Cross-sectional associations between drinking water arsenic and urinary inorganic arsenic in the United States: NHANES 2003-2014. 2023

Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: mss2284@cumc.columbia.edu.

Inorganic arsenic is a potent carcinogen and toxicant associated with numerous adverse health outcomes. The contribution of drinking water from private wells and regulated community water systems (CWSs) to total inorganic arsenic exposure is not clear. To determine the association between drinking water arsenic estimates and urinary arsenic concentrations in the 2003-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We evaluated 11,088 participants from the 2003-2014 NHANES cycles. For each participant, we assigned private well and CWS arsenic levels according to county of residence using estimates previously derived by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey. We used recalibrated urinary dimethylarsinate (rDMA) to reflect the internal dose of estimated water arsenic by applying a previously validated, residual-based method that removes the contribution of dietary arsenic sources. We compared the adjusted geometric mean ratios and corresponding percent change of urinary rDMA across tertiles of private well and CWS arsenic levels, with the lowest tertile as the reference. Comparisons were made overall and stratified by census region and race/ethnicity. Overall, the geometric mean of urinary rDMA was 2.52 (2.30, 2.77) μg/L among private well users and 2.64 (2.57, 2.72) μg/L among CWS users. Urinary rDMA was highest among participants in the West and South, and among Mexican American, Other Hispanic, and Non-Hispanic Other participants. Urinary rDMA levels were 25% (95% confidence interval (CI): 17-34%) and 20% (95% CI: 12-29%) higher comparing the highest to the lowest tertile of CWS and private well arsenic, respectively. The strongest associations between water arsenic and urinary rDMA were observed among participants in the South, West, and among Mexican American and Non-Hispanic White and Black participants. Both private wells and regulated CWSs are associated with inorganic arsenic internal dose as reflected in urine in the general U.S.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009749 Nutrition Surveys A systematic collection of factual data pertaining to the nutritional status of a human population within a given geographic area. Data from these surveys are used in preparing NUTRITION ASSESSMENTS. NHANES,National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey,Nutritional Surveys,Nutrition Survey,Nutritional Survey,Survey, Nutrition,Survey, Nutritional,Surveys, Nutrition,Surveys, Nutritional
D003430 Cross-Sectional Studies Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time. Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D004781 Environmental Exposure The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents in the environment or to environmental factors that may include ionizing radiation, pathogenic organisms, or toxic chemicals. Exposure, Environmental,Environmental Exposures,Exposures, Environmental
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001151 Arsenic A shiny gray element with atomic symbol As, atomic number 33, and atomic weight 75. It occurs throughout the universe, mostly in the form of metallic arsenides. Most forms are toxic. According to the Fourth Annual Report on Carcinogens (NTP 85-002, 1985), arsenic and certain arsenic compounds have been listed as known carcinogens. (From Merck Index, 11th ed) Arsenic-75,Arsenic 75
D001152 Arsenicals Inorganic or organic compounds that contain arsenic. Arsenic Compounds,Compounds, Arsenic
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D060766 Drinking Water Water that is intended to be ingested. Bottled Water,Potable Water,Water, Bottled,Water, Drinking,Water, Potable

Related Publications

Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
October 2018, Environmental research,
Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
September 2021, Environmental research,
Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
April 2021, Environmental research,
Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
July 2014, BMC public health,
Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
December 2019, Pediatric obesity,
Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
June 2019, Preventive medicine,
Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
December 2000, Journal of occupational and environmental medicine,
Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
June 2020, Ecotoxicology and environmental safety,
Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
May 2024, The American journal of clinical nutrition,
Maya Spaur, and Melissa A Lombard, and Joseph D Ayotte, and Benjamin C Bostick, and Steven N Chillrud, and Ana Navas-Acien, and Anne E Nigra
November 2023, BMC urology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!