli N, Rashno S, Niknahad H, Jamshidzadeh A, Mousavi K, Rezaei M, Akhlagh A, Azarpira N, Khodaei F, Heidari R. Glycine protects the male reproductive system against lead toxicity via alleviating oxidative stress, preventing sperm mitochondrial impairment, improving kinematics of sperm, and blunting the downregulation of enzymes involved in the steroidogenesis. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2022; 37:2990-3006. [PMID: 36088639 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is a highly toxic heavy metal widely dispersed in the environment because of human industrial activities. Many studies revealed that Pb could adversely affect several organs, including the male reproductive system. Pb-induced reproductive toxicity could lead to infertility. Thus, finding safe and clinically applicable protective agents against this complication is important. It has been found that oxidative stress plays a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of Pb-induced reprotoxicity. Glycine is the simplest amino acid with a wide range of pharmacological activities. It has been found that glycine could attenuate oxidative stress and mitochondrial impairment in various experimental models. The current study was designed to evaluate the role of glycine in Pb-induced reproductive toxicity in male mice. Male BALB/c mice received Pb (20 mg/kg/day; gavage; 35 consecutive days) and treated with glycine (250 and 500 mg/kg/day; gavage; 35 consecutive days). Then, reproductive system weight indices, biomarkers of oxidative stress in the testis and isolated sperm, sperm kinetic, sperm mitochondrial indices, and testis histopathological alterations were monitored. A significant change in testis, epididymis, and Vas deferens weight was evident in Pb-treated animals. Markers of oxidative stress were also significantly increased in the testis and isolated sperm of the Pb-treated group. A significant disruption in sperm kinetic was also evident when mice received Pb. Moreover, Pb exposure caused significant deterioration in sperm mitochondrial indices. Tubular injury, tubular desquamation, and decreased spermatogenic index were histopathological alterations detected in Pb-treated mice. It was found that glycine significantly blunted oxidative stress markers in testis and sperm, improved sperm mitochondrial parameters, causing considerable higher velocity-related indices (VSL, VCL, and VAP) and percentages of progressively motile sperm, and decreased testis histopathological changes in Pb-exposed animals. These data suggest glycine as a potential protective agent against Pb-induced reproductive toxicity. The effects of glycine on oxidative stress markers and mitochondrial function play a key role in its protective mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Mehdi Ommati
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hassan Nategh Ahmadi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Samira Sabouri
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Socorro Retana-Marquez
- Department of Biology of Reproduction, Autonomous Metropolitan University-Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Narges Abdoli
- Food and Drug Administration, Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sajjad Rashno
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hossein Niknahad
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Akram Jamshidzadeh
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Khadijeh Mousavi
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Rezaei
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Alireza Akhlagh
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Negar Azarpira
- Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Forouzan Khodaei
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Reza Heidari
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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14
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Olufemi AC, Mji A, Mukhola MS. Potential Health Risks of Lead Exposure from Early Life through Later Life: Implications for Public Health Education. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192316006. [PMID: 36498077 PMCID: PMC9741093 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192316006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) exposure has been a serious environmental and public health problem throughout the world over the years. The major sources of lead in the past were paint and gasoline before they were phased out due to its toxicity. Meanwhile, people continue to be exposed to lead from time to time through many other sources such as water, food, soil and air. Lead exposure from these sources could have detrimental effects on human health, especially in children. UNICEF reported that approximately 800 million children have blood lead levels (BLLs) at or above 5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) globally. This paper reports on the potential risks of lead exposure from early life through later life. The articles used in this study were searched from databases such as Springer, Science Direct, Hindawi, MDPI, Google Scholar, PubMed and other academic databases. The levels of lead exposure in low income and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs) were reported, with the former being more affected. The intake of certain nutrients could play an essential role in reducing (e.g., calcium and iron) or increasing (e.g., high fat foods) lead absorption in children. Elevated blood lead levels may disturb the cells' biological metabolism by replacing beneficial ions in the body such as calcium, magnesium, iron and sodium. Once these ions are replaced by lead, they can lead to brain disorders, resulting in reduced IQ, learning difficulties, reduced attention span and some behavioral problems. Exposure to lead at an early age may lead to the development of more critical problems later in life. This is because exposure to this metal can be harmful even at low exposure levels and may have a lasting and irreversible effect on humans. Precautionary measures should be put in place to prevent future exposure. These will go a long way in safeguarding the health of everyone, most especially the young ones.
