Exposure to perchlorate via drinking water from eight major water basins in China and its health risks across different age groups

Abstract Perchlorate is widely used in various industrial fields and has been widely detected in aquatic environments because of its high solubility and stability. Considering the endocrine-disrupting properties of perchlorate, the possibility of perchlorate exposure to humans through drinking water...

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Main Authors: Jia Lyu, Yongyan Chen, Lan Zhang, Xu Yan, Muyesaier Tudi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89057-2
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author Jia Lyu
Yongyan Chen
Lan Zhang
Xu Yan
Muyesaier Tudi
author_facet Jia Lyu
Yongyan Chen
Lan Zhang
Xu Yan
Muyesaier Tudi
author_sort Jia Lyu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Perchlorate is widely used in various industrial fields and has been widely detected in aquatic environments because of its high solubility and stability. Considering the endocrine-disrupting properties of perchlorate, the possibility of perchlorate exposure to humans through drinking water has become a public health concern. To examine whether perchlorate pollution in source water causes a risk to populations of different age groups exposed to residues in drinking water, the spatial distribution of perchlorate levels in source water and drinking water from eight major water basins in China in 2019 was quantified with ion chromatography. The average daily potential dose (ADD) of perchlorate from drinking water intake was estimated for different age groups in the Chinese population. The health risks were quantified by dividing the ADD by the reference dose corresponding to 50% inhibition of iodide uptake. The results revealed that source water contamination was the main factor in population exposure to perchlorate via drinking water. A significant difference in perchlorate contamination was observed, ranging from 5.03 µg/L to 1.80 mg/L, and high perchlorate contamination levels were detected in industrial areas with a high concentration of firework production. In contrast to previously inferred possible sources of perchlorate, i.e., emissions from the production of rockets and missiles, firework production was identified as the dominant source of perchlorate exposure via drinking water in this study. This investigation was conducted five years ago; however, the identification of sampling locations with a health risk quotient above 1 provides quantitative evidence that exposure to perchlorate in drinking water poses a risk to residents in areas affected by source pollution, and the results are helpful for identifying priority risk control areas.
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spelling doaj-art-1771f3b921e14657b8b422caa5f8724c2025-02-09T12:31:41ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-011511910.1038/s41598-025-89057-2Exposure to perchlorate via drinking water from eight major water basins in China and its health risks across different age groupsJia Lyu0Yongyan Chen1Lan Zhang2Xu Yan3Muyesaier Tudi4National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and PreventionNational Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and PreventionNational Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and PreventionNational Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and PreventionSchool of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith UniversityAbstract Perchlorate is widely used in various industrial fields and has been widely detected in aquatic environments because of its high solubility and stability. Considering the endocrine-disrupting properties of perchlorate, the possibility of perchlorate exposure to humans through drinking water has become a public health concern. To examine whether perchlorate pollution in source water causes a risk to populations of different age groups exposed to residues in drinking water, the spatial distribution of perchlorate levels in source water and drinking water from eight major water basins in China in 2019 was quantified with ion chromatography. The average daily potential dose (ADD) of perchlorate from drinking water intake was estimated for different age groups in the Chinese population. The health risks were quantified by dividing the ADD by the reference dose corresponding to 50% inhibition of iodide uptake. The results revealed that source water contamination was the main factor in population exposure to perchlorate via drinking water. A significant difference in perchlorate contamination was observed, ranging from 5.03 µg/L to 1.80 mg/L, and high perchlorate contamination levels were detected in industrial areas with a high concentration of firework production. In contrast to previously inferred possible sources of perchlorate, i.e., emissions from the production of rockets and missiles, firework production was identified as the dominant source of perchlorate exposure via drinking water in this study. This investigation was conducted five years ago; however, the identification of sampling locations with a health risk quotient above 1 provides quantitative evidence that exposure to perchlorate in drinking water poses a risk to residents in areas affected by source pollution, and the results are helpful for identifying priority risk control areas.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89057-2PerchlorateSource waterDrinking waterExposure evaluationInhibition of iodide uptake
spellingShingle Jia Lyu
Yongyan Chen
Lan Zhang
Xu Yan
Muyesaier Tudi
Exposure to perchlorate via drinking water from eight major water basins in China and its health risks across different age groups
Scientific Reports
Perchlorate
Source water
Drinking water
Exposure evaluation
Inhibition of iodide uptake
title Exposure to perchlorate via drinking water from eight major water basins in China and its health risks across different age groups
title_full Exposure to perchlorate via drinking water from eight major water basins in China and its health risks across different age groups
title_fullStr Exposure to perchlorate via drinking water from eight major water basins in China and its health risks across different age groups
title_full_unstemmed Exposure to perchlorate via drinking water from eight major water basins in China and its health risks across different age groups
title_short Exposure to perchlorate via drinking water from eight major water basins in China and its health risks across different age groups
title_sort exposure to perchlorate via drinking water from eight major water basins in china and its health risks across different age groups
topic Perchlorate
Source water
Drinking water
Exposure evaluation
Inhibition of iodide uptake
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89057-2
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