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The correlation of arsenic levels in drinking water with the biological samples of skin disorders
Abstract
Arsenic (As) poisoning has become a worldwide public health concern. The skin is quite sensitive to As and skin lesions are the most common and earliest nonmalignant effects associated to chronic As exposure. In 2005-2007, a survey was carried out on surface and groundwater arsenic contamination and relationships between As exposure via the drinking water and related adverse health effects (melanosis and keratosis) on villagers resides on the banks of Manchar lake, southern part of Sindh, Pakistan. We screened the population from arsenic-affected villages, 61 to 73% population were identified patients suffering from chronic arsenic toxicity. The effects of As toxicity via drinking water were estimated by biological samples (scalp hair and blood) of adults (males and females), have or have not skin problem (n=187). The referent samples of both genders were also collected from the areas having low level of As (<10 microg/L) in drinking water (n=121). Arsenic concentration in drinking water and biological samples were analyzed using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The range of arsenic concentrations in lake surface water was 35.2-158 microg/L, which is 3-15 folds higher than World Health Organization [WHO, 2004. Guidelines for drinking-water quality third ed., WHO Geneva Switzerland.]. It was observed that As concentration in the scalp hair and blood samples were above the range of permissible values 0.034-0.319 microg As/g for hair and <0.5-4.2 microg/L for blood. The linear regressions showed good correlations between arsenic concentrations in water versus hair and blood samples of exposed skin diseased subjects (R2=0.852 and 0.718) as compared to non-diseased subjects (R2=0.573 and 0.351), respectively.
... For example, some surface and groundwaters in Pakistan contain >50 μg L − 1 As, adversely affecting human health (Samrana et al., 2017). Specifically, the groundwater levels of As exceed the WHO limit of 10 μg L − 1 in many areas of several provinces of Pakistan (Rasool et al., 2018;Shahid et al., 2015;Sultana et al., 2014;Nickson et al., 2005;Kazi et al., 2009;Fatmi et al., 2009). Kazi et al. (2009) reported that 20 and 36% of the population in Punjab and Sindh provinces, respectively, consume groundwater containing >10 μg L − 1 As. ...
... Specifically, the groundwater levels of As exceed the WHO limit of 10 μg L − 1 in many areas of several provinces of Pakistan (Rasool et al., 2018;Shahid et al., 2015;Sultana et al., 2014;Nickson et al., 2005;Kazi et al., 2009;Fatmi et al., 2009). Kazi et al. (2009) reported that 20 and 36% of the population in Punjab and Sindh provinces, respectively, consume groundwater containing >10 μg L − 1 As. Recently, Javed et al. (2021) confirmed the presence of 65 μg L − 1 As in the well-water of the Ravi flood plain with a hazard quotient of 9.09 and cancer risk of 4.09 × 10 − 3 for the consumers of that area. ...
... In Pakistan, the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) defined the permissible As groundwater level to be 10 μg/L (WHO). Many studies carried out in different areas of Pakistan, e.g., Sheikhupura, Khairpur, Jamshoro, Lahore, Hasilpur, Vehari, etc. covered the aspects of arsenic exposure and its effect on human beings and endorsed that arsenic is exceeding the WHO limits there (Fatmi et al. 2009;Kazi et al. 2009;Sultana et al. 2014;Gilani et al. 2016;Waqas et al., 2017;Tabassum et al. 2019;Shahid et al. 2018;Javaid et al., 2019;Shah et al., 2020). The lives of estimated 4.75 million Pakistani citizens are at risk because of high arsenic concentrations (Shahid et al. 2018). ...
... This can be supported by the epidemiological and clinical evidences of As polluted water uptake and resulting skin lesions (Fatmi et al. 2013;Nafees et al. 2011). The cases of skin hyperpigmentation, bone deformity, ulcers, hyperkeratosis and respiratory disorders have been reported among the residents of different regions of Pakistan Ahmad et al. 2004;Bibi et al. 2015, Farooqi et al. 2007Kazi et al. 2009;Fatmi et al. 2009). It can be assessed from the current study that people living on or near the banks of river and other hotspots will be affected greatly due to high As levels in the groundwater and the outcomes can become severe if they continue the use of contaminated groundwater. ...
Use of groundwater for drinking purpose poses serious hazards of arsenic contamination particularly in plains of western Himalayan region. Therefore, current study was designed to investigate the level of Arsenic (As) in the water obtained from tubewells in a metropolitan city of Lahore, Pakistan and assess the human health risk. So, a total of 73 tubewells were sampled randomly in the manner that the whole study region was covered without any clustering. The water samples were analyzed for As using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. These samples were also tested for total dissolved solids, chlorides, pH, alkalinity, turbidity, hardness and calcium. GIS based hotspots analysis technique was used to investigate the spatial distribution patterns. Our results revealed that only one sample out of total 73 had arsenic level below the WHO guideline of 10 μg/L. The spatial distribution map of arsenic revealed that the higher concentrations of arsenic are present in the north-western region of Lahore. The cluster and outlier analysis map using Anselin Local Moran's I statistic indicated the presence of an arsenic cluster in the west of River Ravi. Furthermore, the optimized hotspot analysis based on Getis-Ord Gi* statistics confirmed the statistical significance (P < 0.05) and (P < 0.01) of these samples from the vicinity of River Ravi. Regression analysis showed that variables such as turbidity, alkalinity, hardness, chlorides, calcium and total dissolved solids were significantly (all P < 0.05) associated with level of Arsenic in tubewells. Whereas, PH and electrical conductivity and other variables like town, year of installation, depth and diameter of the wells were not significantly associated with Arsenic concentrations in tubewells. Principal component analysis (PCA) exhibited that the random distribution of tubewell samples showed no distinct clustering with towns studied. Health risk assessment based on hazard and Cancer risk index revealed serious risk of developing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic diseases particularly in children. The health risk due to prevalence of high As concentration in tubewells’ water need to be mitigated immediately to avoid worst consequences in future.
... In Pakistan, a number of studies have been reported in the recent past regarding the exposure and effects of As on human health (Shah et al. 2020;Shahid et al. 2018a, b;Tabassum et al. 2018;Gilani et al. 2016). Different areas in Pakistan such as Vehari, Hasilpur, Sheikhupura, Jamshoro, Lahore, and Khairpur were detected with more elevated As levels than that of the WHO guidelines (Shah et al. 2020;Shahid et al. 2018a, b;Tabassum et al. 2018;Javaid et al. 2019;Gilani et al. 2016;Sultana et al. 2014;Kazi et al. 2009;Waqas et al. 2017;Fatmi et al. 2009). Moreover, it is recently estimated that about 4.75 million people in Pakistan are being exposed to elevated levels of As (Shahid et al. 2018a, b). ...
... Moreover, arsenicosis can appear due to chronic and acute exposure to As. In Pakistan, cases of bone deformity, hyperkeratosis, skin hyperpigmentation, ulcers, and respiratory disorders have been reported among inhabitants of different areas (Farooqi et al. 2003;Fatmi et al. 2009;Ahmad et al. 2004;Arain et al. 2009;Kazi et al. 2009;Bibi et al. 2015). It is predicted that human population inhabiting the surroundings of study area, i.e., in suburbs of Lahore, will be at a greater health risk due to consistent chronic exposure to groundwater Arsenic. ...
The exposure variation of arsenic from different ground and surface water sources has remained unpredictable which may cause severe human health problems. The current study is, therefore, designed to analyze the spatial variability of arsenic contamination in shallow aquifer and assess the potential human health risks. For this purpose, a total of 55 groundwater, 10 drain water, 4 river water, and 6 sediment samples were collected along zero to 5 km stretch of the River Ravi, Lahore. All water samples were tested for As, pH, and total dissolved solids (TDS), whereas sediments were only tested for As. Health risk models were used to predict cancer and non-cancer risk in adults and children. Among water samples, highest median (minimum–maximum) concentrations (µg/L) of As were recorded 53.32 (1.98–1555) in groundwater, followed by 53.04 (1.58–351.5) in drain water, and 4.80 (2.13–8.67) in river water, respectively, whereas As concentration (mg/kg) in river sediments was 6.03 (5.56–13.92). Variation of As in groundwater was non-significant (P > 0.05) among every 1-km stretch from the Ravi River. However, maximum median concentrations (µg/L) of 60.18 and 60.08 were recorded between 2–3 and 0–1 km from River Ravi, respectively, reflecting possible mixing of river water with shallow aquifers. A very high cancer and non-cancer risk (HI > 1.0 × 10−4) through groundwater As exposure was predicted for both children and adults. The current study concluded that prevalence of As above WHO prescribed limits in shallow aquifer along the urban stretch of the River Ravi is posing serious health risk to the exposed population.
... According to the World Health Organization (WHO), groundwater As contamination in Bangladesh was dubbed as the "largest population poisoning" in Asia (WHO, 2011). Drinking As-contaminated groundwater can increase the chronic (Ali et al., 2018) and acute (Kazi et al., 2009) health related issues in humans (As concentration spanning 20-300 µg L −1 ). It has been reported that ingestion of As-contaminated water may decrease white-and red-blood cells, damaging the blood vessels and as such causing feet and hands related health issues (Kazi et al., 2009) (Fig. S1, Supplementary Information). ...
... Drinking As-contaminated groundwater can increase the chronic (Ali et al., 2018) and acute (Kazi et al., 2009) health related issues in humans (As concentration spanning 20-300 µg L −1 ). It has been reported that ingestion of As-contaminated water may decrease white-and red-blood cells, damaging the blood vessels and as such causing feet and hands related health issues (Kazi et al., 2009) (Fig. S1, Supplementary Information). In aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, As can occur in organic (e.g., monomethylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid) and inorganic forms (i.e., arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)) (Abbas et al., 2018;Kumarathilaka et al., 2018)). ...
