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Garvey KA, Edwards MA, Blacker LS, Hecht CE, Parks JL, Patel AI. A Comprehensive Examination of the Contaminants in Drinking Water in Public Schools in California, 2017-2022. Public Health Rep 2024; 139:369-378. [PMID: 37667618 PMCID: PMC11037221 DOI: 10.1177/00333549231192471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Reports of unsafe school drinking water in the United States highlight the importance of ensuring school water is safe for consumption. Our objectives were to describe (1) results from our recent school drinking water sampling of 5 common contaminants, (2) school-level factors associated with exceedances of various water quality standards, and (3) recommendations. METHODS We collected and analyzed drinking water samples from at least 3 sources in 83 schools from a representative sample of California public schools from 2017 through 2022. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine school-level factors associated with lead in drinking water exceedances at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendation level (1 part per billion [ppb]) and state action-level exceedances of other contaminants (lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, and hexavalent chromium). RESULTS No schools had state action-level violations for arsenic or nitrate; however, 4% had ≥1 tap that exceeded either the proposed 10 ppb action level for hexavalent chromium or the 1300 ppb action level for copper. Of first-draw lead samples, 4% of schools had ≥1 tap that exceeded the California action level of 15 ppb, 18% exceeded the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bottled water standard of 5 ppb, and 75% exceeded the AAP 1 ppb recommendation. After turning on the tap and flushing water for 45 seconds, 2%, 10%, and 33% of schools exceeded the same standards, respectively. We found no significant differences in demographic characteristics between schools with and without FDA or AAP exceedances. CONCLUSIONS Enforcing stricter lead action levels (<5 ppb) will markedly increase remediation costs. Continued sampling, testing, and remediation efforts are necessary to ensure drinking water meets safety standards in US schools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A. Garvey
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Marc A. Edwards
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | | | - Christina E. Hecht
- Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nutrition Policy Institute, University of California, Oakland, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey L. Parks
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Anisha I. Patel
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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2
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Halabicky OM, Téllez-Rojo MM, Goodrich JM, Dolinoy DC, Mercado-García A, Hu H, Peterson KE. Prenatal and childhood lead exposure is prospectively associated with biological markers of aging in adolescence. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 913:169757. [PMID: 38176546 PMCID: PMC10823594 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169757] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Few studies have related early life lead exposure to adolescent biological aging, a period characterized by marked increases in maturational tempo. We examined associations between prenatal and childhood lead exposure and adolescent biological age (mean 14.5 years) utilizing multiple epigenetic clocks including: intrinsic (IEAA), extrinsic (EEAA), Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, GrimAge, Skin-Blood, Wu, PedBE, as well as DNA methylation derived telomere length (DNAmTL). Epigenetic clocks and DNAmTL were calculated via adolescent blood DNA methylation measured by Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChips. We constructed general linear models (GLMs) with individual lead measures predicting biological age. We additionally examined sex-stratified models and lead by sex interactions, adjusting for adolescent age and lead levels, maternal smoking and education, and proportion of cell types. We also estimated effects of lead exposure on biological age using generalized estimating equations (GEE). First trimester blood lead was positively associated with a 0.14 increase in EEAA age in the GLMs though not the GEE models (95%CI 0.03, 0.25). First and 2nd trimester blood lead levels were associated with a 0.02 year increase in PedBE age in GLM and GEE models (1st trimester, 95%CI 0.004, 0.03; 2nd trimester, 95%CI 0.01, 0.03). Third trimester and 24 month blood lead levels were associated with a -0.06 and -0.05 decrease in Skin-Blood age, respectively, in GLM models. Additionally, 3rd trimester blood lead levels were associated with a 0.08 year decrease in Hannum age in GLM and GEE models (95%CI -0.15, -0.01). There were multiple significant results in sex-stratified models and significant lead by sex interactions, where males experienced accelerated biological age, compared to females who saw a decelerated biological age, with respect to IEAA, EEAA, Horvath, Hannum, and PedBE clocks. Further research is needed to understand sex-specific relationships between lead exposure and measures of biological aging in adolescence and the trajectory of biological aging into young adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- O M Halabicky
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - M M Téllez-Rojo
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - J M Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - D C Dolinoy
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - A Mercado-García
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - H Hu
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - K E Peterson
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Levin R, Villanueva CM, Beene D, Cradock AL, Donat-Vargas C, Lewis J, Martinez-Morata I, Minovi D, Nigra AE, Olson ED, Schaider LA, Ward MH, Deziel NC. US drinking water quality: exposure risk profiles for seven legacy and emerging contaminants. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 34:3-22. [PMID: 37739995 PMCID: PMC10907308 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00597-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advances in drinking water infrastructure and treatment throughout the 20th and early 21st century dramatically improved water reliability and quality in the United States (US) and other parts of the world. However, numerous chemical contaminants from a range of anthropogenic and natural sources continue to pose chronic health concerns, even in countries with established drinking water regulations, such as the US. OBJECTIVE/METHODS In this review, we summarize exposure risk profiles and health effects for seven legacy and emerging drinking water contaminants or contaminant groups: arsenic, disinfection by-products, fracking-related substances, lead, nitrate, per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) and uranium. We begin with an overview of US public water systems, and US and global drinking water regulation. We end with a summary of cross-cutting challenges that burden US drinking water systems: aging and deteriorated water infrastructure, vulnerabilities for children in school and childcare facilities, climate change, disparities in access to safe and reliable drinking water, uneven enforcement of drinking water standards, inadequate health assessments, large numbers of chemicals within a class, a preponderance of small water systems, and issues facing US Indigenous communities. RESULTS Research and data on US drinking water contamination show that exposure profiles, health risks, and water quality reliability issues vary widely across populations, geographically and by contaminant. Factors include water source, local and regional features, aging water infrastructure, industrial or commercial activities, and social determinants. Understanding the risk profiles of different drinking water contaminants is necessary for anticipating local and general problems, ascertaining the state of drinking water resources, and developing mitigation strategies. IMPACT STATEMENT Drinking water contamination is widespread, even in the US. Exposure risk profiles vary by contaminant. Understanding the risk profiles of different drinking water contaminants is necessary for anticipating local and general public health problems, ascertaining the state of drinking water resources, and developing mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronnie Levin
- Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Cristina M Villanueva
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER epidemiología y salud pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Beene
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Carolina Donat-Vargas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER epidemiología y salud pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Irene Martinez-Morata
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Darya Minovi
- Center for Science and Democracy, Union of Concerned Scientists, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Anne E Nigra
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erik D Olson
- Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Mary H Ward
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
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4
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Mulhern RE, Kondash AJ, Norman E, Johnson J, Levine K, McWilliams A, Napier M, Weber F, Stella L, Wood E, Lee Pow Jackson C, Colley S, Cajka J, MacDonald Gibson J, Hoponick Redmon J. Improved Decision Making for Water Lead Testing in U.S. Child Care Facilities Using Machine-Learned Bayesian Networks. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17959-17970. [PMID: 36932953 PMCID: PMC10666530 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07477] [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: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Tap water lead testing programs in the U.S. need improved methods for identifying high-risk facilities to optimize limited resources. In this study, machine-learned Bayesian network (BN) models were used to predict building-wide water lead risk in over 4,000 child care facilities in North Carolina according to maximum and 90th percentile lead levels from water lead concentrations at 22,943 taps. The performance of the BN models was compared to common alternative risk factors, or heuristics, used to inform water lead testing programs among child care facilities including building age, water source, and Head Start program status. The BN models identified a range of variables associated with building-wide water lead, with facilities that serve low-income families, rely on groundwater, and have more taps exhibiting greater risk. Models predicting the probability of a single tap exceeding each target concentration performed better than models predicting facilities with clustered high-risk taps. The BN models' Fβ-scores outperformed each of the alternative heuristics by 118-213%. This represents up to a 60% increase in the number of high-risk facilities that could be identified and up to a 49% decrease in the number of samples that would need to be collected by using BN model-informed sampling compared to using simple heuristics. Overall, this study demonstrates the value of machine-learning approaches for identifying high water lead risk that could improve lead testing programs nationwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley E. Mulhern
- RTI
International, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - AJ Kondash
- RTI
International, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Ed Norman
- Environmental
Health Section, Division of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609, United States
| | - Joseph Johnson
- RTI
International, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Keith Levine
- RTI
International, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Andrea McWilliams
- RTI
International, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Melanie Napier
- Environmental
Health Section, Division of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609, United States
| | - Frank Weber
- RTI
International, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Laurie Stella
- RTI
International, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Erica Wood
- RTI
International, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | | | - Sarah Colley
- RTI
International, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Jamie Cajka
- RTI
International, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson
- Department
of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
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5
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Shrivatsa S, Lobo G, Gadgil A. Data-Sparse Prediction of High-Risk Schools for Lead Contamination in Drinking Water: Examples from Four U.S. States. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6895. [PMID: 37835165 PMCID: PMC10572968 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20196895] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Childhood lead exposure through drinking water has long-term effects on cognition and development, and is a significant public health concern. The comprehensive lead testing of public schools entails high expense and time. In prior work, random forest modeling was used successfully to predict the likelihood of lead contamination in the drinking water from schools in the states of California and Massachusetts. In those studies, data from 70% of the schools was used to predict the probability of unsafe water lead levels (WLLs) in the remaining 30%. This study explores how the model predictions degrade, as the training dataset forms a progressively smaller proportion of schools. The size of the training set was varied from 80% to 10% of the total samples in four US states: California, Massachusetts, New York, and New Hampshire. The models were evaluated using the precision-recall area under curve (PR AUC) and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC). While some states required as few as 10% of the schools to be included in the training set for an acceptable ROC AUC, all four states performed within an acceptable ROC AUC range when at least 50% of the schools were included. The results in New York and New Hampshire were consistent with the prior work that found the most significant predictor in the modeling to be the Euclidean distance to the closest school in the training set demonstrating unsafe WLLs. This study further supports the efficacy of predictive modeling in identifying the schools at a high risk of lead contamination in their drinking water supply, even when the survey data is incomplete on WLLs in all schools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samyukta Shrivatsa
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; (G.L.); (A.G.)
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6
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Etzel RA. Foreword: Improving Environmental Health in Schools. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care 2023; 53:101406. [PMID: 37422430 DOI: 10.1016/j.cppeds.2023.101406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
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