Nitrate Contamination of Drinking Water: Evaluation of Genotoxic Risk in Human Populations

Nitrate contamination of drinking water implies a genotoxic risk to man due to endogenous formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds from nitrate-derived nitrite. Thus far, epidemiological studies have presented conflicting results on the relation of drinking water nitrate levels with gastric can...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental health perspectives 1991-08, Vol.94, p.189
Main Authors: Kleinjans, Jos C. S., Albering, Harma J., Marx, Anita, van Maanen, Jan M. S., van Agen, Ben, ten Hoor, Foppe, Swaen, Gerard M. H., Mertens, Paul L. J. M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
CONTAMINATION
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASE INCIDENCE
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
DRINKING WATER
EPIDEMIOLOGY
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
GENETIC EFFECTS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MUTATION FREQUENCY
MUTATIONS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROSO COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POPULATIONS
RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT
RISK ASSESSMENT
SISTER CHROMATID EXCHANGES
STOMACH
URINE
WASTES
WATER
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Summary:Nitrate contamination of drinking water implies a genotoxic risk to man due to endogenous formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds from nitrate-derived nitrite. Thus far, epidemiological studies have presented conflicting results on the relation of drinking water nitrate levels with gastric cancer incidence. This uncertainty becomes of relevance in view of the steadily increasing nitrate levels in regular drinking water supplies. In an attempt to apply genetic biomarker analysis to improve the basis for risk assessment with respect to drinking water nitrate contamination, this study evaluates peripheral lymphocyte chromosomal damage in human populations exposed to low, medium, and high drinking water nitrate levels, the latter being present in private water wells. It is shown that nitrate contamination of drinking water causes dose-dependent increases in nitrate body load as monitored by 24-hr urinary nitrate excretion in female volunteers, but this appears not to be associated with peripheral lymphocyte sister chromatid exchange frequencies.
ISSN:0091-6765
1552-9924
DOI:10.2307/3431312