The contamination of aquatic systems with arsenic (As) is considered to be an internationally-important health
and environmental issue worldwide, affecting over 115 countries globally. Arsenic contamination of aquatic
ecosystems is a global threat as it can enter the food chain from As-rich water and cause harmful impacts on the
humans and other living organisms. Although different factors (e.g., pH, redox potential, iron/manganese oxides,
and microbes) control As biogeochemical cycling and speciation in water systems, the significance of algal species
in biotransformation of As is poorly understood. The overarching attribute of this review is to briefly elaborate
various As sources and its distribution in water bodies and factors affecting As biogeochemical behavior in aqueous
ecosystems. This review elucidates the intriguing role of algae in biotransformation/volatilization of As in
water bodies under environmentally-relevant conditions. Also, we critically delineate As sorption, uptake, oxidation
and reduction pathways of As by algae and their possible role in bioremediation of As-contaminated water
(e.g., drinking water, wastewater). The current review provides the updated and useful framework for government
and water treatment agencies to implement algae in As remediation programs globally.
... Skin diseases constituted a significant portion of these findings [43]. consumption of arsenic-contaminated drinking water [44]. Moreover, water pollution stemming from industrial activities can also be a causative factor in the development of skin cancer [45]. ...
Water resources are essential for a region's development, serving as a primary source of drinking water, agriculture, and industry. However, water contamination from natural and human activities is a global public health threat. This review consolidates data from various studies and reports to comprehensively examine water pollution's impact on public health. Over 80% of untreated sewage is released into water bodies, causing environmental pollution and contributing to over 50 diseases. Poor water quality is responsible for 80% of diseases and 50% of child deaths worldwide. The impact of water pollution varies regionally and by age and gender. This paper aims to clarify the link between water pollution and public health, including the association of water pollution with diarrhea, skin diseases, cancer, and impact on child health. Diarrhea is the most common waterborne illness, primarily transmitted by aquatic enteroviruses. Exposure to heavily polluted water increases the risk of skin diseases. Water pollution can affect human health through the source, treatment, and distribution of water. Prominent waterborne carcinogens include arsenic, nitrate, chromium, and trihalomethanes. To mitigate these risks, governments must strengthen water management, implement measures to improve water quality and reduce the adverse impact of water pollution on human health.
... Limited studies have reported As levels in human nails and hair in Pakistan. Kazi et al. (2009) reported a relationship between drinking water and As level in biological samples of Sheikhupura (2.68 and 2.77 μg/g in hair samples while 8.23 and 8.72 μg/L in blood samples, respectively, of males and females). However, we could not find any other study in the country reporting As levels in human nails and hair. ...
Groundwater is the most valuable natural source in our earth’s planet, being contaminated in various regions worldwide. Despite considerable research, there are scarce data regarding arsenic (As) levels in groundwater and its build-up in biological samples in Pakistan. The current investigation analyzed As contamination in four tehsils of District Khanewal (Kabirwala tehsil, Jahaniyan tehsil, Mian Channu tehsil, and Khanewal tehsil). For that, 123 groundwater samples, 19 animal milk samples, 20 human nails, and 20 human hair samples were collected from the study area. Arsenic concentration in groundwater was up to 51.8 µg/L with an average value of 7.2 µg/L. About 28 water samples (23%) had As contents > WHO limit and 38 samples (31%) > DEP-NJ limit. Low levels of As were detected in biological samples. Average As levels were 23 µg/L in the milk samples and 298 µg/kg in human hair. Arsenic contents were not detected in nail samples, except in one sample from Kabirwala tehsil. The maximum values of hazard quotient and cancer risk in District Khanewal were 4.9 and 0.0022, respectively. It is anticipated that long-term use of As-containing water may led to poisoning of humans in the study area, especially in Kabirwala. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor As contamination in the groundwater of Kabirwala tehsil to reduce the potential health hazards.
... The human population needs drinking water for retaining their life on earth. The physical and chemical characteristics of water are the major healthcontrolling factors and its good quality is responsible for ensuring healthy life in all living organisms (Kazi et al. 2009). With the beginning of industrial revolution huge amounts of toxic metals (TMs) were released to the environment (Singh and Agrawal 2010). ...
Vigorous knowledge on the occurrence and distribution of toxic metals (TMs) in the environment is needed to assess their toxicological impacts on human health especially in developing countries like Pakistan. For the first time, the concentrations of TMs like Ni, Zn, Pb, Cr, and Cd in both ground and surface water and their potential health risk in the district Buner (Pakistan) were determined using Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS, Agilent Technologies, 7500 CX, USA) and their results were compared with their safe limits defined by Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and World Health Organization WHO (2008). The concentrations of TMs, like Pb (43% and 86%), Ni (63% and 32%), Cr (41%), and Cd (1% and 20%) in drinking water samples exceeded their respective permissible limits set by Pak-EPA and WHO (2008), respectively. The mean concentrations of TMs were found in decreasing order Ni > Pb > Cr > Cd > Zn. The HRI values of TMs in drinking water samples for both adults and children were observed <1 indicating no health risk to the local population. Excessive marble industries are present in the study area; therefore, it is necessary to reduce metal contamination via proper disposal and treatment of marble wastewater, for which the government should take serious action in the study area.
... Due to the high toxicity, arsenic has severe health effects when consumed in elevated concentrations over a long period. Prolonged exposure to high levels of arsenic in drinking water has been linked to various health problems, including skin lesions, cancers (such as skin, lung, bladder, and kidney cancers), cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders [29]. Regular drinking water quality monitoring is essential to prevent an excessive amount of contamination [30]. ...
The present study was conducted to evaluate the quality of drinking water and assess the potential health hazards due to water contaminants in selected urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan. Water samples were collected from ten sites and analyzed for different physico-chemical parameters including turbidity, color, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrates, fluoride, residual chlorine, and total hardness. Additionally, heavy metal (arsenic) and microbial parameters (E. coli) were also determined in the water samples. Drinking water quality evaluation indices, including the water quality index (WQI) for physico-chemical and biological parameters and human health risk assessment (HHRA) for heavy metal were estimated using the analytical results of the target parameters. It was found in most of the areas that the levels of arsenic, fluoride, TDS, and residual chlorine were higher than those recommended by the National Environmental Quality Standard (NEQS) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. In addition to the physico-chemical parameters, microbial content (E. coli) was also found in the drinking water samples of the selected areas. Statistical analysis of the results indicated that levels of target parameters in drinking water samples are significantly different between sampling sites. The WQI for all physico-chemical and microbial parameters indicated that drinking water in most of the areas was unfit and unsuitable (WQI > 100) for drinking purposes except for the water of Bhatti Gate and Chota Gaon Shahdara with a WQI of 87 and 91, respectively. Drinking water in these areas had a very poor WQI rating. According to HHRA, drinking water from the selected sites was found to be of high risk to children and adults. The carcinogenic risk of arsenic indicated that all samples were of high risk to both adults and children (4.60 and 4.37 × 10−3, respectively). Regular monitoring of drinking water quality is essential, and proactive measures must be implemented to ensure the treatment and availability of safe drinking water in urban areas.
... The human population needs drinking water for retaining their life on earth. The physical and chemical characteristics of water are the major healthcontrolling factors and its good quality is responsible for ensuring healthy life in all living organisms (Kazi et al. 2009). With the beginning of industrial revolution huge amounts of toxic metals (TMs) were released to the environment (Singh and Agrawal 2010). ...
Vigorous knowledge on the occurrence and distribution of toxic metals (TMs) in the environment is needed to assess their toxicological impacts on human health especially in developing countries like Pakistan. For the first time, the concentrations of TMs like Ni, Zn, Pb, Cr, and Cd in both ground and surface water and their potential health risk in the district Buner (Pakistan) were determined using Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS, Agilent Technologies, 7500 CX, USA) and their results were compared with their safe limits defined by Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and World Health Organization WHO (2008). The concentrations of TMs, like Pb (43% and 86%), Ni (63% and 32%), Cr (41%), and Cd (1% and 20%) in drinking water samples exceeded their respective permissible limits set by Pak-EPA and WHO (2008), respectively. The mean concentrations of TMs were found in decreasing order Ni > Pb > Cr > Cd > Zn. The HRI values of TMs in drinking water samples for both adults and children were observed <1 indicating no health risk to the local population. Excessive marble industries are present in the study area; therefore, it is necessary to reduce metal contamination via proper disposal and treatment of marble wastewater, for which the government should take serious action in the study area.
... The human population needs drinking water for retaining their life on earth. The physical and chemical characteristics of water are the major healthcontrolling factors and its good quality is responsible for ensuring healthy life in all living organisms (Kazi et al. 2009). With the beginning of industrial revolution huge amounts of toxic metals (TMs) were released to the environment (Singh and Agrawal 2010). ...
Vigorous knowledge on the occurrence and distribution of toxic metals (TMs) in the environment is needed to assess their toxicological impacts on human health especially in developing countries like Pakistan. For the first time, the concentrations of TMs like Ni, Zn, Pb, Cr, and Cd in both ground and surface water and their potential health risk in the district Buner (Pakistan) were determined using Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS, Agilent Technologies, 7500 CX, USA) and their results were compared with their safe limits defined by Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and World Health Organization WHO (2008). The concentrations of TMs, like Pb (43% and 86%), Ni (63% and 32%), Cr (41%), and Cd (1% and 20%) in drinking water samples exceeded their respective permissible limits set by Pak-EPA and WHO (2008), respectively. The mean concentrations of TMs were found in decreasing order Ni > Pb > Cr > Cd > Zn. The HRI values of TMs in drinking water samples for both adults and children were observed <1 indicating no health risk to the local population. Excessive marble industries are present in the study area; therefore, it is necessary to reduce metal contamination via proper disposal and treatment of marble wastewater, for which the government should take serious action in the study area.
... Heavy metals present in the effluent have a bent of binding with proteins, thus changing their confirmation and inactivating them, which often results in public health's complications such as skin irritations, vomiting, nausea, anemia, upsetting protein metabolism, etc., [43]. Heavy metals like zinc, copper, nickel, arsenic,( heavy metals contamination show in fig. ...
