Health implications of arsenic in drinking water

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Journal of the American Water Works Association; (United States)

OSTI ID:7011471

Pontius, F W ^[1]; Brown, K G ^[2]; Chen, C J ^[3]

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1. American Water Works Association, Denver, CO (United States)
2. Kenneth G. Brown Inc., Chapel Hill, NC (United States)
3. National Taiwan Univ., Taipei (Taiwan, Province of China). Inst. of Public Health

The adequacy of the current maximum contaminant level (MCL) for arsenic is being evaluated by the US Environmental Protection Agency. If recent theoretical estimates of chronic effects and cancer risks prove accurate, the current MCL may not effectively protect health. Knowledge of arsenic pharmacokinetics and mechanisms in humans, however, is not complete enough to provide a definitive answer, and current epidemiologic evidence is too inconsistent and too fraught with uncertainty regarding arsenic exposure to be helpful in assessing low-level risks. 85 refs.

• OSTI ID: 7011471
• Journal Information: Journal of the American Water Works Association; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the American Water Works Association; (United States) Vol. 86:9; ISSN 0003-150X; ISSN JAWWA5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ARSENIC
CONTAMINATION
DRINKING WATER
ELEMENTS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE CONCENTRATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SAFETY STANDARDS
SEMIMETALS
STANDARDS
WATER