Mixed organic and inorganic tapwater exposures and potential effects in greater Chicago area, USA

Pilot-scale expanded assessment of inorganic and organic tapwater exposures and predicted effects in Puerto Rico, USA

“…TW samples were analyzed using 10 target-organic (524 unique analytes) and 9 inorganic/field (37 analytes) methods and 11 microbial (13 analytes; temporal assessment only) methods ( Table S2 ), as discussed ( Bradley et al, 2020 ; Bradley et al, 2018 ; Romanok et al, 2018 ) and presented in detail previously ( American Public Health Association et al, 2017 ; Ball and McCleskey, 2003 ; Fishman and Friedman, 1989 ; Furlong et al, 2014 ; Graham et al, 2010 ; Hergenreder, 2011 ; Hladik et al, 2008 ; Hoffman et al, 1996 ; Loftin et al, 2016 ; Pfaff, 1993 ; Rose et al, 2016 ; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014 ), with the following exceptions. Per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were analyzed ( Murray et al, 2019 ) at Mines, as described ( Bradley et al, 2020 ; Murray et al, 2019 ; Romanok et al, 2018 ). Phthalates were analyzed at UPR-M by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) ( U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1996 ) gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) ( U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1998 ), as described ( Torres et al, 2018b ).…”

“…TW contaminant mixtures and potential drivers/controls (e.g., source-water quality, treatment, premise plumbing) in a range of source-water vulnerability settings are acknowledged public-health data gaps globally ( Doria, 2010 ; Doria et al, 2009 ; Villanueva et al, 2014 ), in the US mainland ( Allaire et al, 2018 ; Pierce and Gonzalez, 2017 ; Sedlak, 2020 ) and in PR (e.g., Natural Resources Defense Council, 2017 ; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2021c ) and are the foci of ongoing TW exposure research by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NIEHS, Colorado School of Mines (Mines) and others (e.g., Bradley et al, 2020 ; Bradley et al, 2018 ; Bradley et al, 2021 ). In August 2018, the USGS, EPA, NIEHS, Mines, and University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez (UPR-M) conducted a spatial pilot assessment of expanded TW exposures (524 organic and 37 inorganic analytes) in 14 homes and commercial locations distributed across PR, including in the northern karst region to: 1) complement and expand on previous and ongoing efforts to identify potential additional TW contaminants that may contribute to adverse health outcomes and 2) continue to inform TW exposures and cumulative risk (exposure, toxicity/hazard: e.g., Moretto et al, 2017 ; National Research Council, 1983 ; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003 ) to human health across the US.…”

“…A follow-up assessment of TW exposure temporal variability, conducted in December 2018 at two of the synoptic locations (1 home, 1 commercial), included daily pre- and post-flush samples collected over 3 consecutive days. For both synoptic and temporal assessments, the potential human-health risks of individual and cumulative TW exposures were explored based on multiple lines of evidence, comprising: 1) cumulative detections and concentrations of chemicals (e.g., pesticides, pharmaceuticals) with designed, molecular bioactivities ( Bradley et al, 2020 ; Bradley et al, 2018 ), 2) individual (RQ) and cumulative contaminant risk quotients ( Goumenou and Tsatsakis, 2019 ; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003 ; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011 ) based on human-health benchmarks, including Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) public-health advisories ( U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2017 ; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2021a ), and 3) cumulative Exposure-Activity Ratio(s) ( Blackwell et al, 2017 ). The same general sampling protocol and analytical toolbox employed previously ( Bradley et al, 2020 ; Bradley et al, 2018 ; Bradley et al, 2021 ) were preserved herein to inform TW chemical and biological exposures in PR, while supporting inter-study comparisons.…”

Identifying Chemicals and Mixtures of Potential Biological Concern Detected in Passive Samplers from Great Lakes Tributaries Using High‐Throughput Data and Biological Pathways

“…Summary metrics, such as the activity concentration at cutoff (ACC), that estimate consistent measures of bioactivity among the different chemicals have been used as estimates of toxicological potency in relation to specific biological targets or pathways. Consequently, consideration of a ratio between exposure concentrations detected in the environment and ACCs in various ToxCast assays (exposure-activity ratios [EARs]) provides a means for prioritizing chemicals based on both their concentration and relative potency to interact with specific biological targets (Blackwell et al 2017(Blackwell et al , 2019Elliott et al 2018;Bradley et al 2019Bradley et al , 2020Corsi et al 2019).…”

Monitoring the human right to water in California: development and implementation of a framework and data tool

“…At a national or subnational level, countries such as India, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Mozambique have measured basic levels of service based on quantity, quality, accessibility and reliability (Burr & Fonseca, 2013). Countries within the pan-European region measure equitable water access using a self-assessing analytical tool (an 'Equitable Access Scorecard') structured around four themes to assess a country's progress toward the human right to water: governance, geographical disparities, vulnerable and marginalized groups, and affordability (UNECE, 2019).…”