Industrial development has begun to have a negative impact on the entire environment. The constant need and agreed of humans has resulted in the formation of massive polluting industries. Manufacturing, chemical and fertilizer industries are among those that are depleting the earth’s resources while also putting enormous strain on the environment and ecological system. Water pollution is well-known to be a growing problem of 21st century all over the earth. The planet’s natural diversity is affect seriously by any human activity. Rapid industrialization is an index of development of a nation, however; a rising in population growth alters it unfavorably. India, a developing nation has a challenge of maintaining a balance between these and the environment. In India, there has been a rapid growth in industrialization after freedom. The aims of this review paper represent the link between industrial effluents and define sources of water pollution present development in the research on the fresh water aquatic ecosystems.
... In a study conducted in India in 11 villages, 989 people were screened, and 137 adults and 17 children had severe skin ulcers (61). A study conducted between 2005 and 2007 on residents living near a river in Pakistan showed that 61% -73% of patients suffered from arsenic toxicity (60). In a study conducted in Bangladesh, it was found that of the 1481 people, 430 were suffering from keratosis and pigmentation. ...
Context: Arsenic has metallic and non-metallic properties. It is widely found in sulfide ores and belongs to the nitrogen family. Arsenic is used as an insecticide due to its high toxicity. Arsenic has caused many environmental concerns, including the widespread availability of arsenic in the environment, biological toxicity, and exploitation. Potential routes of arsenic exposure in humans include drinking water, industrial manufacturing, diet, cosmetics, smoking, and air. A recent debate has focused on the link between arsenic exposure and diabetes. Diabetes is a common disease in the world that affects many people. This disease is caused by a long-term increase in blood sugar levels in the body. Evidence Acquisition: The purpose of this review study was to epidemiologically review the side effects of arsenic on diabetes. Methods: A total of 466 articles were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, Cochran, and ScienceDirect databases. Eighty-one full-text articles were entered into the analysis process. Finally, 16 articles were selected for this study. Results: Arsenic is available in a variety of sources, including natural resources, groundwater, industrial activities, food, and tobacco. Arsenic can affect the function of pancreatic β cells and cause diabetes. Conclusions: Toxic air pollutants, especially arsenic, are attributed to human activities, industrial processes, fuel uses, transportation , power plants, and energy consumption. The emission of these pollutants can increase the prevalence of diabetes. Also, exposure to arsenic in the air can be very harmful and cause cancer and non-cancerous disorders in the long term and even in the short term.
... The amount of arsenic found in drinkable water has a direct and detrimental influence on the life of local communities, and the most common clinical manifestation of arsenic poisoning is a skin disease. There is a relationship between arsenic-tainted drinking water and the quantities of arsenic found in biological samples (blood and hair) taken from people who suffer from skin illnesses [44]. Another study conducted in Bangladesh discovered that the contamination of rivers causes scabies in a significant number of residents [45]. ...
... Smedley and Kinniburgh (2002) reported that As whose concentration in natural waters varies between 0.5 and 5000 µg L −1 is the 20 th most abundant element on earth with a general concentration below 10 µg L −1 . It is categorized as a carcinogen, but it can also cause cardiovascular, neurological, blood, kidney, and respiratory diseases (Kazi et al., 2009). According to the latest estimates, approximately 200 million people worldwide are affected by As contamination out of which 50% are in the South and Southeast Asian countries including Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan (Fendorf & Kocar, 2009;Shahid et al., 2017). ...
Arsenic (As) is very common pollutant of the environment categorized as class-I human carcinogen. Rice crop is inherently efficient at accumulating As that is also triggered by conventional cropping methods (flooded conditions). A pot experiment was conducted with the objectives to (i) determine the accumulation of As in rice grains and shoots and As species in rice grains, (ii) determine the effect of As concentrations on physiological and agronomic characteristics of the rice crop, and (iii) assess the changes in fractions of As within the soil under different water regimes. Water regimes included flooding, intermittent, intermittent + aerobic, and aerobic irrigation. Grain As concentration from flood-irrigated rice was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced in rice grown in 10 and 50 mg kg⁻¹ As-contaminated soil with less applied irrigation. Water management techniques have influenced As speciation in rice grains. As the irrigation techniques were shifted from flooding to intermittent, intermittent + aerobic, and aerobic irrigation, a significant decrease in concentration of inorganic species (11.98–76.81% at 10 mg kg⁻¹ and 66.04–93.61% at 50 mg kg⁻¹) was observed. Aerobic irrigation has effectively reduced the concentration of arsenic in rice grain as compared to other irrigation techniques in both the As-contaminated soils. This study indicated that irrigation management techniques other than flood irrigation have significantly affected the As (total and speciation) concentration within the rice grains and non-significantly affecting crop yield and this must be considered if regulations are based on inorganic As percentage of total As concentration.
... They suffered from several conditions such as respiratory disorders, stomach disorders, and fatigue. There were no such issues with people who drank municipal water having low As concentration (Azizullah et al., 2011;Kazi et al., 2009). A study carried out by Rahman et al. (2014) investigated several samples from different villagers and concluded that many villagers had arsenical skin lesions, and majority of the sampled concentration exceeded the toxic level. ...
Groundwater is consumed by a large number of people as their primary source of drinking water globally. Among all the countries worldwide, nations in South Asia, particularly India and Bangladesh, have severe problem of groundwater arsenic (As) contamination so are on our primary focus in this study. The objective of this review study is to provide a viewpoint about the source of As, the effect of As on human health and agriculture, and available treatment technologies for the removal of As from water. The source of As can be either natural or anthropogenic and exposure mediums can either be air, drinking water, or food. As-polluted groundwater may lead to a reduction in crop yield and quality as As enters the food chain and disrupts it. Chronic As exposure through drinking water is highly associated with the disruption of many internal systems and organs in the human body including cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, and endocrine systems, soft organs, and skin. We have critically reviewed a complete spectrum of the available ex situ technologies for As removal including oxidation, coagulation–flocculation, adsorption, ion exchange, and membrane process. Along with that, pros and cons of different techniques have also been scrutinized on the basis of past literatures reported. Among all the conventional techniques, coagulation is the most efficient technique, and considering the advanced and emerging techniques, electrocoagulation is the most prominent option to be adopted. At last, we have proposed some mitigation strategies to be followed with few long and short-term ideas which can be adopted to overcome this epidemic.
Graphical abstract
... The As accumulated in polluted soils may enter into the human body through many ways including dust inhalation, consumption of contaminated crops and surface and subsurface waters affected by these soils (Bagherifam et al. 2019;Sharifi et al. 2018;Tang et al. 2007). As concentration in edible part of the plants is mainly affected by both As bioavailability in soil and target organ (De la Fuente et al. 2010;Kazi et al. 2009;Suriyagoda et al. 2018). As toxicity and bioavailability in agricultural soil are strongly influenced by physicochemical properties of the soil and dramatically vary from one location to another (Arco-Lázaro et al. 2016;Sharifi et al. 2018). ...
Irrigation of carbonate-rich agricultural soils with arsenic (As)-contaminated water leads to the accumulation of As in these soils. In this regard, there is an opportunity to adsorb and fix the As in soil and decrease the As transportation to the plants and subsequently the human food chain. So, the present study aimed to investigate the adsorption–desorption characteristics of As in calcareous soils and the potential of As fixation over time. First, to achieve this purpose, 53 soil samples were gathered from the study site and after the laboratory analysis, the soils were categorized into four groups based on their physicochemical properties. Then, four representative samples of these groups were selected, namely soil 1, soil 2, soil 3, and soil 4. Afterward, the As adsorption–desorption was investigated in a lab-scale batch experiment. Next, the effect of age was assessed by incubating the As-adsorbed soils for 60 days, and to study the impact of temperature, the adsorption was performed at four temperature levels (10, 20, 30, and 40 °C). Finally, the isotherm models were fitted to experimental data, and the amount of loosely and tightly held As was quantified. Results revealed that the As adsorption isotherms were L-type, in which As adsorption increased with the increase of As loading. The double-site Langmuir (DSL) estimated that a limited amount of As was adsorbed on high-energy surfaces and a large amount of As was adsorbed on low-energy surfaces. Desorption results showed that a significant amount of As desorbed immediately; however, the desorption significantly decreased with the increase of age, especially at low equilibrium concentrations. By aging the loosely held As transformed into non-labile forms so that in soils 1, 2, 3, and 4, the fraction of As adsorbed on high-energy surfaces increased from 72.5, 93.2, 63.2, and 123 mg/kg to 167, 141, 70.6, and 196 mg/kg, respectively, and the fraction of As adsorbed on low-energy surfaces decreased from 397, 256, 202, and 317 mg/kg to 182, 238, 173, and 172 mg/kg, respectively (after aging for 60 days). Aging proved to be a promising solution for decreasing As transport into the human food chain and could be employed for crops with longer irrigation cycles. ΔHad values were positive and varied from 9.26 to 13.0 kJ/mol, confirming the endothermic nature of adsorption. ΔGad values were negative and varied from − 18.8 to − 22.8 kJ/mol at all temperatures, demonstrating the spontaneous nature of adsorption.
Graphical abstract
... Both samples were preserved in a polystyrene bottle of 250 ml capacity. The water samples were stored in ice and were brought to the laboratory for heavy metal analysis (Kazi et al. 2009;WHO 2017;Shahid et al. 2018;Khan et al. 2021a, b). The analysis was performed in the Instrumental laboratory, using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer. ...
