Groundwater uranium and cancer incidence in South Carolina

Abstract

Objective This ecologic study tested the hypothesis that census tracts with elevated groundwater uranium and more frequent groundwater use have increased cancer incidence. Methods Data sources included: incident total, leukemia, prostate, breast, colorectal, lung, kidney, and bladder cancers (1996–2005, SC Central Cancer Registry); demographic and groundwater use (1990 US Census); and groundwater uranium concentrations (n = 4,600, from existing federal and state databases). Kriging was used to predict average uranium concentrations within tracts. The relationship between uranium and standardized cancer incidence ratios was modeled among tracts with substantial groundwater use via linear or semiparametric regression, with and without stratification by the proportion of African Americans in each area. Results A total of 134,685 cancer cases were evaluated. Tracts with ≥50% groundwater use and uranium concentrations in the upper quartile had increased risks for colorectal, breast, kidney, prostate, and total cancer compared to referent tracts. Some of these relationships were more likely to be observed among tracts populated primarily by African Americans. Conclusion SC regions with elevated groundwater uranium and more groundwater use may have an increased incidence of certain cancers, although additional research is needed since the design precluded adjustment for race or other predictive factors at the individual level.

Uranium in groundwater — Fertilizers versus geogenic sources

“…Recent studies associate renal effects especially on kidney tubular cells (Arzuaga et al, 2010;Kurttio et al, 2002Kurttio et al, , 2006Orloff et al, 2004;Seldén et al, 2009;Zamora et al, 1998), bone effects (Kurttio et al, 2005), and different forms of cancer (Radespiel-Tröger and Meyer, 2013;Wagner et al, 2011) with the chronic exposure to elevated uranium concentrations, particularly via the oral intake of drinking water.…”

Radiological Risks Assessment of Ogun State Drinking Water

“…Different geological formation of the two study areas can also be a contributing factor. High levels of 238 U and 232 Th series in drinking water increase the risk of certain cancers in the body (Colorado Health and Environmental Assessment, 2013;Wagner et al, 2011;Kurttio et al 2006). ICRP (2007) noted that ingested radionuclides are absorbed in the blood stream and accumulate in specific tissues causing damage.…”

Photoactivated Uranyl Ion Produces Single Strand Breaks in Plasmid DNA

“…25 It is only 5-fold higher than uranium levels of 10.1 mg/L reported in ground water in South Carolina. 13 It is 14 to 17-fold higher than levels of 3,410 μg/L and 2,848 μg/L, reported for ground water in Finland 26 and Shiprock, NM, 27 respectively. Furthermore, the relatively high levels in this study were chosen based on limits of detection for this in vitro experimental system.…”