Journal article
Juxtaposition of intensive agriculture, vulnerable aquifers, and mixed chemical/microbial exposures in private-well tapwater in northeast Iowa
The Science of the total environment, Vol.868, 161672
01/2023
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161672
PMCID: PMC9976626
PMID: 36657670
Abstract
In the United States and globally, contaminant exposure in unregulated private-well point-of-use tapwater (TW) is a recognized public-health data gap and an obstacle to both risk-management and homeowner decision making. To help address the lack of data on broad contaminant exposures in private-well TW from hydrologically-vulnerable (alluvial, karst) aquifers in agriculturally-intensive landscapes, samples were collected in 2018–2019 from 47 northeast Iowa farms and analyzed for 35 inorganics, 437 unique organics, 5 in vitro bioassays, and 11 microbial assays. Twenty-six inorganics and 51 organics, dominated by pesticides and related transformation products (35 herbicide-, 5 insecticide-, and 2 fungicide-related), were observed in TW. Heterotrophic bacteria detections were near ubiquitous (94 % of the samples), with detection of total coliform bacteria in 28 % of the samples and growth on at least one putative-pathogen selective media across all TW samples. Health-based hazard index screening levels were exceeded frequently in private-well TW and attributed primarily to inorganics (nitrate, uranium). Results support incorporation of residential treatment systems to protect against contaminant exposure and the need for increased monitoring of rural private-well homes. Continued assessment of unmonitored and unregulated private-supply TW is needed to model contaminant exposures and human-health risks.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Juxtaposition of intensive agriculture, vulnerable aquifers, and mixed chemical/microbial exposures in private-well tapwater in northeast Iowa
- Creators
- Paul M. BradleyDana W. KolpinDarrin A. ThompsonKristin M. RomanokKelly L. SmallingSara E. BreitmeyerMary C. CardonDavid M. CwiertnyNicola EvansR. William FieldMichael J. FocazioLaura E. Beane FreemanCarrie E. GivensJames L. GrayGordon L. HagerMichelle L. HladikJonathan N. HofmannRena R. JonesLeslie K. KanagyRachael F. LaneR. Blaine McCleskeyDanielle MedgyesiElizabeth K. Medlock-KakaleyShannon M. MeppelinkMichael T. MeyerDiana A. StavrevaMary H. Ward
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Science of the total environment, Vol.868, 161672
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161672
- PMID
- 36657670
- PMCID
- PMC9976626
- NLM abbreviation
- Sci Total Environ
- ISSN
- 0048-9697
- eISSN
- 1879-1026
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000054, name: National Cancer Institute; DOI: 10.13039/100000066, name: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; DOI: 10.13039/100000125, name: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/2023
- Academic Unit
- Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Public Policy Center (Archive); Chemistry; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984360034302771
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