The eastern part of the Peshawar basin in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) experiences the highest economic development, increasingly efficient agriculture, and rapid urbanization that embark on the growing demand for quality water. Peshawar Vale has bountiful water resources lying in shallow Quaternary sedimentary fill. The study aims to integrate non-invasive geoelectrical tools with hydrogeochemical and geospatial tools to analyse the effects of the Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate (GAIE) on water resources in the eastern Peshawar basin. The hydrogeochemical data acquisition included a total of 110 water samples from the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods along with 30 soil samples from agricultural lands. Both the samples were analysed using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Geophysical acquisition comprised 40 1D vertical electrical sounding (VES) points and 28 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) profiles at various locations in the area. The GIS interpolation tool was used to obtain the spatial and temporal distribution of surface and groundwater quality parameters in the area. The hydrochemical results indicated higher concentrations of heavy metals exceeding the permissible limits (WHO 2017). It was further observed that the contamination concentration in the surface water is more than in groundwater. Furthermore, post-monsoon concentrations of heavy metals are diluted indicated by decreasing values as compared to pre-monsoon concentrations. The cross sections derived from VES revealed four geoelectrical layers (clay with gravels, saturated gravels and boulders, dry gravel and boulders, and bedrock). The aquifers identified were unconfined owing to the top layer that consists of coarser sediments. ERT identified the contaminated mixed clays (resistivity ≤ 10 Ω-m), contaminated aquifer (resistivity 10–60 Ω-m), and the freshwater aquifer zone (resistivity 60–100 Ω-m). The resistivity data integrated well with hydrogeochemical data showing low values towards Gandaf, Sogandy, and Maini. The study will be of great help to local government, policymakers, and water resource experts.
... The level of arsenic in drinking water directly affects the health of local residents, and skin disease is the most common clinical complication of arsenic poisoning. There is a correlation between arsenic concentrations in biological samples (hair and blood) from patients with skin diseases and intake of arseniccontaminated drinking water (Kazi et al., 2009). Another Bangladesh study showed that many people suffer from scabies due to river pollution (Hanif et al., 2020). ...
Background: More than 80% of sewage generated by human activities is discharged into rivers and oceans without any treatment, which results in environmental pollution and more than 50 diseases. 80% of diseases and 50% of child deaths worldwide are related to poor water quality.
Methods: This paper selected 85 relevant papers finally based on the keywords of water pollution, water quality, health, cancer, and so on.
Results: The impact of water pollution on human health is significant, although there may be regional, age, gender, and other differences in degree. The most common disease caused by water pollution is diarrhea, which is mainly transmitted by enteroviruses in the aquatic environment.
Discussion: Governments should strengthen water intervention management and carry out intervention measures to improve water quality and reduce water pollution’s impact on human health.
... Severe As contamination has been observed in water from existing tube wells of Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan, with As levels that exceeded the recommendations of WHO for drinking water (10 μg l −1 ) (Shakoor et al., 2015). It has been reported that groundwater samples from lower Punjab, Pakistan contained up to 201 µg l −1 of As (Kazi et al., 2009). According to Ahmad et al. (2004), about 23% of Punjab's population was affected by direct or indirect consumption of As contaminated groundwater. ...
Arsenic (As), a class-A human carcinogen, is ubiquitously present in the earth’s crust and soil and may enter the air, water, and surface environments through different natural and anthropogenic sources. In this experiment, soil, irrigation water, and rice grains were sampled from conventional rice-growing areas of Punjab, Pakistan. Soil samples were collected from 0 to 15 cm surface soil of rice growing fields, and rice grains were collected from the same field at crop maturity. Irrigation water samples were collected from the source used to irrigate the respective rice fields. Coordinates of sampling locations were noted using a global positioning system, and a locations map was made using ArcGIS. Soil samples were digested in a microwave digester using aqua regia, and plant samples were block digested using nitric acid. Arsenic concentration was determined using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer coupled with an auto-sampler and integrated samples introduction system. The mean concentration of As in rice grains, soil, and water samples was found within the safe limit set by WHO except for a sample from Narowal (148.54 µg l⁻¹) that exceeded the irrigation water standard limit, i.e., 100 µg l⁻¹ for irrigation water. Principal component analysis was performed to reduce the multidimensional space of variables and samples. Through the calculations of estimated daily intake, it has been revealed that the As levels measured in this study would only contribute a small amount (less than 5%) of the total recommended daily intake allowance.
... Sodium is another waste generated by marble dust. The excess addition of sodium affects plants and would disrupt the chemical balance in the water, animals, and humans affecting plant life, animal survival, and heart disease among humans respectively [54]. Magnesium is also an important constituent of seafood and vegetables. ...
All over the world, increasing anthropogenic activities, industrialization, and urbanization have intensified the emissions of various pollutants that cause air pollution. Marble quarries in Pakistan are abundant and there is a plethora of small- and large-scale industries, including mining and marble-based industries. The air pollution caused by the dust generated in the process of crushing and extracting marble can cause serious problems to the general physiological functions of plants and it affects human life as well. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess the air quality of areas with marble factories and areas without marble factories, where the concentration of particulate matter in terms of total suspended particles (TSP) was determined. For this purpose, EPAM-5000 equipment was used to measure the particulate levels. Besides this, a spectrophotometer was used to analyze the presence of PM2.5 and PM10 in the chemical composition of marble dust. It was observed that the TSP concentrations in Darmangi and Malagori areas of Peshawar, Pakistan—having marble factories—were 626 µg/m3 and 5321 µg/m3 respectively. The (PM2.5, PM10) concentration in Darmangi was (189 µg/m3, 520 µg/m3) and in Malagori, it was recorded as (195 µg/m3, 631 µg/m3), which was significantly higher than the non-marble dust areas and also exceeded WHO recommended standards. It was concluded that the areas with the marble factories were more susceptible to air pollution as the concentration of TSP was significantly higher than the recommended TSP levels. It is recommended that marble factories should be shifted away from residential areas along with strict enforcement. People should be instructed to use protective equipment and waste management should be ensured along with control mechanisms to monitor particulate levels.
... In the meantime, several millions of people in Bangladesh are already affected by arsenicosis. In general, As can bind through several biological ligands to deactivate the humans′ enzyme system (Kazi et al., 2009). Therefore, long-term human exposure to As through dietary intake may ultimately suffer from a wide range of health consequences, such as melanosis, keratosis, and cancers of the lung, bladder, and skin (Guha Majumdar, 2008;Maity et al., 2012;Oberoi et al., 2014;Smith et al., 2000). ...
A quantitative assessment was attempted to determine concentrations of total arsenic (As) in farmer′s field soils and fruits of brinjal collected from two famous brinjals producing Upazila′s, namely Melandaha and Islampur of Jamalpur district, Bangladesh. The study also evaluated cancer and non-cancer health risks for both males and females caused by dermal exposure of soils and dietary intake of brinjal grown in farmers′ fields and sold at different markets of four country districts. The study findings revealed that 75% of soil sampling locations had enrichment factor (EFc) values > 1.5, indicating the anthropogenic sources of As, and 50% of the sites possessed EFc values within the range of 2.0–5.0 indicated moderate enrichment of As. The mean concentrations of As in brinjal grown in farmers′ fields and retailers of different markets of four districts were 0.18 and 0.39 µg g−1, respectively. The soils of the study area exhibited negligible risk in terms of the calculated hazard quotient, hazard index and incremental lifetiame cancer risk (ILCR) values for As due to dermal and ingestion exposures. In contrast, the same values for As due to the dietary intake of brinjal were thousands of times greater than the threshold level in 40% of farmers′ field and all retailers′ levels samples. Compared to the producer/farmers′ field samples, the calculated average non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks were more than twice in samples collected from different retailers. The present study suggests further pinpoint investigation of potential entry routes of As in the supply chain through future traceability studies.
... mg/L (Brahman et al., 2013), in Nagarparkar, it ranges from 18.5-35.4 mg/L (Brahman et al., 2014) and in Jamshoro its concentration is about 1.14 mg/L (Kazi et al., 2009). Excessive exposure to F − may cause dental fluorosis. ...
Fluoride contamination in the groundwater of Pakistan is widespread with serious potential health consequences. We determine the groundwater of Isa Khel Tehsil upper Indus plain for drinking purposes and fluoride contamination by collecting 236 water samples from the water supply schemes supplied with groundwater. Results show that the majority of the parameters exceed the standard concentration of potable water. The concentration of fluoride ranges from 0.02 to 5.35 mg/L with an average of 1.8 mg/L, and about 58.5% of the collected samples have higher fluoride concentration than the allowed limit for drinking purposes. Fluoride pollution index results show that about 48.73% of samples have a high level of risk, 41.95% samples of the study area have medium level and only 9.32% of the water samples show low level of fluoride contamination. The health risk assessment due to fluoride contamination was computed based on chronic daily intake (CDI) and hazard quotient (HQ). For adult’s variation in CDI and HQ ranges from 0.001–0.15 mg/kg/day and 0.001–2.55 respectively whereas in children it ranges from 0.001–0.29 mg/kg/day and 0.02–4.84. Health risk assessment parameters indicate that in the case of adults, about 40.25% of samples exceeded the maximum allowed value of hazard quotient i.e., HQ > 1, while for children, about 66.95% of samples have HQ > 1, which means that children are at higher risk than adults because of higher vulnerability to fluoride contamination in drinking water. Thus, there is a need for effective groundwater monitoring and management in the study region to safeguard residents from various illnesses associated with drinking water with varying fluoride concentrations.
... 9 So, it is clear that the bioavailability of arsenic and ability to translocate these two factors were primary which determine the arsenic distribution in the plant body. 10 Studies on arsenic availability in the plant body are important as they can bioaccumulate in human tissue through the food chain. 11 The effects of chronic arsenic exposure on humans can cause serious health effects like keratosis, hepatomegaly, pigmentation, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular problems, peripheral neuropathy, kidney, bladder, and skin, etc. 12,13 Keeping the facts in mind, this study urge to explore the sensitivity and tolerance against the arsenic toxicity in a common plant species, which is widely used as a food ingredient in most of the part of India, and it also will assess the health risk among the population consuming this edible plant species. ...
