High levels of arsenic in the groundwaters of southeastern New Hampshire: A geochemical reconnaissance

Boudette, Eugene L.; Canney, Frank Cogswell; Cotton, J.E.; Davis, Robert; Ficklin, H.; Motooka, J.M.

doi:10.3133/ofr85202

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…While investigating reports of elevated arsenic concentrations, the New Hampshire district office of the USGS measured arsenic concentrations in water samples taken from 24 wells. All but two of the wells were drilled into bedrock, and were selected because of their proximity to regions reporting elevated arsenic concentration (8).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a followup to the USEPA report, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) investigated this hypothesis through detailed analysis of waters sampled from 24 bedrock wells with arsenic concentrations in excess of 50 µg/L (8). No apparent correlation was found between arsenic and sulfate concentrations in well water, casting doubt on the sulfide source of arsenic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…National surveys of arsenic occurrence in municipal water systems have identified states, primarily in the western and north central regions of the United States, that will be most significantly affected by regulatory changes ( , ). The New England states, while ranking at the lower end of the national survey, have had occasional reports of arsenic in groundwater exceeding the USEPA MCL ( − ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Arsenic Occurrence in New Hampshire Drinking Water

Peters

Blum

Klaue

et al. 1999

Environ. Sci. Technol.

147

100

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Arsenic concentrations were measured in 992 drinking water samples collected from New Hampshire households using online hydride generation ICP-MS. These randomly selected household water samples contain much less arsenic than those voluntarily submitted for analysis to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES). Extrapolation of the voluntarily submitted sample set to all New Hampshire residents significantly overestimates arsenic exposure. In randomly selected households, concentrations ranged from <0.0003 to 180 µg/L, with water from domestic wells containing significantly more arsenic than water from municipal sources. Water samples from drilled bedrock wells had the highest arsenic concentrations, while samples from surficial wells had the lowest arsenic concentrations. We suggest that much of the groundwater arsenic in New Hampshire is derived from weathering of bedrock materials and not from anthropogenic contamination. The spatial distribution of elevated arsenic concentrations (>50 µg/L) correlates with Late-Devonian Concord-type granitic bedrock. Field observations in the region exhibiting the highest groundwater arsenic concentrations revealed abundant pegmatite dikes associated with nearby granites. Analysis of rock digests indicates arsenic concentrations up to 60 mg/kg in pegmatites, with much lower values in surrounding schists and granites. Weak acid leaches show that approximately half of the total arsenic in the pegmatites is labile and therefore can be mobilized during rock-water interaction.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Arsenic Occurrence in New Hampshire Drinking Water

Peters

Blum

Klaue

et al. 1999

Environ. Sci. Technol.

147

100

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“…The source of arsenic in groundwater from New England bedrock wells is mainly geologic (9). Arsenic concentrations in well water have been linked to geologic variables, such as bedrock type or bedrock lithochemistry (7,8,18), although some studies have suggested the role of anthropogenic sources (19)(20)(21)(22)(23). Arsenical pesticides were commonly used in New England from the early 1900s through the late 1960s and may contribute to well water arsenic in some locations (21,22).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling the Probability of Arsenic in Groundwater in New England as a Tool for Exposure Assessment

Ayotte

Nolan

Nuckols

et al. 2006

Environ. Sci. Technol.

119

124

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We developed a process-based model to predict the probability of arsenic exceeding 5 microg/L in drinking water wells in New England bedrock aquifers. The model is being used for exposure assessment in an epidemiologic study of bladder cancer. One important study hypothesis that may explain increased bladder cancer risk is elevated concentrations of inorganic arsenic in drinking water. In eastern New England, 20-30% of private wells exceed the arsenic drinking water standard of 10 micrograms per liter. Our predictive model significantly improves the understanding of factors associated with arsenic contamination in New England. Specific rock types, high arsenic concentrations in stream sediments, geochemical factors related to areas of Pleistocene marine inundation and proximity to intrusive granitic plutons, and hydrologic and landscape variables relating to groundwater residence time increase the probability of arsenic occurrence in groundwater. Previous studies suggest that arsenic in bedrock groundwater may be partly from past arsenical pesticide use. Variables representing historic agricultural inputs do not improve the model, indicating that this source does not significantly contribute to current arsenic concentrations. Due to the complexity of the fractured bedrock aquifers in the region, well depth and related variables also are not significant predictors.

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“…Arsenic was first identified in New England groundwater in the 1980s (Boudette et al, 1985; Zuena and Keane, 1985) and in Nova Scotia groundwater in the 1970s (Grantham and Jones, 1977). A key research finding is the association between occurrence of elevated concentrations of As in groundwater and the geology of the eastern New England region (Ayotte et al, 1999; Peters et al, 1999; Ayotte et al, 2003).…”

Section: Risks From Arsenic In Private Well Water Of Northeast Unitmentioning

confidence: 99%

At the crossroads: Hazard assessment and reduction of health risks from arsenic in private well waters of the northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada

Zheng

Ayotte

2015

Science of The Total Environment

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This special issue contains 12 papers that report on new understanding of arsenic hydrogeochemistry, performance of household well water treatment systems, and testing and treatment behaviors of well users in several states of the northeastern region of the United States and Nova Scotia, Canada. The responsibility to ensure water safety of private wells falls on well owners. In the U.S., 43 million Americans, mostly from rural areas, use private wells. In order to reduce As exposure in rural populations that rely on private wells for drinking water, risk assessment, which includes estimation of population at risk of exposure to As above the EPA Maximum Contaminant Level, is helpful but insufficient because it does not identify individual households at risk. Persistent optimism bias among well owners against testing and barriers such as cost of treatment mean that a large percentage of the population will not act to reduce their exposure to harmful substances such as As. If households are in areas with known As occurrence, a potentially large percentage of well owners will remain unaware of their exposure. To ensure that everyone, including vulnerable populations such as low income families with children and pregnant women, is not exposed to arsenic in their drinking water, alternative action will be required and warrants further research.

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High levels of arsenic in the groundwaters of southeastern New Hampshire: A geochemical reconnaissance

Cited by 11 publications

References 10 publications

Arsenic Occurrence in New Hampshire Drinking Water

Arsenic Occurrence in New Hampshire Drinking Water

Modeling the Probability of Arsenic in Groundwater in New England as a Tool for Exposure Assessment

At the crossroads: Hazard assessment and reduction of health risks from arsenic in private well waters of the northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada

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