Granular Activated Carbon Filtration Influence on Metal and Persistent Organic Pesticide Levels in Girls the Greater Cincinnati OH Area

摘要

Background: Granular activated carbon (GAC) is a treatment technology that is effective at removing many organic compounds from drinking water. The Greater Cincinnati area is a natural laboratory for testing the efficacy of GAC, since until 2012 two water providers used the same source water, but one did not use GAC. We have previously reported on the efficacy of GAC in removing perfluoroalkyl compounds. Methods: Metals and persistent organic pesticides were measured in the urine and blood, respectively of 357 and 312 girls from the Cincinnati site of the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program Puberty Study. Differences in mean metal and pesticide levels and water source, breastfeeding duration, bottled water use, parity and provider education were assessed using ANCOVA analysis for strontium, manganese, tin, molybdenum, hexachlorobenzene, oxychlordane, PP-DDT and trans-nonachlor. Results: No significant differences were found between water providers for any metals or PP-DDT. Hexachlorobenzene levels were significantly lower with increasing time with a water provider who used GAC. Levels of oxychlordane were lower in girls who did not get their water from the Ohio River at sample; there was no difference between utilities that used GAC and those who did not. Levels of trans-nbnachlor were significantly higher in girls where the water source was Ohio River and the water provider did not use GAC, compared to those where the water provider did. There were significant associations with duration of breast feeding for all four pesticides. Conclusions: There may be differences in persistent organic pesticide exposure in the Greater Cincinnati area, depending on drinking water source and treatment train technology. Funding from NIH, U01-ES12771, P30-ES006096, T32-ES10957.