| Gastrointestinal Upsets Associated with Ingestion of Copper-contaminated Water Abstract
1
Bureau of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services, Madison, WI 53703-3044 USA
2
Dane County Public Health Department, Madison, WI 53704 USA
3
Juneau County Nursing Service, Mauston, WI 53948 USA
4
EauClaire City/County Health Department, EauClaire, WI 54703 USA Abstract
During 1992 and 1993 the Wisconsin Division of Health investigated five cases in which copper-contaminated drinking water was suspected of causing gastrointestinal upsets. Each of these case studies was conducted after our office was notified of high copper levels in drinking water or notified of unexplained illnesses. Our findings suggest that drinking water that contains copper at levels above the federal action limit of 1.3 mg/l may be a relatively common cause of diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and nausea. These symptoms occurred most frequently in infants and young children and among residents of newly constructed or renovated homes. Key words : copper, cramps, diarrhea, drinking water, nausea. Environ Health Perspect 102:958-961 (1994) http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1994/102-11/knobeloch.html
Address correspondence to L. Knobeloch, Bureau of Public Health, 1414 E. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53703-3044 USA. Received 2 June 1994 ; accepted 3 August 1994.
The full version of this article is available for free in HTML format. |
