Exposure to Selected Geogenic Trace Elements (I, Li, and Sr) from Drinking Water in Denmark

Geosciences

Denitza Dimitrova Voutchkova⁵  Jörg Schullehner³  Nikoline Nygård Knudsen⁴  Lisbeth Flindt Jørgensen²  Annette Kjær Ersbøll⁴  Søren Munch Kristiansen⁵  Birgitte Hansen³  Jose A. Centeno¹  Robert B. Finkelman¹ 

[1] Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 2, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; E-Mail;Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark; E-Mail:;Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Lyseng Allé 1, DK-8270 Højbjerg, Denmark; E-Mails:;National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, 2nd floor, DK-1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark; E-Mails:;Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 2, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; E-Mail:

关键词: iodine;    lithium;    strontium;    drinking water;    treated groundwater;    spatial trends;    exposure;    Denmark;    epidemiology;   

DOI  :  10.3390/geosciences5010045

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The naturally occurring geogenic elements iodine (I), lithium (Li), and strontium (Sr) have a beneficial effect on human health. Iodine has an essential role in human metabolism while Li and Sr are used, respectively, as a treatment for various mental disorders and for post-menopausal osteoporosis. The aim here is to evaluate the potential for future epidemiological investigations in Denmark of lifelong and chronic exposure to low doses of these compounds. The drinking water data represents approximately 45% of the annual Danish groundwater abstraction for drinking water purposes, which supplies approximately 2.5 million persons. The spatial patterns were studied using inverse distance weighted interpolation and cluster analysis. The exposed population was estimated based on two datasets: (1) population density in the smallest census unit, the parishes, and (2) geocoded addresses where at least one person is residing. We found significant spatial variation in the exposure for all three elements, related mainly to geochemical processes. This suggests a prospective opportunity for future epidemiological investigation of long-term effects of I, Li, and Sr, either alone or in combinations with other geogenic elements such as Ca, Mg or F.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.