Superfund Research Program

February 2026

Health Effects: Human Studies

Researchers funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) found that long-term exposure to uranium in drinking water may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD), even at concentrations below current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory limits. The study was led by scientists at the Columbia University SRP Center.

Uranium and arsenic can enter drinking water naturally from rocks and soil or through activities such as fertilizer use, irrigated agriculture, mining, and groundwater depletion. Because the kidneys filter most uranium from the body, they are especially vulnerable to its toxic effects. CKD is a growing health concern in the U.S., typically linked to factors like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. However, researchers are now studying whether environmental exposures also play a role.

To investigate these risks, the Columbia team analyzed data from more than 88,000 women in the California Teachers Study. They linked participants’ residential addresses to records of uranium and arsenic levels in community water systems from 1995 to 2005. They also monitored health outcomes through hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and mortality records up to 2018.

The study revealed that most exposures levels fell below EPA’s health-protective thresholds of 30 micrograms per liter (μg/L) for uranium and 10 μg/L for arsenic. Despite this, women exposed to uranium at 10-15 μg/L faced more than a 30% greater likelihood of developing CKD compared to women with exposures below 2 μg/L. Uranium exposure generally showed a strong positive link with CKD risk. Arsenic exposure did not show a clear connection to CKD in the overall group, but younger women and those who developed diabetes or cardiovascular disease had a stronger connection between arsenic exposure and CKD.

These findings suggest that even relatively low levels of uranium in drinking water may contribute to kidney disease. According to the authors, this study underscores the importance of considering environmental exposures when studying CKD risk.

To learn more, please refer to the following source:

Medgyesi DN, Mohan S, Bangia K, Spielfogel ES, Spaur M, Basu A, Fisher JA, Madrigal JM, Domingo-Relloso A, Jones RR, Ward MH, Lacey JV Jr, Sanchez TR; California Teachers Study Investigators. 2025. Long-Term Exposure to Uranium and Arsenic in Community Drinking Water and CKD Risk Among California Women. Am J Kidney Dis 86(2):222-235.e1. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2025.04.008. PMID: 40381930.