A new study from NYU Langone Health, Columbia University and the University of Chicago highlights the lifesaving benefits of reducing arsenic levels in drinking water, emphasizing the global need for mitigation efforts.
A landmark study by researchers from NYU Langone Health, Columbia University and the University of Chicago reveals that reducing the amount of arsenic in drinking water can lead to a significant decrease in deaths from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), underscores the critical public health implications of groundwater contamination by naturally occurring arsenic. This pervasive issue affects over 100 million Americans who rely on potentially contaminated private wells for their drinking water.
The researchers monitored the drinking water and health records of 10,977 men and women in Bangladesh from 2002 to 2022. Over the study’s 20-year span, efforts to decrease arsenic levels resulted in a 70% reduction of the chemical in participants’ drinking water. Correspondingly, arsenic levels in urine samples from the participants were halved.
Comparative analysis showed those who reduced their arsenic exposure had a 54% lower risk of death from all chronic diseases. Particularly noteworthy were the findings for heart disease and cancer, with risks dropping by 57% and 49%, respectively.
“Our study provides the strongest evidence to date that lowering arsenic in drinking water can lower death rates from chronic disease,” co-lead investigator Fen Wu, a senior research scientist at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in a news release.
Arsenic contamination in water remains a significant threat as it naturally accumulates in groundwater and lacks taste and odor, leading to unintentional prolonged exposure.
“Our research supports switching to safer water sources as a strategy to improve long-term health around the world,” added senior investigator Yu Chen, a professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
The findings echo previous studies in regions of Taiwan and Chile, where significant changes in heart disease and cancer mortality were connected to reduced arsenic levels, and offer direct evidence from a region with moderate arsenic exposure.
In Bangladesh, a country facing severe challenges related to arsenic-contaminated drinking water, more than 50 million people are exposed to arsenic levels exceeding the World Health Organization’s standard of 10 micrograms per liter. The study’s strategy included labeling wells indicating arsenic levels, community education on safer water sources, and the drilling of new wells with lower arsenic concentrations.
During the study, participants’ urine samples were tested periodically, allowing researchers to monitor changes in arsenic exposure over time. The investigation recorded 1,401 deaths among the participants from chronic diseases, including 730 from cardiovascular disease and 256 from cancer.
The study not only highlights the health benefits of reducing arsenic exposure but also underscores the necessity for better access to low-arsenic water sources, routine water testing and clear communication about water safety.
The researchers stress the global importance of these findings, advocating for policies and practices that prioritize safe drinking water to prevent chronic health issues.
The research team included co-investigator Mengling Liu, a professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, co-lead investigator Alexander van Geen from Columbia University, and other experts from from Columbia University, the University of Chicago, the University of Dhaka and Boston University.
Source: NYU Langone Health