TY - JOUR
T1 - Trihalomethanes in drinking water and the risk of death from kidney cancer
T2 - Does hardness in drinking water matter?
AU - Liao, Yen Hsiung
AU - Chen, Chih Cheng
AU - Chang, Chih Ching
AU - Peng, Chiung Yu
AU - Chiu, Hui Fen
AU - Wu, Trong Neng
AU - Yang, Chun Yuh
N1 - Funding Information:
This article is not subject to U.S. copyright law. Received 30 November 2011; accepted 13 January 2012. This study was supported by a grant from the National Science Council, Executive Yuan, Taiwan (NSC-100-2314-B-037-023-MY2). Address correspondence to Chun-Yuh Yang, PhD, MPH, Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100 Shih-Chuan 1st RD, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 80708. E-mail: [email protected]
PY - 2012/3/15
Y1 - 2012/3/15
N2 - The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the relationship between total trihalomethanes (TTHM) levels in public water supplies and risk of development of kidney cancer and (2) determine whether hardness levels in drinking water modify the effects of TTHM on risk of kidney cancer induction. A matched case-control study was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of death attributed to kidney cancer and exposure to TTHM in drinking water in 53 municipalities in Taiwan. All kidney cancer deaths in the 53 municipalities from 1998 through 2007 were obtained. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to the cancer cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each cancer case. Data on TTHM levels and levels of hardness in drinking water were also collected. The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was presumed to be the source of the subject's TTHM and hardness exposure via drinking water. Relative to individuals whose TTHM exposure level was <4.9 ppb, the adjusted OR (95% CI) for kidney cancer was 0.98 (0.77-1.25) for individuals who resided in municipalities served by drinking water with a TTHM exposure ≥4.9 ppb. However, evidence of an interaction was noted between the use of soft water and drinking water TTHM concentrations. Increased knowledge of the interaction between hardness and TTHM levels in reducing risk of kidney cancer development will aid in public policy decision and establishing standards to prevent disease occurrence.
AB - The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the relationship between total trihalomethanes (TTHM) levels in public water supplies and risk of development of kidney cancer and (2) determine whether hardness levels in drinking water modify the effects of TTHM on risk of kidney cancer induction. A matched case-control study was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of death attributed to kidney cancer and exposure to TTHM in drinking water in 53 municipalities in Taiwan. All kidney cancer deaths in the 53 municipalities from 1998 through 2007 were obtained. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to the cancer cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each cancer case. Data on TTHM levels and levels of hardness in drinking water were also collected. The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was presumed to be the source of the subject's TTHM and hardness exposure via drinking water. Relative to individuals whose TTHM exposure level was <4.9 ppb, the adjusted OR (95% CI) for kidney cancer was 0.98 (0.77-1.25) for individuals who resided in municipalities served by drinking water with a TTHM exposure ≥4.9 ppb. However, evidence of an interaction was noted between the use of soft water and drinking water TTHM concentrations. Increased knowledge of the interaction between hardness and TTHM levels in reducing risk of kidney cancer development will aid in public policy decision and establishing standards to prevent disease occurrence.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84859786400
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84859786400#tab=citedBy
U2 - 10.1080/15287394.2012.668162
DO - 10.1080/15287394.2012.668162
M3 - Article
C2 - 22480171
AN - SCOPUS:84859786400
SN - 1528-7394
VL - 75
SP - 340
EP - 350
JO - Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health - Part A: Current Issues
JF - Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health - Part A: Current Issues
IS - 6
ER -
