Many people are keenly aware that consuming processed foods may have negative health consequences, but the potential dangers of nitrate, a widely used fertilizer and water contaminant, often fly under the radar. While moderate levels of nitrate consumption can have health benefits, excessive amounts are associated with an increased risk of cancer and can result in dangerously low oxygen levels in infants. Public water sources must be monitored for nitrate levels, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lacks similar guidelines for private wells. This is concerning because the United States Geological Survey indicates that approximately fifteen percent of the US population relies on private wells for drinking water. “Adverse health outcomes have been linked to nitrate pollution in drinking water, [even] at levels below the regulatory limit,” said Timothy Skalaban YSPH ’23, the first author of a study exploring nitrate exposure from drinking water.
Skalaban and his team identified a critical lack of scientific literature investigating the prevalence and impacts of nitrate ingested through food and private well water. In response, the team launched a study in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, in which forty-seven individuals from farms in Iowa using private wells were tested for nitrate exposure.
The study indicated that individuals in rural areas have a heightened risk of exposure to nitrate levels above the EPA’s maximum contaminant level. “The expansion of industrial farming and concentrated animal feeding operations has contributed significantly to the increase in nitrate levels in water sources,” Skalaban said. Previous studies show that nitrates in drinking water create greater health risks as nitrate is absorbed by the body without the antioxidants regularly found in fruits and vegetables. This can be problematic because antioxidants prevent nitrate from breaking down into carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. The researchers plan to expand the study to more participants and develop a predictive model to estimate nitrate exposure for at-risk communities.
Image courtesy of Flickr via Charles O’Rear.