Gender trend in levels of methemoglobin in children due to consumption of water contaminated by nitrates

Abstract

Introduction. Nitrates are one of the contaminants in drinking water, produced by excessive fertilization of fields and lack of environmental management of manure by livestock. Methemoglobin levels in children were analyzed, as well as the association between N-NO3⁻ levels in drinking water.
Material and methods. From a universe of 1,750 children living in the ten communities, a sample of 346 children from 1 to 12 years of age was taken, 196 were girls (56.64%); 150 children (43.36%), with an exposure ranging from 12 to 83 mg/L of N-NO3⁻.
Results. When reviewing the data, some factors can potentiate the increase in methemoglobin levels, such as the intake of well water, OR=1.87 p<0.18 (95% CI). One of the findings found was the gender trend since a greater risk of presenting detectable levels of methemoglobin was found in boys than in girls, being 1.5 times more in boys than girls, p<0.05, which is very probable. Due to the activities that children carry out at a very young age in the countryside, it is easier to consume water from contaminated agricultural wells.