Published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study provides the first long-term, individual-level evidence that reducing arsenic exposure may lower mortality, even among people exposed to the toxic contaminant for years.

The landmark analysis, led by researchers at Columbia University and New York University, is important for public health because groundwater contamination from naturally occurring arsenic remains a serious issue worldwide. In the United States, more than 100 million people rely on potentially contaminated groundwater sources, especially private wells, for their drinking water. Arsenic is among the most common chemical pollutants.

A rare, genetic disorder that affects bone marrow that prevents the production of healthy blood cells and platelets, usually leading to birth defects, blood disorders, and cancers in children and adolescents, has recently been discovered to also impact neurological health, prompting a novel study in the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy to search for treatments for Fanconi Anemia Neurological Syndrome.