Johnson C J, Kross B C
Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.
Am J Ind Med. 1990;18(4):449-56. doi: 10.1002/ajim.4700180416.
The contamination of groundwater and rural drinking water supplies by nitrates from livestock and human excrement, other organic waste, or chemical fertilizers is a potential hazard throughout the world. Infant illness and death from nitrate-induced methemoglobinemia is probably often misdiagnosed, perhaps as sudden infant death syndrome, and certainly contributes to the national infant death rate statistics. A 1950 report listed 144 cases of infant methemoglobinemia with 14 deaths in one 30-month period in Minnesota. Infant deaths resulting from misdiagnosis of this preventable, treatable intoxication were still occurring as recently as 1986 in South Dakota. In this state, about 39% of dug or bored wells were unsafe due to high nitrate content, compared with 22% of drilled wells and 16% of driven wells. Properly constructed wells more than 30 m deep are more likely to be safe. Groundwater concentrations of nitrate may be unsafe for consumption, and standards are needed to regulate such contamination. Such standards could serve as guidelines and could be enforceable in the case of water systems dependent on wells.
来自牲畜粪便、人类排泄物、其他有机废物或化肥的硝酸盐对地下水和农村饮用水供应造成污染，这在全球都是一个潜在危害。因硝酸盐引起的高铁血红蛋白血症导致的婴儿患病和死亡可能常常被误诊，也许被误诊为婴儿猝死综合征，并且这无疑影响了全国婴儿死亡率统计数据。1950年的一份报告列出了明尼苏达州在一个30个月期间内144例婴儿高铁血红蛋白血症病例，其中14例死亡。直到1986年，南达科他州仍有因误诊这种可预防、可治疗的中毒症而导致的婴儿死亡事件发生。在该州，约39%的挖井或钻孔井因硝酸盐含量高而不安全，相比之下，钻井的这一比例为22%，打入式井为16%。建造得当、深度超过30米的井更有可能是安全的。地下水中的硝酸盐浓度可能对饮用不安全，因此需要制定标准来管控此类污染。此类标准可作为指导方针，并且对于依赖水井的供水系统而言是可强制执行的。
