Sampling private wells at past homes to estimate arsenic exposure: A methodologic study in New England

Abstract

We are conducting a collaborative, population -based case -control study in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont to investigate the reasons for the elevated bladder cancer mortality in northern New England. Arsenic in drinking water is one of the primary exposures under investigation. To estimate subjects' lifetime exposure to waterborne arsenic, it will be necessary to obtain water samples from private wells that subjects used in the past. We conducted a methodologic study to assess the feasibility of locating and sampling from private wells at subjects' past residences. Ninety -eight New Hampshire residents ( mean age 67 years ) completed a questionnaire requesting the complete address, dates of occupancy, and drinking water sources for each home lived in since birth. An interviewer then asked subjects for more detailed information about each home to assist in a field search of past homes in the three -state study area of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Fifty -eight of the 98 subjects indicated that they had used a total of 103 private wells in 95 previous homes located in these three states. We conducted a field search to locate these 95 homes, visited town offices to find the properties on tax maps and obtain the current owners' names and addresses, attempted to obtain permission from the current owners to sample the wells, and collected water samples. In all, 48 ( 47% ) of the 103 past wells in the study area were sampled successfully. The remaining wells were not sampled because the homes were not located ( 22% ) or had been demolished ( 2% ), permission to sample the wells was not obtained ( 17% ), the wells had been destroyed ( 7% ) or could not be found on the grounds of the residence ( 3% ), or for other reasons ( 2% ). Various approaches for improving the success rates for sampling water from private wells are discussed, as is the use of predictive modeling to impute exposures when sampling is not feasible.

Modeling the Probability of Arsenic in Groundwater in New England as a Tool for Exposure Assessment

“…However, such measurements often are not available or feasible (30). Several studies have identified localized contamination, but none have related arsenic occurrence to predictor variables in New England.…”

“…A prediction model, however, is necessary to estimate arsenic levels of water from wells at past homes that cannot be directly measured. In a pilot study, 53% of past residences fell into this category (30).…”

Water quality monitoring records for estimating tap water arsenic and nitrate: a validation study

“…Further, for some contaminants, including arsenic [21], a test strip or other in-the-field method suitable for study participants does not exist. Also, it is not always feasible to obtain water from the residence of interest [22], and use of records might allow one to consider past contaminant levels, including those at past residences. The importance of this has been documented [23].…”

Lifetime exposure to arsenic in residential drinking water in Central Europe

“…In this study area, signiWcant exposures to arsenic have occurred in the recent past, and are still occurring, although government intervention has reduced some exposures (Colt et al 2002;Shimokura et al 1998;Lindberg et al 2006). …”

“…This can introduce exposure misclassiWcation compared to individual-level indices (Colt et al 2002;Ryan et al 2000).…”