EMERGING ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS: HUMAN INTAKE, EMERGING HEALTH RISKS, AND FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
Dublin Core
Title
EMERGING ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS: HUMAN INTAKE, EMERGING HEALTH RISKS, AND FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
Creator
JERIKIAS MARUMURE
TINOZIVA T. SIMBANEGAVI
ZAKIO MAKUVARA
RANGARIRAYI KARIDZAGUNDI
RICHWELL ALUFASI
DARIUSZ HALABOWSKI
CLAUDIOUS GUFE
WILLIS GWENZI
NHAMO CHAUKURA
MARVELOUS GOREDEMA
Description
Few earlier reviews on emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in drinking water systems (DWS) focused on their
detection, behaviour, removal and fate. Reviews on multiple exposure pathways, human intake estimates, and
health risks including toxicokinetics, and toxicodynamics of EOCs in DWS are scarce. This review presents recent
advances in human intake and health risks of EOCs in DWS. First, an overview of the evidence showing that DWS
harbours a wide range of EOCs is presented. Multiple human exposure to EOCs occurs via ingestion of drinking
water and beverages, inhalation and dermal pathways are discussed. A potential novel exposure may occur via
the intravenous route in dialysis fluids. Analysis of global data on pharmaceutical pollution in rivers showed that
the cumulative concentrations (μg L-1) of pharmaceuticals (mean ± standard error of the mean) were statistically
more than two times significantly higher (p = 0.011) in South America (11.68 ± 5.29), Asia (9.97 ± 3.33), Africa
(9.48 ± 2.81) and East Europe (8.09 ± 4.35) than in high-income regions (2.58 ± 0.48). Maximum cumulative
concentrations of pharmaceuticals (μg L-1) decreased in the order; Asia (70.7) had the highest value followed by
South America (68.8), Africa (51.3), East Europe (32.0) and high-income regions (17.1) had the least concen-
tration. The corresponding human intake via ingestion of untreated river water was also significantly higher in
low- and middle-income regions than in their high-income counterparts. For each region, the daily intake of
pharmaceuticals was highest in infants, followed by children and then adults. A critique of the human health
hazards, including toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of EOCs is presented. Emerging health hazards of EOCs in
DWS include; (1) long-term latent and intergenerational effects, (2) the interactive health effects of EOC mixtures
and the challenges of multifinality and equifinality, and (3) the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
hypothesis. Finally, research needs on human health hazards of EOCs in DWS are presented.
detection, behaviour, removal and fate. Reviews on multiple exposure pathways, human intake estimates, and
health risks including toxicokinetics, and toxicodynamics of EOCs in DWS are scarce. This review presents recent
advances in human intake and health risks of EOCs in DWS. First, an overview of the evidence showing that DWS
harbours a wide range of EOCs is presented. Multiple human exposure to EOCs occurs via ingestion of drinking
water and beverages, inhalation and dermal pathways are discussed. A potential novel exposure may occur via
the intravenous route in dialysis fluids. Analysis of global data on pharmaceutical pollution in rivers showed that
the cumulative concentrations (μg L-1) of pharmaceuticals (mean ± standard error of the mean) were statistically
more than two times significantly higher (p = 0.011) in South America (11.68 ± 5.29), Asia (9.97 ± 3.33), Africa
(9.48 ± 2.81) and East Europe (8.09 ± 4.35) than in high-income regions (2.58 ± 0.48). Maximum cumulative
concentrations of pharmaceuticals (μg L-1) decreased in the order; Asia (70.7) had the highest value followed by
South America (68.8), Africa (51.3), East Europe (32.0) and high-income regions (17.1) had the least concen-
tration. The corresponding human intake via ingestion of untreated river water was also significantly higher in
low- and middle-income regions than in their high-income counterparts. For each region, the daily intake of
pharmaceuticals was highest in infants, followed by children and then adults. A critique of the human health
hazards, including toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of EOCs is presented. Emerging health hazards of EOCs in
DWS include; (1) long-term latent and intergenerational effects, (2) the interactive health effects of EOC mixtures
and the challenges of multifinality and equifinality, and (3) the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
hypothesis. Finally, research needs on human health hazards of EOCs in DWS are presented.
Publisher
Elsevier
Date
2024
Files
Collection
Citation
JERIKIAS MARUMURE
et al., “EMERGING ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS: HUMAN INTAKE, EMERGING HEALTH RISKS, AND FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS,” ZOU Institutional Repository, accessed July 6, 2025, https://ir.zou.ac.zw/items/show/380.
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