Arsenic is a carcinogenic and toxic element that possesses a high health risk from its presence in crops, water, and soil. The present study has been conducted by fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-granecum) seeds which is a very common spice used for cooking, especially in India. An equal number of seeds have been germinated in laboratory conditions. Three concentrations e.g. 1, 2, and, 3 mg/L of arsenite (As+3) and arsenate (As+5) salt solutions were used throughout the experiments for the treatment of plants. After 10 days of germination, the concentration of the arsenic accumulated into the plant edible parts was estimated and health risk was assessed. Effects of arsenic concentration were observed through estimating the total chlorophyll (a, b, c), carotenoid content, and taking the fresh weight and dry weight of both the control and treatment plants. The results of the biochemical analysis revealed that chlorophyll and carotenoid contents were decreased than that of control plants. Moreover, fresh weight and dry weight results also showed lower values in treatments than in controls. The bioaccumulation factor results demonstrated that an increased level of soil arsenic doesn’t certainly result in high arsenic uptake by the Fenugreek plants. From the concentration estimated in the plant body, the health risk was assessed in adults and children and found that both adults and children having a potential health risk upon consumption of fenugreek. Moreover, Incremental Life Time Cancer Risk was found high (< 10-4) which indicates the presence of potential cancer risk. Hence, it is possible to conclude from the present study that fenugreek can bio-accumulate arsenic and it may be used as an indicator plant for arsenic-contaminated areas.
... There was a local study which compared arsenic level in manchar, lake and that in the blood, hair and nails of the people using manchar water. The results showed toxic levels of arsenic in the water, blood, hair and nails 26 . This is first study including a large series of patients with different cancers in the area of high arsenic levels. ...
... Arsenic and arsenic compounds are typically considered the most abundant in the Earth's crust, and it is associated with volcanic eruptions (Mirza et al.,2014) and the As accumulation and restriction of plants are brought, the defense mechanisms are developed due to biotic and abiotic stress in the external environment (Morkunas et al.,2018). Also, concentration among plant species is dependent on the physicochemical and geological components of an area (Kazia et al.,2009), and it reduces plants reproductive capacity through losses fertility and cuts the development of reproductive organs (Singla, 2011). For cadmium (Cd), it also did not differ significantly across the three (3) elevations based on the computed F-value of 0.36 and p-value of 0.698 tested at a 0.05 level of significance. ...
Natural processes bring heavy metals and further escalated by a long history of addition from industrial development. The soil serves as a sink and can accumulate different types of minerals and nutrients, including metals and metalloids that are harmful even at lower concentrations. Plants' ability to sequester metals and mobilize into various plant parts are significant in the bioremediation process. This study used quantitative and exploratory research design, which involves the collection of soil and plant samples subjected to laboratory test to determine the heavy metal concentration in Pulabato, Tampakan, South Cotabato in terms of arsenic (As), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg). Analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation, simple and multiple linear regressions are employed to determine significant differences, relationships, and influences. Results show significant differences in plant heavy metal concentration across low, mid, and high elevations for metals Cu, Pb, and Hg. Pb concentration in soil shows a significant relationship with Cu in plants. Also, Pb concentration shows a positive correlation and Hg with a negative correlation for Pb concentration in the plant. Moreover, Hg's presence in plants shows a negative correlation in Pb for soil and a positive relationship with Hg. Simple linear regression statistics show that Pb significantly influences Cu, Pb in the plant by Pb in soil, and Pb in the plant with Hg in soil. Multiple regression statistics show a significant Pb's influence in the soil to Pb in the plant but not with Hg. Lastly, As and Pb significantly influences Hg concentration in plants.
... Exposure to arsenic, either through ingestion of contaminated drinking water (Karagas et al., 2002) or food (Banerjee et al., 2013;Kar et al., 2011) can lead to adverse effects on human health. Arsenic is a carcinogen and neurotoxin and known to cause skin disorders including Blackfoot disease, hyperpigmentation, and skin lesions through chronic exposure (Kazi et al., 2009;Smith et al., 2000;Tseng, 1977;Vega et al., 2001). Long-term exposure to arsenic, even at low-levels has been related to increased rates of morbidity (Argos et al., 2010) and elevated incidence of diabetes (Bräuner et al., 2014), hypertension (Zhang et al., 2013), decreased male fertility , respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, kidney and bladder disorders, and complications of the gastrointestinal tract (Sinha and Prasad, 2020). ...
Arsenic (As) causes cancer and non-cancer health effects in humans. Previous research revealed As concentrations over 200 μg g⁻¹ in lake sediments in the south-central Puget Sound region affected by the former ASARCO copper smelter in Ruston, WA, and significant bioaccumulation of As in plankton in shallow lakes. Enhanced uptake occurs during summertime stratification and near-bottom anoxia when As is mobilized from sediments. Periodic mixing events in shallow lakes allow dissolved As to mix into oxygenated waters and littoral zones where biota reside. We quantify As concentrations and associated health risks in human-consumed tissues of sunfish [pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)], crayfish [signal (Pacifastacus leniusculus) and red swamp (Procambarus clarkii)], and snails [Chinese mystery (Bellamya chinensis)] from lakes representing a gradient of As contamination and differing mixing regimes. In three shallow lakes with a range of arsenic in profundal sediments (20 to 206 μg As g⁻¹), mean arsenic concentrations ranged from 2.9 to 46.4 μg g⁻¹ in snails, 2.6 to 13.9 μg g⁻¹ in crayfish, and 0.07 to 0.61 μg g⁻¹ in sunfish. Comparatively, organisms in the deep, contaminated lake (208 μg g⁻¹ in profundal sediments) averaged 11.8 μg g⁻¹ in snails and 0.06 μg g⁻¹ in sunfish. Using inorganic As concentrations, we calculated that consuming aquatic species from the most As-contaminated shallow lake resulted in 4-10 times greater health risks compared to the deep lake with the same arsenic concentrations in profundal sediments. We show that dynamics in shallow, polymictic lakes can result in greater As bioavailability compared to deeper, seasonally stratified lakes. Arsenic in oxygenated waters and littoral sediments was more indicative of exposure to aquatic species than profundal sediments, and therefore we recommend that sampling methods focus on these shallow zones to better indicate the potential for uptake into organisms and human health risk.
... [49][50][51][52][53] In addition, it was also found that long-term memory, attention, and the ability to understand speech were affected in children due to exposure of arsenic with chronic malnutrition. [54] Children's intellectual function decreases by increased arsenic exposure. [55] This correlation was proportional to the dose, which means children who had arsenic exposure more than 50 µg/L had lower performance scores than children with <5.5 µg/L exposure. ...
... [49][50][51][52][53] In addition, it was also found that long-term memory, attention, and the ability to understand speech were affected in children due to exposure of arsenic with chronic malnutrition. [54] Children's intellectual function decreases by increased arsenic exposure. [55] This correlation was proportional to the dose, which means children who had arsenic exposure more than 50 µg/L had lower performance scores than children with <5.5 µg/L exposure. ...
Background: Over the last few decades there has been increased health related issues due to arsenic poisoning worldwide. In India, in state of Bihar, 18 districts are affected from arsenic poisoning causing various health related problems in the exposed population. Arsenic poisoning in Buxar district of Bihar in the recent times has been identified as one of arsenic hotspot of Bihar due to serious health related problems including cancer.
Aims and Objectives: The present study aims to find out that whether arsenic contamination in groundwater causes impaired memory and intelligence in school children of Simri village of Buxar district of Bihar or not?
Materials and Methods: In the present study, water samples were collected from three hand pumps, which were utilized by the school children for drinking purpose since last ten years. Hair samples of 65 students enrolled in this school were also collected for the analysis of arsenic concentration and its correlation with the drinking water arsenic was done. The same students were interviewed for neuro-behavioural and memory tests for which various methods were
utilized like continuous performance test (CPT), symbol digit test (SDT), pattern memory test (PMT) and switching attention behavior (SAB).
Results: The study revealed high arsenic concentration in the water and hair samples. The correlation between high arsenic concentration in water and hair denotes high degree of exposure. Their neuro-behavioural analysis reflected very alarming observations like impaired intelligence memory pattern along with the inattention, loss of concentration and alertness. The highest arsenic concentration in drinking water observed was 857 µg/L while in the children hair sample the maximum value was 12.609 mg/Kg.
Conclusion: The present study thus concludes that arsenic poisoning is causing changes in the neuro-behavioural activities in school children of Simri village. Therefore, a specific strategy is urgently required to control the present problem.
Keywords: Arsenic poisoning, low intelligence and memory, school children
... But it is contaminated by domestic and industrial wastewater. The toxicants may have redundantly affected the biological, chemical, and physical quality of natural water resources [4,5]. The facts indicated that the common physiological and environmental consequences are obvious such as the effluents of different industries that contain dangerous chemicals, toxic metals, dyes, and pathogenic nature in wastewater that makes natural water contaminated when discharged into natural water bodies [6]. ...
The current study aims to examine the concentration of some toxic elements such as, cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) and physicochemical parameters such as electric conductivity (EC), pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), and biological oxygen demand (BOD) in the wastewater of dye manufacturing, textile dyeing, and small dyeing industries. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Ni in wastewater samples of these industries were significantly higher than the permissible limits set by WHO for toxic metals in industrial wastewater. The highest level of EC was observed in wastewater samples of the small dying industry as compared to the other two
types of industries. The BOD of the investigated wastewater samples was almost two to threetimes exceeded than the suggested threshold level recommended by EPA for industrial wastewater. The elevated BOD levels might be due to the presence of the excess level of organic
matter in wastewater discharged from the various activities of industries.
... But it is contaminated by domestic and industrial wastewater. The toxicants may have redundantly affected the biological, chemical, and physical quality of natural water resources [4,5]. The facts indicated that the common physiological and environmental consequences are obvious such as the effluents of different industries that contain dangerous chemicals, toxic metals, dyes, and pathogenic nature in wastewater that makes natural water contaminated when discharged into natural water bodies [6]. ...
