IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jenvss/v15y2025i1d10.1007_s13412-024-01001-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Metal(loid) concentrations in drinking water and public perception of water quality in the Arizona–Mexico border

Author

Listed:
  • God’sgift N. Chukwuonye

    (University of Arizona)

  • Thania Brinks

    (University of Arizona)

  • Aminata Kilungo

    (University of Arizona)

  • Mónica D. Ramírez-Andreotta

    (University of Arizona
    University of Arizona)

Abstract

Using the social determinants of health (SDOH) framework, this community-engaged study took place in Nogales and Naco, Sonora, Mexico, located along the US-Mexico border region. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between drinking water quality, perceptions, and socioeconomic factors that influence exposure pathways to metal(loid)s and create vulnerabilities. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining environmental/health surveys and analyses of 19 metal(loid)s in 60 drinking water samples collected from public sources, private wells, and pipas. All 19 metal(loid)s were below the U.S. maximum contaminant level (MCL) and Mexico standards, except for one sample with an antimony concentration of 6.43 µg L−1. Twenty-three percent of the samples were below or above a pH of 6.5–8.5, and 100% and 98% of samples exceeded the MCL goal of lead and arsenic, respectively, highlighting a potential risk of chronic exposure. Participants generally had a negative perception of water quality, frequently describing it as intermittent, unreliable, dirty, or unsuitable for drinking. Consequently, many relied on purchased bottled water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. Despite efforts to minimize exposure, some participants worked in occupations with heightened risks of exposure, and 99% reported residing near a potential pollution source. By applying the SDOH framework, this study goes beyond solely evaluating water quality by also exploring the underlying structures and systems that influence water access, usage, perceptions, environmental behaviors, vulnerabilities, and public health outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • God’sgift N. Chukwuonye & Thania Brinks & Aminata Kilungo & Mónica D. Ramírez-Andreotta, 2025. "Metal(loid) concentrations in drinking water and public perception of water quality in the Arizona–Mexico border," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:15:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s13412-024-01001-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s13412-024-01001-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13412-024-01001-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13412-024-01001-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Senhui He & Jeffrey Jordan & Krishna Paudel, 2008. "Economic evaluation of bottled water consumption as an averting means: evidence from a hedonic price analysis," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(5), pages 337-342.
    2. Arthur Moses & Jean E. T. McLain & Aminata Kilungo & Robert A. Root & Leif Abrell & Sanlyn Buxner & Flor Sandoval & Theresa Foley & Miriam Jones & Mónica D. Ramírez-Andreotta, 2022. "Minding the gap: socio-demographic factors linked to the perception of environmental pollution, water harvesting infrastructure, and gardening characteristics," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 12(3), pages 594-610, September.
    3. Balazs, C.L. & Ray, I., 2014. "The drinking water disparities framework: On the origins and persistence of inequities in exposure," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(4), pages 603-611.
    4. Gochfeld, M. & Burger, J., 2011. "Disproportionate exposures in environmental justice and other populations: The importance of outliers," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(SUPPL. 1), pages 53-63.
    5. Thomas M. Missimer & Christopher M. Teaf & William T. Beeson & Robert G. Maliva & John Woolschlager & Douglas J. Covert, 2018. "Natural Background and Anthropogenic Arsenic Enrichment in Florida Soils, Surface Water, and Groundwater: A Review with a Discussion on Public Health Risk," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-30, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lupoae, Oana-Daniela & Cristea, Dragos Sebastian & Petrea, Ștefan Mihai & Iticescu, Cătălina & Radu, Riana Iren & Isai, Violeta Maria, 2025. "A mindset toward greening the blue economy: Analyzing social environmental awareness of aquatic ecosystem protection," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    2. Maya Scott-Richardson & Marilyn O’Hara Ruiz & Rebecca L. Smith, 2019. "Florida Arsenic Distribution Index: Quantifying the Distribution of Past and Present Arsenic Usage," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-8, March.
