Health Effects and Environmental Justice Concerns of Exposure to Uranium in Drinking Water.
Curr Environ Health Rep
; 3(4): 434-442, 2016 12.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-27815781
ABSTRACT
We discuss the recent epidemiologic literature regarding health effects of uranium exposure in drinking water focusing on the chemical characteristics of uranium. While there is strong toxicologic evidence for renal and reproductive effects as well as DNA damage, the epidemiologic evidence for these effects in people exposed to uranium in drinking water is limited. Further, epidemiologic evidence is lacking for cardiovascular and oncogenic effects. One challenge in characterizing health effects of uranium in drinking water is the paucity of long-term cohort studies with individual level exposure assessment. Nevertheless, there are environmental justice concerns due to the substantial exposures for certain populations. For example, we present original data suggesting that individuals living in the Navajo Nation are exposed to high levels of uranium in unregulated well water used for drinking. In 10 out of 185 samples (5.4 %), concentrations of uranium exceeded standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Therefore, efforts to mitigate exposure to toxic elements in drinking water are warranted and should be prioritized.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Temas:
Geral
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Justiça Social
/
Poluentes Químicos da Água
/
Água Potável
/
Urânio
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Curr Environ Health Rep
Ano de publicação:
2016
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos