Problems in assessing the risks of mixtures of contaminants in drinking water

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Toxicology and Industrial Health; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/074823378900500512· OSTI ID:5028060

Vanderslice, R R; Orme, J; Ohanian, E V; Sonich-Mullin, C ^[1]

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1. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (USA)

In conducting risk assessments on drinking water contaminants, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attempts to evaluate all available toxicity data to develop Health Advisory (HA) and Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) values. The EPA often has grappled with the issues surrounding the toxicity of chemical mixtures, including radioactive contaminants, nitrate/nitrite, and trihalomethanes (THMs). In evaluating the toxicity of chemical mixtures, the EPA's immediate concern is whether the individual HA values and MCLGs are protecting public health when multiple contaminants are present in drinking water. Potential toxic interactions between drinking water contaminants are difficult to predict because experimental studies are generally performed only at high doses relative to environmental levels. Although the contamination of drinking water involves mixtures of contaminants, drinking water regulations are generally based on an assessment of the risks of individual contaminants. This paper discusses three issues of major concern to the EPA: the synergistic effects of solvent mixtures, vehicle effects in laboratory studies, and setting standards for essential trace nutrients where the absorption and/or toxicity are affected by an individual's nutritional status or other dietary components. 12 references.

• OSTI ID: 5028060
• Journal Information: Toxicology and Industrial Health; (USA), Journal Name: Toxicology and Industrial Health; (USA) Vol. 5:5; ISSN TIHEE; ISSN 0748-2337
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540330 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CONTAMINATION
DISPERSIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
DRINKING WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MIXTURES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NITRATES
NITRITES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
REVIEWS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOLVENTS
SYNERGISM
TOXICITY
TRACE AMOUNTS
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER
WATER POLLUTION