Effects of an intensive hog farming operation on groundwater in east Mediterranean (I): a study on electrical conductivity, as well as nitrogen and sulfur nutrients

A Retrospective Chart Review Evaluating the Relationship between Cancer Diagnosis and Residential Water Source on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, USA

Well water contamination in heavily agricultural regions has previously been linked with increased cancer incidence and mortality. The lower Eastern shore of Maryland is a rural, agricultural region with some of the highest rates of cancer in Maryland and the United States. Our study sought to characterize residential private well water use among cancer patients on the lower Eastern shore of Maryland, and to compare private well water utilization between cancer patients and the general regional population. Retrospective chart review was conducted to identify patients diagnosed with colon, lung, melanoma or breast cancer at a regional hospital from 1 January 2017 through 31 December 2018. Residential water source was determined using residential address and municipal water records. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare residential private well water utilization between our study population and the baseline regional population. The majority of cancer patients (57%) lived in homes supplied by private well water (428/746). Cancer patients were more likely to live in homes supplied by private well water compared to individuals in the general regional population (57% vs. 32%, p < 0.001). In conclusion, cancer patients on the lower Eastern shore of Maryland were more likely to live in homes supplied by residential private well water than the regional population. Additional studies are needed to evaluate well water use and cancer risk in this vulnerable region.

Pharmaceutical residues in streams near concentrated animal feeding operations of Korea - Occurrences and associated ecological risks

Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) have been suggested to be the most significant source of pharmaceutical release into the environment. However, limited information is available on the occurrence of veterinary pharmaceutical residues and the associated ecological risks to the aquatic environment near CAFO areas. In this study, ten commonly used veterinary antibiotics, including sulfonamides, tetracyclines, and cephalosporins, along with three analgesics, were measured in water samples collected from the streams that run near two CAFOs in Korea in 2013 (n = 16) and 2014 (n = 10). In addition, the associated ecological risks were estimated by calculating risk quotient. The pharmaceuticals were detected in a higher amount in the samples collected downstream from the CAFO than in those collected upstream. Acetaminophen, sulfamethazine, sulfathiazole, and oxytetracycline were detected at maximum concentrations of 38.8 μg/L, 21.3 μg/L, 17.4 μg/L, and 16.9 μg/L, respectively. Relatively higher concentrations of pharmaceuticals were observed in locations adjacent to the CAFO and the downstream area, suggesting the influence of the CAFO. Except for acetaminophen, lower concentrations of the target pharmaceuticals were detected in the samples collected during the high-flow season. The concentrations of most of the target pharmaceuticals exceeded the risk quotient of one, suggesting potential ecological effects in the areas affected by CAFOs. Our observations show that the water environment near a CAFO could be heavily affected by veterinary pharmaceuticals and analgesic drugs that are also frequently used among humans. Hence, the ecological consequences of pharmaceutical residues in the water bodies near CAFOs warrant further investigation.

Assessing the relationship between groundwater nitrate and animal feeding operations in Iowa (USA)

Nitrate-nitrogen is a common contaminant of drinking water in many agricultural areas of the United States of America (USA). Ingested nitrate from contaminated drinking water has been linked to an increased risk of several cancers, specific birth defects, and other diseases. In this research, we assessed the relationship between animal feeding operations (AFOs) and groundwater nitrate in private wells in Iowa. We characterized AFOs by swine and total animal units and type (open, confined, or mixed), and we evaluated the number and spatial intensities of AFOs in proximity to private wells. The types of AFO indicate the extent to which a facility is enclosed by a roof. Using linear regression models, we found significant positive associations between the total number of AFOs within 2km of a well (p trend <0.001), number of open AFOs within 5km of a well (p trend <0.001), and number of mixed AFOs within 30km of a well (p trend <0.001) and the log nitrate concentration. Additionally, we found significant increases in log nitrate in the top quartiles for AFO spatial intensity, open AFO spatial intensity, and mixed AFO spatial intensity compared to the bottom quartile (0.171log(mg/L), 0.319log(mg/L), and 0.541log(mg/L), respectively; all p<0.001). We also explored the spatial distribution of nitrate-nitrogen in drinking wells and found significant spatial clustering of high-nitrate wells (>5mg/L) compared with low-nitrate (≤5mg/L) wells (p=0.001). A generalized additive model for high-nitrate status identified statistically significant areas of risk for high levels of nitrate. Adjustment for some AFO predictor variables explained a portion of the elevated nitrate risk. These results support a relationship between animal feeding operations and groundwater nitrate concentrations and differences in nitrate loss from confined AFOs vs. open or mixed types.

Groundwater Contamination Due to Activities of an Intensive Hog Farming Operation Located on a Geologic Fault in East Mediterranean: A Study on COD, BOD₅ and Microbial Load

The application of treated animal wastewater produced in intensive fog farming operations (IHFOs) on surface soil, leads to groundwater contamination. In this study, the contamination of a Mediterranean aquifer caused by long-term application of treated wastewater, produced by an IHFO, on a plot with a geologic fault within the IHFO boundaries, was investigated. Groundwater samples were taken from monitoring wells close to the IHFO. A significant increase of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), total viable count (TVC) and total coliform (TC) concentrations was found in wells, compared to control monitoring well, which were mainly affected by the subsurface flow of contaminated water, due to the presence of the geologic fault. During the winter, significant increases in concentrations of COD, BOD5, TVC and TC were noted and attributed to increased precipitation, which assisted in the accelerated transport of organic compounds and microbial load, through geologic fault, to groundwater.