This powerpoint presentation begins by providing a brief overview of uranium, including radioactivity, toxicity, health effects, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Radionuclide Rule. The case of Dinwiddie County, Virginia is presented where uranium (U) levels monitored from 1980-2004
ranged from 80-101 µg/L, which is on average 3 times above the
USEPA MCL. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) determined that the wells in question had to be
monitored to achieve compliance with the new MCL. An epidemiology study was conducted to determine current concentrations of urine
uranium (before U treatment) in affected residents and evaluate potential
damage to the participant's kidneys and repeat biomonitoring 1 yr. later (after
U treatment) (Wyatt et al. 2008). The study included measurements of pH, uranium, retinol-binding protein
(RBP), and creatinine levels from participants' urine samples. Ion exchange technology was selected for experimental approach, and study conclusions indicate that: a direct correlation of U levels in residential drinking water with U levels
found in residents of households of a Community Water System can be made; levels of uranium above the USEPA MCL of 30 µg/L are a concern in drinking
water because of the known uranium toxicity affecting kidney function; in a small community in Dinwiddie County, U levels measured 3 times the
USEPA MCL for drinking water, which resulted in high U concentrations in urine
samples from residents that participated in an epidemiological study; and, before WRT's U treatment system, high RBP concentrations in 3 participants'
urine indicated initial stages of damage to kidneys but decreased to normal
RBP levels 6 months after WRT's U treatment system became operational. Includes tables, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 4.3 MB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 38 |
| Published : | 11/01/2009 |
