Guidelines for Canadian drinking water quality boron: Rationale for maximum acceptable concentration (English, HTML)

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Publisher-reported update

2024-06-28

Boron can be present in drinking water supplies through weathering of boron-containing rocks and soils, seawater spray and volcanoes as well as from anthropogenic sources such as wastewater from municipal sewage treatment and industrial processes, pesticide application and other human activities. In most Canadian drinking water supplies, boron is below 0.1 mg/L. Higher concentrations of boron (1 mg/L to 8 mg/L) can be found in certain areas of Canada, particularly in groundwater supplies in areas with naturally occurring boron. The main source for Canadians' exposure to boron is through food, although consumer products can also contribute significantly to exposure. Exposure through drinking water can contribute up to 16% of total dietary exposure. Reproduction and development are considered to be the most sensitive health endpoints for boron toxicity. Studies in humans have found possible associations between boron and effects to reproduction and development. However, these have several design limitations and cannot be used for risk assessment. Studies in animals have consistently observed adverse effects to the male reproductive system following ingestion of high levels of…

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