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15
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Miyoshi T, Simazaki D, Tokuyasu M, Masuda T, Akiba M. Metal leaching test of commercially available faucets in the Japanese market in 2016-2020. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2022; 20:1112-1125. [PMID: 35902993 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2022.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In this study, metal leaching was investigated in commercially available faucets in Japan to clarify their compliance to Japanese regulations. We purchased 37 faucets from the market and analyzed the leaching of cadmium, mercury, selenium, lead (Pb), arsenic, hexavalent chromium, boron, zinc (Zn), copper, manganese, and nickel. The leaching tests were performed with and without a conditioning treatment, that simulated approximately 1-month intermittent use of faucets on weekdays, and the results were compared to estimate the changes in metal leaching during the use of faucets. The results revealed that metal leaching from most of the faucets complied with Japanese regulations. However, the levels of Pb leaching from several faucets produced by certain manufacturers exceeded the Japanese standard. The conditioning treatment was generally effective in reducing metal leaching. However, the reductions in Pb and Zn leaching tended to be lower than those of the other metals. Nickel is not legally regulated in Japan; although the number of cases where nickel concentration in leachate exceeded the water quality management target value was greater, such cases were limited to faucets primarily made of copper alloys. We believe that these results will be helpful to improve the public health associated with metal leaching from faucets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Miyoshi
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan E-mail:
| | - Dai Simazaki
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan E-mail:
| | - Marina Tokuyasu
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan E-mail:
| | - Takanori Masuda
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan E-mail:
| | - Michihiro Akiba
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan E-mail:
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16
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Stanbrough E, McCormick L, Barrett J, Barnett MO. A critical opportunity: Detecting and Reducing Lead in Drinking Water at child care facilities. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 207:112140. [PMID: 34592255 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
There is no safe level of lead exposure. As exposure from point sources like lead paint have decreased, non-point sources such as drinking water have become a greater proportional source of total lead exposure. Even at low levels, lead exposure is shown to harm children, contributing to impaired development as well as learning and behavioral issues. This paper summarizes the key results of an Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) pilot study conducted at 11 child care facilities in 4 US states to evaluate approaches to testing and remediating lead in water at child care facilities. Over 75% of first draw samples contained lead levels under the 1 μg/L level recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). However, 10 of 11 child care facilities produced at least one sample above 1 μg/L. Fixture flushing, aerator cleaning, and fixture replacement were evaluated as remediation strategies. Fixture replacement was effective when initial lead was above 5 μg/L. Aerator cleaning did not have a measurable effect on lead levels for most fixtures but unexpectedly significantly increased lead levels in approximately 30% of fixtures. The 2021 Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) revision was applied to study data to determine whether updates would flag cases of low-level lead in child care settings and was found insufficient to prompt mitigation unless high lead was present at most taps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Stanbrough
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 238 Harbert Center, Auburn University, AL, 36849, USA.
| | - Lindsay McCormick
- Environmental Defense Fund, 1875 Connecticut Ave NW #600, Washington, DC, 20009, USA.
| | - Jason Barrett
- 855 Stone Blvd., Suite 207 & 209, Ballew Hall, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA.
| | - Mark O Barnett
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 238 Harbert Center, Auburn University, AL, 36849, USA.
