Elevated exposure to arsenic disproportionately affects populations relying on private well water in the United States (US). This includes many American Indian (AI) communities where naturally occurring arsenic is often above 10 µg/L, the current US Environmental Protection Agency safety standard. The Strong Heart Water Study is a randomized controlled trial aiming to reduce arsenic exposure to private well water users in AI communities in North Dakota and South Dakota. In preparation for this intervention, 371 households were included in a community water arsenic testing program to identify households with arsenic ≥10 µg/L by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Arsenic ≥10 µg/L was found in 97/371 (26.1%) households; median water arsenic concentration was 6.3 µg/L, ranging from <1–198 µg/L. Silica was identified as a water quality parameter that could impact the efficacy of arsenic removal devices to be installed. A low-range field rapid arsenic testing kit evaluated in a small number of households was found to have low accuracy; therefore, not an option for the screening of affected households in this setting. In a pilot study of the effectiveness of a point-of-use adsorptive media water filtration device for arsenic removal, all devices installed removed arsenic below 1 µg/L at both installation and 9 months post-installation. This study identified a relatively high burden of arsenic in AI study communities as well as an effective water filtration device to reduce arsenic in these communities. The long-term efficacy of a community based arsenic mitigation program in reducing arsenic exposure and preventing arsenic related disease is being tested as part of the Strong Heart Water Study.

在美国，砷暴露量的增加对依赖私人井水的人群造成了不成比例的影响。这包括许多美洲印第安人 (AI) 社区，这些社区中天然存在的砷含量通常高于 10 µg/L（美国环境保护局现行安全标准）。强心水研究是一项随机对照试验，旨在减少北达科他州和南达科他州人工智能社区私人井水用户的砷暴露。为了准备这项干预措施，371 个家庭被纳入社区水砷检测计划，通过电感耦合等离子体质谱 (ICP-MS) 来识别砷≥10 µg/L 的家庭。 97/371 (26.1%) 户家庭砷含量≥10 µg/L；水中砷浓度中位数为 6.3 µg/L，范围为 <1–198 µg/L。二氧化硅被认为是一个水质参数，可能会影响要安装的除砷装置的功效。在少数家庭中进行评估的低量程现场快速砷检测试剂盒被发现准确度较低；因此，在这种情况下，不能选择对受影响家庭进行筛查。在一项关于使用点吸附介质水过滤装置除砷效果的试点研究中，所有安装的装置在安装时和安装后 9 个月的砷去除量均低于 1 µg/L。这项研究确定了人工智能研究社区中砷的负担相对较高，以及一种有效的水过滤装置来减少这些社区中的砷。作为强心水研究的一部分，正在测试以社区为基础的砷减排计划在减少砷暴露和预防砷相关疾病方面的长期功效。