APHL 2019 POSTER ABSTRACTS
Health (NJDOH), partnered with Environmental and Occupational
Health and Sciences Institute (EOHSI) from Rutgers University and
NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), initiated an
exposure study to monitor the change of PFNA in serum of local
residents after interventions. This study, using a convenience
sampling approach, aims to measure PFNA and additional 11 PFAS
(listed in CDC Method) in serum for three consecutive years, once
per year, for a target population size of 100-120 volunteers. The
selection criteria for subjects are residents, between the ages of
20-74, who have lived in the affected communities for at least two
years prior to interventions. Drinking water and house dust were
also measured for 14 PFAS (listed in EPA Method 537) in first year
to confirm the water PFNA met the criteria and the house dust was
not contaminated. Questionnaires were administered to collect
information on demographics and potential PFNA sources. The
first-year study was completed with recruiting 120 subjects and
105 home visits were made. Among the collected samples, 120
sera, 105 tap waters, and 74 house dust samples were analyzed
at PHEL-NJDOH. The average PFNA serum level from the recruited
volunteers (n=120) was ~4 times higher than the national level
(CDC NHANES in 2013-2014). All PFNA water levels were lower
than NJDEP PFNA drinking water standard (<13 ng/L) and PFNA
in house dust for all homes was not significantly higher than the
levels found in control homes (n=20). The second-year study is
ongoing; ~86 serum samples were collected to date, and 45 sera
were analyzed. Results showed on average 13% reduction of PFNA
was observed from Year 1 to Year 2 from the same 45 subjects. The
second-year serum collection will be completed by March 2019.
The half-life of PFNA will be estimated after completion of the third
collection. In addition, estimated PFNA half-life will be obtained from
individualized Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modelling
(PBPK) that incorporates exposure estimates based on reported
water consumption for each subject while they resided in the
affected area. This study will provide useful scientific background
to help design future biomonitoring studies to determine cross-
sectional PFAS levels and track the trends of PFAS body burdens.
Presenter: Chang Ho Yu, New Jersey Department of Health, Ewing,
NJ, [email protected]
Legionella spp. Monitoring in New York City’s Water
Distribution System
E. Omoregie 1 , A. Szczerba 2 , J. Novak 1 , S. Hughes 1 , A. Capetanakis 2 ,
S. Feud 2 , J. Rakeman 1 ; 1 New York City Public Health Laboratory,
2
New York City Department of Environmental Protection
Legionella, primarily Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, is the
causative organism for legionellosis and has received increased
attention as a result of several highly publicized national outbreaks
of Legionnaires disease. Legionella spp. are ubiquitous in aquatic
systems and have been shown to be present in source and
distribution waters. The presence of Legionella spp. in NYC’s
drinking water distribution system has not been systematically
investigated. Therefore, the NYC Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) and NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
(DOHMH) conducted a joint one-year longitudinal study to determine
the prevalence and distribution of Legionella spp. in NYC source
water and the distribution system.
Twelve monthly sampling events took place between November
2017 and October 2018. A total of 255 water samples were
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collected from 19 locations each month, representing water from
NYC’s watersheds. Samples from different stages of water treatment
were tested, including untreated source water, prefinished water and
finished waters from various distribution sites including those with
historically low residual chlorine levels and longest residence times.
Physicochemical and microbial characteristics were measured for
all samples and Legionella detection was conducted using PCR and
culture methods.
All water samples met applicable (EPA and NYS) water quality
guidelines for physiochemical and microbiological parameters, and.
Legionella spp. were infrequently detected by culture. Legionella
spp. DNA was detected by PCR in all (23/23) untreated source
water samples, but Legionella DNA detection in prefinished and
finished water samples was variable. In total, 88% (202/231) of
the water samples had detectable Legionella spp. DNA, which
is unsurprising given Legionella spp. are ubiquitous in aquatic
environments. Despite frequent detection of Legionella DNA
throughout the distribution system, only 2.5% (6/231) of samples
were culture positive. L. bozemanii (50 CFU/100 mL) was recovered
in the same source water site on two occasions and L. pneumophila
(1 - 20 CFU/100 mL) was recovered from the same distribution site
on four occasions. Results did not indicate a correlation between
L. pneumophila recovery and physicochemical changes within the
distribution system. However, the positive distribution site was in the
midst of an ongoing new main replacement and street construction
project. Although Legionella DNA was detected throughout the
distribution system, the lack of recoverable Legionella in samples
collected in this study suggest these Legionella were non-viable and
that the current disinfection practices are effective in protecting
against the presence of Legionella spp. in New York City’s water
supply.
Presenter: Enoma Omoregie, New York City Public Health
Laboratory, New York, NY, [email protected]
Iowa Private Well Survey: Partnerships for Public Health
and Emerging Contaminants Research
M. Schueller, M. Pentella and A. Mattson, State Hygienic Laboratory
at the University of Iowa
The quality of water sources from which people receive drinking
water is of utmost importance to the health of the served
population. Private well water consumers in the United States are
an under served and under-protected population relative to public
health. It is estimated that more than 13 million households and
one out of nine Americans rely on private wells for drinking water.
Private wells are generally not regulated for routine testing and
monitoring them for water quality assurances is at the discretion
of the private well owners. Inconsistent testing requirements and
lack of regulation for private wells presents challenges for public
health in rural communities. The State of Iowa has approximately
110,000 private wells that provide drinking water to nearly 300,000
people living primarily in rural settings. Private wells in Iowa are
not regulated for minimum quality requirements for any chemical,
biological or microbiological compounds. The State Hygienic
Laboratory at the University of Iowa (SHL), in strong partnership
with county public health departments, initiated the Iowa Well
Survey (IWS) in the fall of 2017. The IWS is a sustained, statewide
effort to reach more private well owners and present them with
an opportunity to have their well(s) tested, free of charge. SHL has
Summer 2019 LAB MATTERS
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