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17
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Clark GG, Pan W, Giammar DE, Nguyen TH. Influence of point-of-use filters and stagnation on water quality at a preschool and under laboratory conditions. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 211:118034. [PMID: 35093709 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.118034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A local preschool installed NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certified point-of-use (POU) filters in its classroom sinks and drinking fountains to protect children from the possibility of elevated lead (Pb) levels in drinking water. We examined the effects of these filters during flowing water and immediately following stagnation periods on Pb, chlorine, and bacterial concentrations in the field and the laboratory. Before and after typical school stagnation periods, we collected samples from filtered classroom sinks, a filtered drinking fountain and nearby unfiltered sinks for a year. No unfiltered samples exceeded Illinois State limits of 5 µg/L for Pb in pre-K through 5th grade schools. However, following stagnation periods as short as overnight (14.5 h), over half of post-stagnation filtered samples from classroom sinks exceeded 5 µg/L while post-stagnation unfiltered samples remained below 5 µg/L. Laboratory testing showed no significant increases in Pb with stagnation, suggesting that the preschool classrooms may have had Pb-bearing plumbing downstream of the filters which released Pb into the filtered drinking water. The filters effectively removed free chlorine (99% decrease) in both the preschool and laboratory. Installing the filters had the unintended consequence of significantly increasing the bacterial concentrations (as measured by qPCR) in the preschool's drinking water and in laboratory filter effluent. Legionella pneumophila, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Mycobacterium spp. were not detected in pre-stagnation unfiltered and post-stagnation filtered samples. These results suggest that the installation of POU filters be considered as one component of an overall strategy to decrease Pb concentrations in school drinking water that holistically considers the premise plumbing system. A 5-minute flush significantly decreased concentrations of Pb and bacteria in filtered sinks. Replacing Pb-bearing plumbing components downstream of a POU filter may also be needed to combat Pb levels in drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma G Clark
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States
| | - Weiyi Pan
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, United States
| | - Daniel E Giammar
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, United States
| | - Thanh H Nguyen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Carle Illinois Medical College, United States.
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18
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Adhikari S, Yanuar E, Ng DQ. Widespread nickel contamination in drinking water supplies of elementary schools in Taichung, Taiwan. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:12531-12539. [PMID: 34215987 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15137-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Owing to the limited information regarding potential sources of nickel (Ni) in drinking water, incidences of Ni contamination have not been well elucidated in the literature. However, in recent decades, Ni-containing plumbing materials such as stainless steel pipes, brass fittings, and chrome faucets have gained popularity in drinking water distribution systems. As a result of increased use of such materials, Ni levels in drinking water are expected to rise over time, posing long-term exposure risks to consumers. For the first time, this study employed an intensive sequential sampling, from October 2019 to July 2020, to assess Ni levels in drinking water samples collected from dispensers of elementary schools in Taichung, Taiwan. Of the total 580 sequential samples collected from 58 elementary schools, 45 samples from 17 schools exceeded the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) standard value of 20 μg/L for Ni. Total Ni concentration in 1 L sample, an average of the total Ni concentrations in 10 sequential samples, exceeded in 4 schools. This finding suggests minor Ni contamination in drinking water supplies across the city. The highest Ni concentration was measured in the 1st sequential sample reaching 154 μg/L. Weekend and summer samples exhibited a higher tendency to exceed the standard. Older schools with age above 50 years and schools with a higher student population (≥ 500) were more likely to have Ni contamination. This study showed that drinking water is a potential source of Ni. However, the identification of Ni source, whether within the dispenser or in the distribution system, warrants further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saroj Adhikari
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Chaoyang University of Technology, No. 168, Jifeng E. Rd, Wufeng District, Taichung, 413310, Taiwan
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Chaoyang University of Technology, No. 168, Jifeng E. Rd, Wufeng District, Taichung, 413310, Taiwan
| | - Emsal Yanuar
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Chaoyang University of Technology, No. 168, Jifeng E. Rd, Wufeng District, Taichung, 413310, Taiwan
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Chaoyang University of Technology, No. 168, Jifeng E. Rd, Wufeng District, Taichung, 413310, Taiwan
| | - Ding-Quan Ng
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Chaoyang University of Technology, No. 168, Jifeng E. Rd, Wufeng District, Taichung, 413310, Taiwan.
