AWWA WQTC58989

The primary objective of this study was to examine the extent to which common, everyday water use activities in a household environment result in significant increases in the levels of trihalomethanes (THMs) in the blood. The study was conducted in a North Carolina community and a community in Texas. The study recruited several male and female volunteers from each community to participate in a number of different activities involving the use of tap water. Using a residential setting as a controlled environment, blood, air, and water samples were collected while subjects performed well-defined and well-characterized household activities, including showering, bathing, residing in an adjoining room during a shower, eating prepared meals, drinking cool tap water, preparing and drinking a hot water-based beverage made from tap water, washing dishes by hand, washing dishes in an automatic dishwasher, washing and drying clothes, washing clothes using a chlorine-based bleach, and washing hands with warm water. All activities were standardized, e.g., duration of activity, water temperature, amount of water consumption, etc. The water and air samples were collected while the subjects were performing these activities. The blood samples were taken before and after the exposures. The biological and environmental samples were analyzed for the four THM species. Relationships between THM concentrations in tap water and in air are presented, along with a comparison of how these concentrations impact individual exposures as measured by the corresponding blood concentrations after each water use activity. Includes 17 references, table, figures.