title: Risk assessment of trihalomethanes from tap water in Fortaleza, Brazil.
abstract: The cancer risks (CR) by oral ingestion, dermal absorption, and inhalation exposure of trihalomethanes (THM) from tap water of ten districts in Fortaleza, Brazil were estimated. The mean levels of THM compounds were obtained in Fortaleza tap water as follow: 63.9 microg L(-1) for chloroform (CHCl(3)), 40.0 microg L(-1) for bromodichloromethane (CHBrCl(2)), and 15.6 microg L(-1) for dibromochloromethane (CHBr(2)Cl). Bromoform (CHBr(3)) was not detected. The mean CR for THMs in tap water is 3.96 x 10(-4). The results indicate that Fortaleza residents have a higher CR by inhalation than dermal absorption and oral ingestion. The CR for CHCl(3) contributes with 68% as compared with the total CR, followed by CHBrCl(2) (21%), and CHBr(2)Cl (11%). The hazard index (HI) is about ten times lower than unity, not indicating non-cancer effects.
authors: Departamento de Química e Física Molecular, Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400 Cx. Postal 780, 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil. rommel@iqsc.usp.br
authors: Rommel B
authors: RB
authors: Viana
authors: Rivelino M
authors: RM
authors: Cavalcante
authors: Fuad M G
authors: FM
authors: Braga
authors: Anderson B
authors: AB
authors: Viana
authors: José C
authors: JC
authors: de Araujo
authors: Ronaldo F
authors: RF
authors: Nascimento
authors: André S
authors: AS
authors: Pimentel
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002947:Cities; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced; D018570:Risk Assessment; D022882:Trihalomethanes / Q000032:analysis*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D022882:Trihalomethanes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water