Arsenic in Central Appalachian (USA) Domestic Well Water and Human Health

摘要

217 tap water samples from households in 26 counties of Central Appalachia USA were analyzed for arsenic (As) by Hydride Generation AAS. Nearly half the 179 homes with private wells had detectable water arsenic. Of these, 43% had 0.5-1.0 ppb, 34% 1.1-3.0 ppb, 6% 3.1-5.0 ppb, 11% 5.1-10.0 ppb, and 6% had As far exceeding the Maximum Contamination Level (MCL) of 10 ppb recently set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Based on the National Research Council's 2001 report to the USEPA, the lifetime cancer risk of bladder and lung cancer from 10 ppb water As exposure is about one in 333 individuals, from 5ppb one in 667, 3 ppb one in 1,000, and 1 ppb one in 3100. The USEPA standard set for other carcinogens is one in 10,000 individuals. Because arsenic-related cancers and other diseases are common here, and 57% of the well water samples containing As had over 1 ppb, it is recommended that there be more uniform and frequent As testing of groundwater in high risk areas of Central Appalachia, complimented by extensive public awareness campaigns urging families to have their well water tested and implementation of routine health screening for As exposure.