Testing for heavy metals in drinking water collected from Dog Aging Project participants

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Veterinary Medicine
• Toxicology

Background:

• Groundwater contamination by heavy metals poses risks to drinking water quality.
• The Dog Aging Project (DAP) provided a unique cohort of dogs not connected to municipal water supplies.
• Understanding metal exposure in canine drinking water is crucial for animal and potentially human health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the presence and levels of 28 metals, including EPA-regulated heavy metals, in the drinking water of DAP dogs.
• To investigate associations between water source characteristics, metal concentrations, and canine disease development.
• To evaluate the feasibility of at-home water sampling for detecting metal contaminants.

Main Methods:

• Pilot study involving 200 DAP dog owners across 10 selected states.
• Analysis of 28 metals in home-collected drinking water samples.
• Regression modeling to explore relationships between water quality, metal levels, and health outcomes.

Main Results:

• All tested metals were detected in the drinking water samples.
• 126 instances exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) or health guidance levels for specific metals (e.g., arsenic, lead, copper).
• Potential associations were found between titanium/chromium and specific canine health conditions.

Conclusions:

• At-home sampling is effective for detecting metal contaminants in canine drinking water.
• Elevated metal levels in drinking water are prevalent and may be linked to canine health issues.
• Dogs can serve as valuable sentinels for assessing environmental drinking water quality and associated health risks for humans.