The Intersection of Groundwater Contamination and Human Health: Summary of an Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

Some characteristics of karst aquifers make them particularly susceptible to contamination. The reliance on groundwater for drinking supplies in karst regions creates the potential for public health effects. Elucidating potential human exposure and health effects requires an unexploited multidisciplinary approach that was the focus of this conference. Diverse perspectives on the hydrology, geochemistry, and microbiology of karst systems, contaminant transport, exposure concentrations and human health, and regulatory approaches bring us closer to our goal of protecting human health. Summaries of the keynote and research talks are given here. Group discussions are reported as conclusions and recommendations from the conference. New investigative tools, improved quantitative approaches, innovative data analysis, and true multidisciplinary studies are necessary to advance knowledge in this field.