    3. Fernandez-Bou, Angel Santiago & Rodriguez-Flores, Jose M. & Ortiz-Partida, J. Pablo & Fencl, Amanda & Classen-Rodriguez, Leticia & Yang, Vivian & Williams, Emily & Schull, Val Zayden & Dobbin, Kristin, 2024. "Cropland repurposing as a tool for water sustainability and a just socioenvironmental transition in California: Review and Best Practices," OSF Preprints bvfsm, Center for Open Science.
    4. Margaret J. Eggers & John T. Doyle & Myra J. Lefthand & Sara L. Young & Anita L. Moore-Nall & Larry Kindness & Roberta Other Medicine & Timothy E. Ford & Eric Dietrich & Albert E. Parker & Joseph H. H, 2018. "Community Engaged Cumulative Risk Assessment of Exposure to Inorganic Well Water Contaminants, Crow Reservation, Montana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-34, January.
    5. Paxton, Catherine M. & Anderson, Kayla M. & McDonald, Yolanda J., 2022. "The water sector industry workforce: A quantitative case study, Tennessee, USA," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    6. Fahad Alzahrani & Rady Tawfik & Faleh A. Ameen, 2025. "Determinants of Bottled Water Prices in Saudi Arabia: An Application of the Hedonic Price Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-13, March.
    7. Russell Triplett & Chiradip Chatterjee & Christopher K. Johnson & Parvez Ahmed, 2019. "Perceptions of Quality and Household Water Usage: A Representative Study in Jacksonville, FL," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 25(2), pages 195-208, May.
    8. Ye, Liangfei & Dong, Qianqian & Gasteyer, Stephen, 2024. "Decomposition analysis to assess intervention strategies for reducing health-related exposure disparities in Michigan public drinking water systems," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 356(C).
    9. Jacobo Núñez & David Martín‐Barroso & Francisco J. Velázquez, 2024. "The hedonic price model for the wine market: A systematic and comparative review of the literature," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 55(2), pages 247-264, March.
    10. Lee, Eun Kyung & Donley, Gwendolyn & Ciesielski, Timothy H. & Gill, India & Yamoah, Owusua & Roche, Abigail & Martinez, Roberto & Freedman, Darcy A., 2022. "Health outcomes in redlined versus non-redlined neighborhoods: A systematic review and meta-analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    11. Christine Martin & Vanessa W. Simonds & Sara L. Young & John Doyle & Myra Lefthand & Margaret J. Eggers, 2021. "Our Relationship to Water and Experience of Water Insecurity among Apsáalooke (Crow Indian) People, Montana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-20, January.
    12. Stefka Fidanova & Petar Zhivkov & Olympia Roeva, 2022. "InterCriteria Analysis Applied on Air Pollution Influence on Morbidity," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-8, April.
    13. Clare Pace & Amanda Fencl & Lauren Baehner & Heather Lukacs & Lara J. Cushing & Rachel Morello-Frosch, 2022. "The Drinking Water Tool: A Community-Driven Data Visualization Tool for Policy Implementation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-20, January.
    14. Felina M. Cordova-Marks & William O. Carson & Angela Monetathchi & Alyssa Little & Jennifer Erdrich, 2022. "Native and Indigenous Populations and Gastric Cancer: A Worldwide Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-13, April.
    15. Girma Kassie & Awudu Abdulai & Clemens Wollny, 2011. "Heteroscedastic hedonic price model for cattle in the rural markets of central Ethiopia," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(24), pages 3459-3464.
    16. Hari Prasad Pandey & Tek Narayan Maraseni & Armando Apan, 2024. "Assessing the Theoretical Scope of Environmental Justice in Contemporary Literature and Developing a Pragmatic Monitoring Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-16, December.
    17. Catherine E. LePrevost & Kathleen M. Gray & Mercedes Hernández-Pelletier & Brennan D. Bouma & Consuelo Arellano & W. Gregory Cope, 2013. "Need for Improved Risk Communication of Fish Consumption Advisories to Protect Maternal and Child Health: Influence of Primary Informants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-15, April.
    18. Qianlei Yang & Rui Yan & Yuemei Mo & Haixuan Xia & Hanyi Deng & Xiaojuan Wang & Chunchun Li & Koichi Kato & Hengdong Zhang & Tingxu Jin & Jie Zhang & Yan An, 2022. "The Potential Key Role of the NRF2/NQO1 Pathway in the Health Effects of Arsenic Pollution on SCC," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-16, July.
    19. Tarik Benmarhnia & Ianis Delpla & Lara Schwarz & Manuel J. Rodriguez & Patrick Levallois, 2018. "Heterogeneity in the Relationship between Disinfection By-Products in Drinking Water and Cancer: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-13, May.
    20. John T. Doyle & Larry Kindness & James Realbird & Margaret J. Eggers & Anne K. Camper, 2018. "Challenges and Opportunities for Tribal Waters: Addressing Disparities in Safe Public Drinking Water on the Crow Reservation in Montana, USA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:15:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s13412-024-01001-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.