You are here:
ASSESSING EXPOSURE IN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES TO DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS IN DRINKING WATER: REPORT FROM AN INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP
Citation:
Arbuckle, T. E., S. E. Hrudey, S. W. Krasner, J. R. Nuckols, S D. Richardson, P. C. Singer, P Mendola, L. Dodds, C. E. Weisel, D. L. Ashley, K. L. Froese, R A. Pegram, I. R. Schultz, J. Reif, A. M. Bachand, F. M. Benoit, M. C. Lynberg, C. Poole, AND K. Waller. ASSESSING EXPOSURE IN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES TO DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS IN DRINKING WATER: REPORT FROM AN INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 110(1):53-60, (2002).
Impact/Purpose:
(1) Use toxicity-based approach to identify DBPs that show the greatest toxic response. (2) Comprehensively identify DBPs formed by different disinfectant regimes for the 'Four Lab Study'. (3) Determine the mechanisms of formation for potentially hazardous bromonitromethane DBPs.
Description:
The inability to accurately assess exposure has been one of the major shortcomings of epidemiologic studies of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water. A number of contributing factors include: (1) limited information on the identity, occurrence, toxicity and pharmacokinetics of the many DBPs that can be formed from chlorine, chloramine, ozone, and chlorine dioxide disinfection; (2) the complex chemical inter-relationships between DBPs and other parameters within a municipal water distribution system; and (3) difficulties obtaining accurate and reliable information on personal activity and water consumption patterns. In May 2000, an international workshop was held to bring together various disciplines to develop better approaches for measuring DBP exposure for epidemiologic studies. The workshop reached consensus about the clear need to involve relevant disciplines (e.g., chemists, engineers, toxicologists, biostatisticians and epidemiologists) as partners when developing epidemiologic studies of DBPs in drinking water. The workshop concluded that greater collaboration of epidemiologists with water utilities and regulators should be encouraged to promote making regulatory monitoring data more useful for epidemiologic studies. Likewise, exposure classification categories in epidemiologic studies should be chosen to make results useful for regulatory or policy decision-making.