Nitrate contamination of drinking water: Evaluation of genotoxic risk in human populations

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3431312· OSTI ID:6052655

Kleinjans, J C.S.; Albering, H J; Marx, A; van Maanen, J M.S.; van Agen, B; ten Hoor, F; Swaen, G M.H. ^[1]; Mertens, P L.J.M. ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Limburg, Maastricht (Netherlands)
2. Regional Office for Public Health, Roermond (Netherlands)

Nitrate contamination of drinking water implies a genotoxic risk to man due to endogenous formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds from nitrate-derived nitrite. Thus far, epidemiological studies have presented conflicting results on the relation of drinking water nitrate levels with gastric cancer incidence. This uncertainty becomes of relevance in view of the steadily increasing nitrate levels in regular drinking water supplies. In an attempt to apply genetic biomarker analysis to improve the basis for risk assessment with respect to drinking water nitrate contamination, this study evaluates peripheral lymphocyte chromosomal damage in human populations exposed to low, medium, and high drinking water nitrate levels, the latter being present in private water wells. It is shown that nitrate contamination of drinking water causes dose-dependent increases in nitrate body load as monitored by 24-hr urinary nitrate excretion in female volunteers, but this appears not to be associated with peripheral lymphocyte sister chromatid exchange frequencies.

• OSTI ID: 6052655
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States), Vol. 94; ISSN 0091-6765
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
DRINKING WATER
CONTAMINATION
NITRATES
GENETIC EFFECTS
SISTER CHROMATID EXCHANGES
MUTATION FREQUENCY
DISEASE INCIDENCE
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
EPIDEMIOLOGY
HUMAN POPULATIONS
NITROSO COMPOUNDS
RISK ASSESSMENT
STOMACH
URINE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MUTATIONS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POPULATIONS
WASTES
WATER
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology