TITLE:
Does Exposure to Nitrate in Drinking Water Contribute Anything the Effect of Water Chlorination on Children Methemoglobin Levels?
AUTHORS:
Mina Sadeq, Redouane Abouqal, Benaissa Attarassi, Mohammed Lakranbi, Rajae ElAouad, Larbi Idrissi
KEYWORDS:
Methemoglobin; Drinking Water; Nitrate; Chlorine; Children
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.3 No.2,
February
24,
2012
ABSTRACT: Previous studies showed contradictory findings regarding the relationship between nitrate in drinking well-water and abnormal methemoglobin (MetHb) level (>2%) among children. We studied the effect of water chlorination in this relationship in children aged up to 7. 240 subclinical children participated in this cross-sectional study. Water nitrate was analyzed for each participant, and so was blood MetHb. Analysis of two water nitrate exposure levels (50 mg/L as )-other extraneous factors (Breslow-Day-Test for interaction), bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Abnormal MetHb levels (up to 7.9%) were associated (p-value = 0.020) with exposure to drinking water nitrate. Only water chlorination was an effect modifier. Among those who do not disinfect water, the prevalence of ab- normal MetHb for those with nitrate level >50 mg/L was 4.95 (p-value = 0.001, 95% CI = [1.92 - 12.79]) times the prevalence for those with nitrate level