Sources of human exposure: overview of water supplies as sources of boron

• Published in: Biological trace element research 1998, Vol.66 (1/3), p.87-100
• Main Author: Coughlin, J.R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Borates; Boric Acids; Boron; Boron - analysis; Boron - chemistry; bottled water; Canada; Chile; Drinking water; drinking water sources; Environmental Exposure; Europe; food intake; geographical variation; Humans; Mineral water; Mineral Waters - analysis; Rivers; Surface water; United States; water quality; Water Supply
• ISSN: 0163-4984; 1559-0720
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02783129

Boron (B) is widely distributed in surface and groundwaters predominantly as undissociated boric acid, and is found in ocean waters at a mean level of approx 4.6 mg B/L. A recent analysis of US surface waters indicated that the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentile B levels were 0.010, 0.076, and 0.387 mg B/L, respectively. The same study found that the 50th and 90th percentile B levels in California drinking waters were 0.10 and 0.40 mg B/L, respectively. The overall mean B concentration in Canadian surface waters in 1988 was reported to be 0.16 mg B/L, with a few stations reporting concentrations above 2.0 mg B/L. Unusually high levels of B have been measured in human water supplies of northern Chile, with concentrations ranging from 0.31 to 15.2 mg B/L. River water sources of B in the UK and Northern Italy were found to range from 0.002 to 0.87 mg B/L, respectively, whereas German drinking waters had median and maximum B levels of 0.02 and 0.18 mg B/L, respectively. Bottled mineral water also represents a source of B exposure based on the largest reported survey of US and European products, with a mean level of 0.75 mg B/L and a range from