The current study aims to examine the concentration of some toxic elements such as, cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) and physicochemical parameters such as electric conductivity (EC), pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), and biological oxygen demand (BOD) in the wastewater of dye manufacturing, textile dyeing, and small dyeing industries. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Ni in wastewater samples of these industries were significantly higher than the permissible limits set by WHO for toxic metals in industrial wastewater. The highest level of EC was observed in wastewater samples of the small dying industry as compared to the other two types of industries. The BOD of the investigated wastewater samples was almost two to three-times exceeded than the suggested threshold level recommended by EPA for industrial wastewater. The elevated BOD levels might be due to the presence of the excess level of organic matter in wastewater discharged from the various activities of industries.
... Recently, Natasha et al. (2020) reported that about 50-60 million habitants of Pakistan are drinking As-rich water and are at serious risk of As poisoning. Kazi et al. (2009) reported that in Sindh province of Pakistan, 61-73% of the population has been suffering from chronic As toxicity. ...
Globally, a large number of school-aged children is suffering from water-borne diseases, particularly in low-income countries. Arsenic (As) is a hazardous and potentially carcinogenic metal(loid) in drinking water. Nowadays, alarming levels of As have been reported in the groundwater of Vehari District, Punjab Pakistan. In this study, drinking water supplies for high and higher secondary schools were examined in Vehari District. A total of 164 water samples were collected from schools and subjected to heavy metal(loid) analysis (As) and basic water physicochemical parameters. The results were analyzed with respect to sampling area, school type, school education level, sources of sample collection, and the depth of the source. The results revealed that As concentration of water samples in boys’ and girls’ schools was 12.8 μg/L and 9.2 μg/L, respectively. However, when the As concentration in drinking water was evaluated at the school education level, a notable higher concentration of As was observed in the higher secondary schools than the high schools with an average of 19.5 and 9.7 μg/L, respectively. The risk assessment indices were calculated based on education level and different age groups of the children (primary, elementary, high, and higher secondary). High carcinogenic (cancer risk = 0.001) and non-carcinogenic (hazard quotient = 2.0) risks were noted for the children in higher secondary school. The current findings anticipated that the drinking water of schools in Vehari District did not meet the requirement of the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water quality guidelines. Safe drinking water is crucial for the development and growth of children. Therefore, it is important for educational authorities to take steps for provision of As free safe drinking water to students and local inhabitants.
The European Commission asked EFSA to update its 2009 risk assessment on arsenic in food carrying out a hazard assessment of inorganic arsenic (iAs) and using the revised exposure assessment issued by EFSA in 2021. Epidemiological studies show that the chronic intake of iAs via diet and/or drinking water is associated with increased risk of several adverse outcomes including cancers of the skin, bladder and lung. The CONTAM Panel used the benchmark dose lower confidence limit based on a benchmark response (BMR) of 5% (relative increase of the background incidence after adjustment for confounders, BMDL05) of 0.06 μg iAs/kg bw per day obtained from a study on skin cancer as a Reference Point (RP). Inorganic As is a genotoxic carcinogen with additional epigenetic effects and the CONTAM Panel applied a margin of exposure (MOE) approach for the risk characterisation. In adults, the MOEs are low (range between 2 and 0.4 for mean consumers and between 0.9 and 0.2 at the 95th percentile exposure, respectively) and as such raise a health concern despite the uncertainties.
The focus of this reprint is to draw attention to the construction industry stakeholders oriented towards green and sustainable construction innovations for the future. Green and sustainable construction has become a necessity in today’s society, as well as for the future, wherein there are many possibilities to investigate and encourage reform. However, its implementation and adoption still suffer from various challenges, such as a lack of knowledge, low self-esteem, and lack of
resources. Such challenges open gateways for new opportunities to resolve these issues, for which there is huge potential and possibility for development.
Background
Arsenic toxicity in humans is well recognized. It has been classified as a class I human carcinogen by the International Agency of Research on Cancer. Arsenic enters the human body mainly through drinking water, dermal contact, food chain, and inhalation. The Gangetic belt of India is considered as one of the most arsenic-affected sites in India. Health risk assessment of the human population exposed to arsenic in drinking water is important. The present study was conducted to assess the groundwater quality and associated health risks on the people of Samastipur district in the middle Gangetic belt of Bihar. Groundwater samples from 40 different study sites were collected and analyzed for various physico-chemical properties of water.
Results
Arsenic (> 0.01 mg/L) was present in 33% of the water samples analyzed. Subsequently, an assessment for carcinogenic risk and non-carcinogenic health risk (HQ) for children, females, and males in the study area was performed. Risk assessment showed that 100% of the population may be at carcinogenic health risk and 35% may be at non-carcinogenic health risk, and among these, children were at maximum risk. Furthermore, the computational assessment of the arsenic–protein interactome revealed the enrichment of cancer-related pathways.
Conclusions
It is recommended to provide arsenic-free alternate sources of water in the study area.
Physico-chemical parameters of meltwater of 20 water samples from glaciers of Rongdo basin, Shyok valley are presented here. The concentration of cations and anions of the two valleys were found in the order Ca>Mg>Na>K and HCO3>SO4>Cl>NO3 respectively. Significant altitudinal variation was found in major ions as indicated by the increase of TDS of glacial melt and stream water samples downstream. Gibbs plot shows chemical weathering of the rock forming minerals as the main cause for contributing ions to the melt water. The dominant order of hydrogeochemical water types identified is Ca-HCO3, is due to the water rock interaction which leads to the easy dissolution of carbonate and silicate minerals. However, few glacial melt and stream water have the influence of precipitation and meltwater runoff on chemistry. The hot spring falls in Na-HCO3 type, a typical of deeper groundwater influenced by ion exchange processes. Scatter plots of HCO3+SO4 vs. Ca/Na Plot and Ca/Na vs. HCO3/Na clearly indicates that the weathering of carbonate and silicate play a dominant role on groundwater chemistry. Two chloro-alkaline indices indicate reverse exchange reaction between Na+, K+, Mg2+and Ca2+. The physical parameters and major ions are within the permissible concentrations as per WHO and BIS indicating water is good for drinking and domestic purposes. The groundwater is suitable for irrigation as per the quality parameters and plots including EC, sodium percent (Na%) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR).
Contamination in the environment is a major concern because of the harmful effects on ecosystems and human health, and dyes are increasingly common industry-contributed pollutants. This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the primary, secondary, and tertiary wastewater treatment systems that are in use across the globe. Covering the latest research in water purification techniques, the book contains analysis of photocatalysis and the mechanisms involved, findings of an in-depth investigation into different dyes, their preparation and the threats they pose, and concludes with discussion of the chemistry of green biopolymers and their doping impact with metal, metal oxides, and metal sulfide nanomaterials. The book will appeal to researchers and postgraduate students working in the fields of materials science, nanoscience and nanotechnology for environmental remediation.
Due to urbanization, there is an increasing need for infrastructure and services, leading to pressure on the sewage system. As a result, water contamination and sewage-related illnesses are emerging. On-site sanitary facilities are insufficient, and current sewage systems are outdated, causing freshwater contamination and diseases such as typhoid, malaria, etc. Untreated domestic sewage/wastewater, mining waste, industrial wastewater, agricultural waste, and other contaminants are polluting most aquatic ecosystems worldwide, leading to harm to surface water bodies, sewage drainage systems, surface water, and groundwater. Various sewage disposal methods are discussed, but they are not sustainable. The UN proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in response to the need for sustainability and the effects of pollution and population growth. SDG 6 aims to ensure equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. It also includes goals to enhance water quality, increase water usage efficiency, develop integrated water resource management, and restore aquatic ecosystems. Efficient sewage disposal is crucial to reduce detrimental effects on the environment and public health. It is necessary to emphasize SDGs to protect the environment sustainably. It is crucial for the international community to work together to find effective and sustainable solutions to the problem of sewage management.
Incidence of autoimmune disorders, birth defects, and neurological diseases rose over the past 50 years due to increasing variety and quantity of pollutants. To date, there appear few methods capable to evaluate and predict mixture effects. For the first time ever, we have developed calculus to determine mixture effects for all kinds of endocrine disrupting chemicals.
Our method uses the golden ratio φ and draws from bifurcation and chaos theory. From extensive analysis, and using the concept of molecular mimicry, we developed the equation: effect=(100%)/(1+e^5∙∑〖K_i [C_i]〗^(-n_i φ) ). We tested the equation for a range of cohort studies and biomarkers, and for different pollutants like heavy metals, thyroid hormone mimickants, chromate/chlorate, etc.
The equation is simple enough for use by a layman. The method is universal and calculation is data 'light', requiring only pollutant concentrations [C], potencies K and an integer n for endocrinal involvement. I envision far-reaching impact because all people and populations can be better assessed for their health effects from pollutant exposure. I provide useful examples and interpret results.
Arsenic (As) contamination of aquatic and terrestrial systems is an emerging environmental and human health issue threating more than 200 million people globally at risk of As toxicity. Arsenic contamination has been reported in more than 115 countries worldwide especially in Asian and Southeast Asian countries, including in Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, India. In contrast to conventional and some advanced techniques (e.g., ion exchange, nanotechnology), constructed wetlands (CWs) can provide a sustainable, low-cost and nature-based solution for arsenic-contaminated water and wastewater. Although there is limited research available on implications of CWs for As remediation in water, this chapter describes sources of As contamination in aquatic environments; hazardous effects of As on the environmental and human health; provides comparative information and understanding of various As remediation technologies, and how the significance of CWs in remediation of As-contaminated water.KeywordsWetlandsGroundwaterHealth riskRemediation technologiesSustainability
Discharge of polluted water contains various toxic metals released by oil and emulsifier as well as agrochemical industries in Dombivli. A correlative account of heavy metals were studied and observed toxic metals like Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Fe and Zn. Oils and emulsifier and agrochemical. Oils and emulfifier were studied in details in season wise i.e. Rainy, winter and summer. In all seasonFe toxic metal was higher as compared to other metals in the influent and effluent. In winter season Fe influent was recoded more as compare to effluent while in summer season also increased Fe toxic metal andCu mg/L in Industry S3. Heavy metals were reported in all season like rainy, winter and summer. In rainy season influent and effluent were observed and found Fe and Cu more while in effluent Pb was higher and winter season Fe and Cu also higher amount were recorded effluent was reported in Pb mg/l while in summer six metal were also studied. Fe and Cu were much higher than that of rainy and winter influent and effluent.In presently investigated that the comparative studies of Oils and Surfactants (S3) and Agrochemical (S4) industries in Dombivli manufacturing industries were reported toxic metals viz. Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Fe and Zn more or less quantizes were observed Rainy S3 and S4 influent Fe ( 3.31 and 1.50 ) and effluent ( Fe.25 and Pb in S4. Winter season influent Fe was higher in both Industries but 51.0 Fe was reported highest pollution as compared to effluent of both industries Fe Zn Cr and Cu less amount while in Summer season Fe (15.47 and Cu 12.58) in S3 and Fe( 42.67) Cu ( 29.86)influent more concentrated then other between them and effluent S3( Fe and Zn more while in case of S4 Fe toxic metal was very high conc.