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19
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Lobo GP, Laraway J, Gadgil AJ. Identifying schools at high-risk for elevated lead in drinking water using only publicly available data. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 803:150046. [PMID: 34525701 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Estimating the risk of lead contamination of schools' drinking water at the State level is a complex, important, and unexplored challenge. Variable water quality among water systems and changes in water chemistry during distribution affect lead dissolution rates from pipes and fittings. In addition, the locations of lead-bearing plumbing materials are uncertain. We tested the capability of six machine learning models to predict the likelihood of lead contamination of drinking water at the schools' taps using only publicly available datasets. The predictive features used in the models correspond to those with a proven correlation to the dominant, but commonly unavailable, factors that govern lead leaching: the presence of lead-bearing plumbing materials and water quality conducive to lead corrosion. By combining water chemistry data from public reports, socioeconomic information from the US census, and spatial features using Geographic Information Systems, we trained and tested models to estimate the likelihood of lead contaminated tap water in over 8,000 schools across California and Massachusetts. Our best-performing model was a Random Forest, with a 10-fold cross validation score of 0.88 for Massachusetts and 0.78 for California using the average Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC AUC) metric. The model was then used to assign a lead leaching risk category to half of the schools across California (the other half was used for training). There was good agreement between the modeled risk categories and the actual lead leaching outcomes for every school; however, the model overestimated the lead leaching risk in up to 17% of the schools. This model is the first of its kind to offer a tool to predict the risk of lead leaching in schools at the State level. Further use of this model can help deploy limited resources more effectively to prevent childhood lead exposure from school drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- G P Lobo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley 94720, United States
| | - J Laraway
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley 94720, United States
| | - A J Gadgil
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley 94720, United States.
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20
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Schock MR, Lytle DA, James RR, Lal V, Tang M. Rapid and simple lead service line detection screening protocol using water sampling. AWWA WATER SCIENCE 2021; 3:1-1255. [PMID: 34938981 PMCID: PMC8686078 DOI: 10.1002/aws2.1255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Many water systems are challenged with uncertainty regarding service line material type. This work investigated using a simple drinking water flushed sampling approach and a more complicated and invasive sequential profile sampling approach to predict whether homes had an existing lead service line (LSL). Homes that never had an LSL (control groups) and homes with LSLs (study groups) in two communities having different degrees of corrosion control were sampled. Using control groups' results, community-specific "threshold" lead levels were determined and compared to results from study groups. The flushed sampling maximum lead concentration (FMC) of lead accurately predicted 100% and 60% of LSL sites for the community with poor and good corrosion control, respectively. The weighted average sequential profile lead concentration (WASLC) increased the 40% not identified as LSL sites by fully flushed samples to 100%. The WASLC closely followed by the maximum sequential profile lead concentration were most reliable in identifying LSLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R. Schock
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD, CESER, WID, DWMB, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Darren A. Lytle
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD, CESER, WID, DWMB, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Vivek Lal
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Min Tang
- ORISE Postdoctoral Fellow at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD, CESER, WID, DWMB, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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21
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Wahman DG, Pinelli MD, Schock MR, Lytle DA. Theoretical equilibrium lead(II) solubility revisited: Open source code and practical relationships. AWWA WATER SCIENCE 2021; 3. [PMID: 34938979 DOI: 10.1002/aws2.1250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
A theoretical equilibrium lead(II) (Pb(II)) solubility model coded in Fortran (LEADSOL) was updated and implemented in open source R code, verified against LEADSOL output, and used to simulate theoretical equilibrium total soluble Pb(II) (TOTSOLPb) concentrations under a variety of practical scenarios. The developed R code file (app.R) is publicly available for download at GitHub (https://github.com/USEPA/TELSS) along with instructions to run the R code locally, allowing the user to explore Pb(II) solubility by selecting desired simulation conditions (e.g., water quality, equilibrium constants, and Pb(II) solids to consider). In addition, the R code serves as a reproducible baseline for alternative model development and future model improvements, allowing users to update, modify, and share the R code to meet their needs. Using the R code, several solubility diagrams were generated to highlight practical relationships related to TOTSOLPb concentrations, including the impact of pH and dissolved inorganic carbon, orthophosphate, sulfate, and chloride concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Wahman
