受污染的自来水，可能导致超10万美国癌症病例

研究表明，受污染的自来水可能导致超10万美国癌症病例

Contaminated tap water — containing arsenic and other chemicals — could be to blame for more than 100,000 cancer cases in the US over a lifetime, a new study revealed.

一项新的研究显示，受污染的自来水——含砷和其他化学物质——可能是美国人一生中超过10万例癌症病例的罪魁祸首。

The Environmental Working Group study, published Thursday in the peer-reviewed journal Heylion, analyzed contaminant occurrence in the nation’s drinking water from 2010 to 2017. Researchers determined that most of the cancer risk comes from arsenic, disinfectant byproducts and radioactive contaminants.

环境工作组的这项研究周四发表在同行评议的《Heylion》杂志上，分析了2010年至2017年美国饮用水中污染物的发生情况。研究人员确定，大多数癌症风险来自砷、消毒副产品和放射性污染物。

“We want people to realize that water that meets legal specifications may still cause health risks based on the latest science,” lead study author Sydney Evans told The Guardian. “This is a concern nationwide, whether urban or rural, with a small or large [water system].”

“我们希望人们意识到，根据最新的科学研究，符合法定规格的水仍然可能会导致健康风险，”研究报告的主要作者悉尼·埃文斯告诉卫报。“这是一个全国性的问题，无论是城市还是农村，无论是小型还是大型(供水系统)。”

The number of cancer cases from water contamination specifically pales in comparison to the total number of cancer cases — the American Cancer society reported about 1.7 million new cases in 2018.

与癌症病例总数相比，来自水污染的癌症病例数量尤其相形见绌——美国癌症协会(American Cancer Society)在2018年报告了约170万例新病例。

However, water contamination is behind a high percentage of cancer cases caused by environmental factors, Olga Naidenko, VP of science investigations at the Environmental Working Group, told The Guardian.

不过，环境工作组科学调查副总裁奥尔加·奈登科(olga naidenko)告诉《卫报》，水污染是导致高比例癌症病例的原因。

While the US has largely eliminated biological contaminants like E. coli — which is more common in developing nations — from its water, other contaminants can still make people sick, the research revealed.

研究显示，虽然美国已经基本上消除了水中的大肠杆菌等生物污染物(在发展中国家更为常见)，但其他污染物仍然会让人生病。

“Water contaminants present in large communities contribute a significant share of overall cancer risk associated with drinking water,” the study says.

研究称：“大型社区存在的水污染物在与饮用水相关的总体癌症风险中占了相当大的比例。”

Researchers analyzed water quality profiles for more than 48,000 community water systems — not including information for about 13.5 million American households (or 14 percent of the population) that get their water from private wells.

研究人员分析了48000多个社区供水系统的水质状况，其中不包括1350万个从私人水井取水的美国家庭(占总人口的14%)的信息。

Researchers recommend that people check their own local water reports and determine whether a filter is necessary.

研究人员建议人们查看当地的水质报告，确定是否有必要安装过滤器。