Water is very important to maintaining life on earth. Fluoride and Arsenic pollution in groundwater is an emerging issue in the world. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure total arsenic, while ion chromatography was used to determine fluoride. The present study was conducted for the health risk assessment of fluoride and arsenic in groundwater around brick kilns. 58 samples of groundwater were collected from district Vehari Punjab and were analyzed for arsenic concentration ranges from 0.330 to 11.120 µg/L, higher than the WHO recommended permissible level of arsenic in drinking water (10 µg/L). The mean value of fluoride in the water supply for drinking is 2.599 mg/L as its concentration ranges are 0.680 to 9.690 mg/L respectively. All the values of fluoride in drinking water were higher than the permissible limit according to WHO standard 1.5 mg/L. The spatial distribution of arsenic and fluoride in groundwater indicates their direct contamination with rock weathering, coal burning, and the use of cheap fuel in brick kilns. The estimated average dose (ADD), hazards quotient (HQ), as well as cancer risk (CR), were computed using statistical formulae to determine the health risks of arsenic and fluoride. The hazard quotient (HQ) values of As and F ⁻ in this research area were higher protection and safe limits (HQ > 1), having health risks to the people in this region, caused by brick kilns. Statistical parameters correlation and cluster analysis were used to determining possible contaminant sources in the study area.
The skin epidermis is continuously exposed to external aggressions, including environmental pollution. The cosmetic industry must be able to offer dedicated products to fight the effects of pollutants on the skin. We set up an experimental model that exposed skin explants maintained in culture to a pollutant mixture. This mixture representing urban pollution was designed on the basis of the French organization ‘Air Parif’ database. A chamber, called Pollubox®, was built to allow a controlled nebulization of P on the cultured human skin explants. We investigated ultrastructural morphology by transmission electron microscopy of high pressure frozen skin explants. A global transcriptomic analysis indicated that the pollutant mixture was able to induce relevant xenobiotic and antioxidant responses. Modulated detoxifying genes were further investigated by laser micro-dissection coupled to qPCR, and immunochemistry. Both approaches showed that P exposure correlated with overexpression of detoxifying genes and provoked skin physiological alterations down to the stratum basale. The model developed herein might be an efficient tool to study the effects of pollutants on skin as well as a powerful testing method to evaluate the efficacy of cosmetic products against pollution.
The chapter starts with the uptake of minerals in the elemental form by the human body, minerals that could be either beneficial or harmful, the uptake involving four sources (food, soil, water, and air) and three pathways (ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption). Afterward the minerals’ geochemical classification, exposure, bioavailability, bioaccumulation, bio-essentiality, and toxicity are the subjects dealt with. Man and minerals are chemical systems which have in common in their constitution of chemical elements or minerals called major, minor, and trace which are essential not only for life and life quality but for minerals formation too. Even these bio-essential minerals in the elemental form can provide toxicity caused by excess and deficiency. Sources and pathologies that can be caused by potentially toxic minerals in the elemental form and by some minerals stricto sensu are identified and discussed. Some metals are essential for life, living quality, and health conditioning, as essential constituents of metalloproteins and metalloenzymes. Some metals, as is the case of heavy metals, may cause health hazards. Nutritional supplements based on minerals and vitamins are dealt with. The chapter ends with the health risks caused by airborne minerals existing in both natural and anthropogenic dust, gas, ash, and smoke.
Water pollution by metalloids is a global environmental concern. Owing to their propensity for bioaccumulation, water solubility, and interaction with environment, they are threatening both human and ecosystem health. Inherent limitations like low efficiency, sensitive operating conditions, and high capital and operating costs are associated with conventional removal methods which restricts adoption of these technologies on large scale. While adsorption is commonly recognized as both an effective and affordable remediation technology, many common adsorbents often have inherited limitations including non-renewability and high operating costs. Thus, limitations in conventional remediation technologies have headed to the rapid progression of new avenues for advanced treatment technologies for metalloid pollutant removal such as green nanotechnology. In contrast to many of the currently available adsorbents, nanoparticles often have unique properties such as tiny size, more active sites and big surface area, easy separation, and high reactivity that enhance removal efficiencies.
For energy production activity the ground water of 2nd aquifer (AQ2) of block 2 of Thar coal field is drained out in a reservoir/Gorano dam. In present study the physico-chemical and toxic elemental levels in ground water samples of 2nd aquifer (AQ2) of Thar coalfield at the depth of 100–120 m was carried out. The further sampling of water was carried out from drain outlet (DW) and four sampling sites of reservoir (S1, S2, S3 and S4). The sediment samples of water reservoir were collected from four sites and analyzed for toxic elements. The large data set of water quality of AQ2, DW and four samples sites at different spots of reservoir, carried out during 2019 for 17 parameters in triplicate of each composite samples were further analyzed by multivariate statistical techniques involving cluster (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The all water samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters including cations and anions. The resulted data of cations (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, cadmium, lead, total arsenic and iron), anions (chloride, fluoride, nitrate, sulphate and bicarbonate) and physicochemical parameters were descript in terms of basic statistical parameters, PCA and CA. The chemical correlations among different parameters were observed by PCA, which were employed to categorize the water samples by CA. The positive correlation of fluoride (F ⁻ ) and total arsenic with sodium and bicarbonate indicated that the GW (AQ2), DW and water samples of reservoir with high conductivity and salinity stabilized the toxic elements in the water samples of different origin. Results showed that all collected water samples have high values of sodium absorption ratio. The water quality assessment indicated that the high levels of physicochemical parameters and toxic elements in ground and reservoir water have concern in and make it unsuitable for drinking and domestic purposes.
Purpose
Radon (Rn) is a radioactive, odorless, and colorless gas which has a half-life of 3.83 days. One of the main sources of Rn which is directly consumed by the population is Groundwater (Tube well, Bore well, Hand pump). Radon gas is found naturally in rock, soil and water and can be considered as main health risk factor in terms of lung cancer, stomach diseases, leukemia and childhood cancer. The objective of this study was to determine the concentration of radon in the drinking water sources, appraisal of health risk for children in District Bannu, Pakistan.
Material and method
Total of 98 drinking water samples were analyzed by using RAD-7 detector. The experimental data was statistically analyzed by using Pearson’s test. The experimental and epidemiological data of the study area are shown on map using ArcGIS version 10.5.
Results
The analytical results show that Rn in drinking water was found varying from 10.1 Bq/l to 53.1Bq/l with the average highest and lowest depth of 60ft to 550ft respectively. Pearson’s test was used to show the concentration of Rn verses the depth of the water sources so +1 positive linear correlation was observed among the depth of water sources and the concentration of Rn. Out of 98 drinking water samples 40 sample were above the maximum contaminant level of 11.1Bq/l (MCL) set by WHO, 2002 .The effective doses (AED and DEing) for children ranges from 0.00001 to 3.792 mSv/y which exceeds the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of Rn (0.1mSv/y) in 30 drinking water samples . On the basis of analytical results Rn high concentration areas are shown on the map using IDW model of interpolation and health risks were shown in areas where Rn content was above the maximum contaminant level. High correlations of diseases related to Rn were observed amongst the residence of the study area. Gastrointestinal diseases, brain tumor, lung cancer and kidney diseases were observed among the children of the study area.
Conclusion
From the overall analysis it was observed that high radon concentration in drinking water may cause substantial health damage in children after long term exposure.
Water pollution by metalloids is a global environmental concern. Owing to their propensity for bioaccumulation, water solubility, and interaction with environment, they are threatening both human and ecosystem health. Inherent limitations like low efficiency, sensitive operating conditions, and high capital and operating costs are associated with conventional removal methods which restricts adoption of these technologies on large scale. While adsorption is commonly recognized as both an effective and affordable remediation technology, many common adsorbents often have inherited limitations including non-renewability and high operating costs. Thus, limitations in conventional remediation technologies have headed to the rapid progression of new avenues for advanced treatment technologies for metalloid pollutant removal such as green nanotechnology. In contrast to many of the currently available adsorbents, nanoparticles often have unique properties such as tiny size, more active sites and big surface area, easy separation, and high reactivity that enhance removal efficiencies.
The abnormal metabolism of metal ions plays an important role in health and disease conditions, and studies about them have been attracting significant interest. The aim of our study was to assess the heavy metals (cadmium, copper, iron, nickel, chromium, lead, and zinc) in scalp hair samples of 200 hypertensive (HT) patients of an urban population together with 215 non‐hypertensive male subjects in the age group of 30–60 years. Hair samples were digested with conventional wet ashing and microwave digestion. Analyses of both digests were done by flame and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The validity of methodology was checked by use of the certified reference material (CRM 397) hair, provided the Community Bureau of Reference, Commission of the European Communities. According to a statistical evaluation of the results, the microwave digestion method was a valid alternative to the conventional acid digestion method, p value >0.05, but it gave a faster digestion. The overall metal recoveries were 96–98% of those obtained with microwave digestion. Among the toxic elements determined, levels of nickel, cadmium, copper, chromium, and lead in scalp hair samples of hypertensive patients were significantly higher compared normal male subjects, whereas the essential elements such as iron and zinc were found to be low compared age‐matched non‐hypertensive subjects.