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Matthew D Pinelli
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Contractor to USEPA, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Michael R Schock
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Darren A Lytle
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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22
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Masters SV, Bradley TC, Burlingame GA, Seidel CJ, Schmelling M, Bartrand TA. What Can Utilities Expect from New Lead Fifth-Liter Sampling Based on Historic First-Draw Data? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:11491-11500. [PMID: 34369747 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The United States Environmental Protection Agency recently released their most sweeping overhaul to the Lead and Copper Rule in three decades. One of the most significant changes is requiring a fifth-liter (L5) sample at homes with lead service lines (LSLs) rather than the original first-liter (L1) sample for a demonstration of compliance with water lead level (WLL) limits. We analyzed sequential sampling data from three large water systems and compliance data from Michigan utilities-which base compliance on the 90th percentile of the greater of L1 and L5 samples-to evaluate whether L5 WLLs better represent water in contact with LSLs and to explore regulatory impacts of including L5 samples in compliance monitoring. The sequential sampling data demonstrated that it is impossible to use a single sample volume within a sequential profile to universally capture the volume of water in an LSL. While L5 is not always a reliable indicator of water in contact with an LSL, Michigan compliance data showed that the L5 sample is more likely to be from an LSL and can identify utilities that benefit from an improved corrosion control treatment. Michigan compliance data indicate that it is likely that L5 sampling will result in more systems having a higher 90th percentile WLL and that a high proportion of the systems likely to exceed regulatory action levels based on L5 samples can be identified through a retrospective analysis of historic L1 data. The impact of the switch to L5 sampling on the effectiveness of corrosion control treatment over time has yet to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheldon V Masters
- Corona Environmental Consulting, 357 McCaslin Boulevard, Suite 100, Louisville, Colorado 80027, United States
| | - Tyler C Bradley
- Philadelphia Water Department, 1500 E. Hunting Park Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19124, United States
| | - Gary A Burlingame
- Philadelphia Water Department, 1500 E. Hunting Park Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19124, United States
| | - Chad J Seidel
- Corona Environmental Consulting, 357 McCaslin Boulevard, Suite 100, Louisville, Colorado 80027, United States
| | | | - Timothy A Bartrand
- Environmental Science, Policy and Research Institute, 109 Llanfair Road, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania 19004, United States
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Hensley K, Bosscher V, Triantafyllidou S, Lytle DA. Lead service line identification: A review of strategies and approaches. AWWA WATER SCIENCE 2021; 3:1-19. [PMID: 38841424 PMCID: PMC11152035 DOI: 10.1002/aws2.1226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Lead service lines (LSLs) represent the greatest source of lead in drinking water. Identifying the locations of LSLs can be challenging, and recent service line (SL) material surveys in Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana found that on average the materials making up 16% of SLs in these states are unknown and may be lead. Given the large number of possible LSLs in the United States, new and pending regulatory requirements, LSL replacement costs, associated lead exposure risks, and the public's desire to reduce lead exposure, there is a need to rapidly and cost-effectively identify where LSLs are located, on public and private property. This review summarizes current industry LSL identification methods, including records screening, basic visual examination of indoor plumbing, water sampling, excavation, and predictive data analyses. A qualitative comparison of method cost, accuracy, disturbance, and other impacts is provided as a starting point for utilities that are developing a feasible approach for their specific needs/constraints. Lastly, an example stepwise approach to identify unknown SL materials is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey Hensley
- EPA Region 3, Applied Science and Quality Assurance Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Valerie Bosscher
- EPA Region 5, Ground Water & Drinking Water Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Simoni Triantafyllidou
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions & Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Darren A. Lytle
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions & Emergency Response, Water Infrastructure Division, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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