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Different forms of mineral nitrogen in drinking water and the Balkan nephropathy

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Abstract

In a village affected by the endemic Balkan nephropathy (BN), concentrations of different forms of nitrogen in well-water were examined. While the amounts of exchangeable ammonium and nitrate were mostly within permissible limits, nitrite content was often extremely high. The increased nitrite concentration and diminished nitrate/nitrite ratio were found in 9 (out of 10) wells used by households with BN affected members, and in 6 (out of 10) wells used by BN-free house-holds. The differences are not statistically significant, but this clue should be followed. Though not likely to be a direct cause of BN, these parameters may well serve as indicators of factors causally related to the disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Epidemiology, Višegradska 26, 11000, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

    Zoran Radovanović (Professor) & Dragi Stevanović

  2. Institute of Soil Research, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

    Zoran Radovanović (Professor) & Dragi Stevanović

Authors
  1. Zoran Radovanović
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  2. Dragi Stevanović
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Radovanović, Z., Stevanović, D. Different forms of mineral nitrogen in drinking water and the Balkan nephropathy. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 17, 813–815 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01061986

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01061986

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