An investigation was carried out on arsenic contamination of groundwater and prevalence of arsenical dermatosis in the Hetao plain of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Based on the screening of water samples from 96 randomly selected wells in this Region, two areas (Wuyuan and Alashan) were chosen as highly contaminated areas because arsenic in the water samples was higher than 50 g/l. Arsenic was measured using an arsenic silver diethyl dithiocarbamate method for 326 water samples from all the wells in these areas. The results show arsenic contaminated groundwater from tubuletype wells of depths about 15–30 m was serious compared with open-type wells where depth is about 3–5 m. In the Wuyuan area, 96.2% of water samples from tubule-type wells contained arsenic above 50 g/l and 69.3% in Alashan area; the highest value was 1354 g/l and 1088 g/l, respectively. In these two areas, a health survey was carried out for arsenical dermatosis. The results show the prevalence of arsenical dermatosis in the Wuyuan area was 44.8%, higher than 37.1% prevalence of arsenical dermatosis in the Alashan area. The prevalence of arsenical dermatosis was highest in the over 40yearold age group. There was no sex difference in the prevalence. Further investigation is needed to clarify the actual situation of arsenic pollution of groundwater in Inner Mongolia, China in order to reduce the adverse health effect among residents exposed to arsenic.
Methylation is considered the detoxification pathway for inorganic arsenic (InAs), an established human carcinogen. Urinary speciation analysis is used to assess the distribution of metabolites [monomethylarsonate (MMA), dimethylarsinate (DMA), and unmethylated arsenic (InAs)], as indicators of methylation capacity. We conducted a large biomarker study in northern Chile of a population chronically exposed to high levels of arsenic in drinking water. We report the results of the methylation study, which focused on the effects of exposure and other variables on the percent InAs, MMA, DMA, and the ratio of MMA to DMA in urine. The study consisted of 122 people in a town with arsenic water levels around 600 micrograms/l and 98 participants in a neighboring town with arsenic levels in water of about 15 micrograms/l. The corresponding mean urinary arsenic levels were 580 micrograms/l and 60 micrograms/l, of which 18.4% and 14.9% were InAs, respectively. The main differences were found for MMA:DMA; exposure, smoking, and being male were associated with higher MMA:DMA, while longer residence, Atacameño ethnicity, and being female were associated with lower MMA:DMA. Together, these variables explained about 30% of the variability in MMA:DMA. Overall, there was no evidence of a threshold for methylation capacity, even at very high exposures, and the interindividual differences were within a much wider range than those attributed to the variables investigated. The differences in percent InAs were small and within the ranges of other studies of background exposure levels. The biological significance of MMA:DMA, which was more than 1.5 times greater in the exposed group, and its relationship to sex, length of exposure, and ethnicity need further investigation because its relevance to health risk is not clear.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April 1995 and March 1996 to investigate arsenic-associated skin lesions of keratosis and hyperpigmentation in West Bengal, India, and to determine their relationship to arsenic water levels.
In all, 7683 participants were examined and interviewed, and the arsenic levels in their drinking water measured.
Although water concentrations ranged up to 3400 microg/l of arsenic, over 80% of participants were consuming water containing <500 microg/l. The age-adjusted prevalence of keratosis was strongly related to water arsenic levels, rising from zero in the lowest exposure level (<50 microg/l) to 8.3 per 100 for females drinking water containing >800 microg/l, and increasing from 0.2 per 100 in the lowest exposure category to 10.7 per 100 for males in the highest exposure level (> or =800 microg/l). However, 12 cases with keratosis (2 females and 10 males) were drinking water containing <100 microg/l of arsenic. Findings were similar for hyperpigmentation, with strong dose-response relationships. Among those with hyperpigmentation, 29 cases were exposed to drinking water containing <100 microg/l. Calculation by dose per body weight showed that men had roughly two to three times the prevalence of both keratosis and hyperpigmentation compared to women apparently ingesting the same dose of arsenic from drinking water. Subjects who were below 80% of the standard body weight for their age and sex had a 1.6 fold increase in the prevalence of keratoses, suggesting that malnutrition may play a small role in increasing susceptibility.
The surprising finding of cases who had arsenic-associated skin lesions with apparently low exposure to arsenic in drinking water needs to be confirmed in studies with more detailed exposure assessment. Further research is also needed concerning susceptibility factors which might be present in the exposed population.
To determine the relationship of arsenic-associated skin lesions and degree of arsenic exposure, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Bangladesh, where a large part of the population is exposed through drinking water. Four villages in Bangladesh were identified as mainly dependent on wells contaminated with arsenic. We interviewed and examined 1,481 subjects [Greater/equal to] 30 years of age in these villages. A total of 430 subjects had skin lesions (keratosis, hyperpigmentation, or hypopigmentation). Individual exposure assessment could only be estimated by present levels and in terms of a dose index, i.e., arsenic levels divided by individual body weight. Arsenic water concentrations ranged from 10 to 2,040 microg/L, and the crude overall prevalence rate for skin lesions was 29/100. After age adjustment to the world population the prevalence rate was 30. 1/100 and 26.5/100 for males and females, respectively. There was a significant trend for the prevalence rate both in relation to exposure levels and to dose index (p < 0.05), regardless of sex. This study shows a higher prevalence rate of arsenic skin lesions in males than females, with clear dose-response relationship. The overall high prevalence rate in the studied villages is an alarming sign of arsenic exposure and requires an urgent remedy.
Nine districts in West Bengal, India, and 42 districts in Bangladesh have arsenic levels in groundwater above the World Health Organization maximum permissible limit of 50 microg/L. The area and population of the 42 districts in Bangladesh and the 9 districts in West Bengal are 92,106 km(2) and 79.9 million and 38,865 km(2) and 42.7 million, respectively. In our preliminary study, we have identified 985 arsenic-affected villages in 69 police stations/blocks of nine arsenic-affected districts in West Bengal. In Bangladesh, we have identified 492 affected villages in 141 police stations/blocks of 42 affected districts. To date, we have collected 10,991 water samples from 42 arsenic-affected districts in Bangladesh for analysis, 58,166 water samples from nine arsenic-affected districts in West Bengal. Of the water samples that we analyzed, 59 and 34%, respectively, contained arsenic levels above 50 microg/L. Thousands of hair, nail, and urine samples from people living in arsenic-affected villages have been analyzed to date; Bangladesh and West Bengal, 93 and 77% samples, on an average, contained arsenic above the normal/toxic level. We surveyed 27 of 42 districts in Bangladesh for arsenic patients; we identified patients with arsenical skin lesions in 25 districts. In West Bengal, we identified patients with lesions in seven of nine districts. We examined people from the affected villages at random for arsenical dermatologic features (11,180 and 29,035 from Bangladesh and West Bengal, respectively); 24.47 and 15.02% of those examined, respectively, had skin lesions. After 10 years of study in West Bengal and 5 in Bangladesh, we feel that we have seen only the tip of iceberg.
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It has been suggested that the indigenous Atacameño people in Northern Chile might be protected from the health effects of arsenic in drinking water because of many centuries of exposure. Here we report on the first intensive investigation of arsenic-induced skin lesions in this population. We selected 11 families (44 participants) from the village of Chiu Chiu, which is supplied with water containing between 750 and 800 microg/L inorganic arsenic. For comparison, 8 families (31 participants) were also selected from a village where the water contains approximately 10 microg/L inorganic arsenic. After being transported to the nearest city for blind assessment, participants were examined by four physicians with experience in studying arsenic-induced lesions. Four of the six men from the exposed village, who had been drinking the contaminated water for more than 20 years, were diagnosed with skin lesions due to arsenic, but none of the women had definite lesions. A 13-year-old girl had definite skin pigmentation changes due to arsenic, and a 19-year-old boy had both pigmentation changes and keratoses on the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet. Family interviews identified a wide range of fruits and vegetables consumed daily by the affected participants, as well as the weekly intake of red meat and chicken. However, the prevalence of skin lesions among men and children in the small population studied was similar to that reported with corresponding arsenic drinking water concentrations in both Taiwan and West Bengal, India--populations in which extensive malnutrition has been thought to increase susceptibility.
The contamination of groundwater by arsenic in Bangladesh is the largest poisoning of a population in history, with millions of people exposed. This paper describes the history of the discovery of arsenic in drinking-water in Bangladesh and recommends intervention strategies. Tube-wells were installed to provide "pure water" to prevent morbidity and mortality from gastrointestinal disease. The water from the millions of tube-wells that were installed was not tested for arsenic contamination. Studies in other countries where the population has had long-term exposure to arsenic in groundwater indicate that 1 in 10 people who drink water containing 500 micrograms of arsenic per litre may ultimately die from cancers caused by arsenic, including lung, bladder and skin cancers. The rapid allocation of funding and prompt expansion of current interventions to address this contamination should be facilitated. The fundamental intervention is the identification and provision of arsenic-free drinking water. Arsenic is rapidly excreted in urine, and for early or mild cases, no specific treatment is required. Community education and participation are essential to ensure that interventions are successful; these should be coupled with follow-up monitoring to confirm that exposure has ended. Taken together with the discovery of arsenic in groundwater in other countries, the experience in Bangladesh shows that groundwater sources throughout the world that are used for drinking-water should be tested for arsenic.
A large population in West Bengal, India has been exposed to naturally occurring inorganic arsenic through their drinking water. A cross-sectional survey involving 7683 participants of all ages was conducted in an arsenic-affected region between April 1995 and March 1996. The main focus of the study was skin keratoses and pigmentation alterations, two characteristic signs of ingested inorganic arsenic. Strong exposure-response gradients were found for these skin lesions. The study also collected limited information concerning respiratory system signs and symptoms, which we report here because increasing evidence suggests that arsenic ingestion also causes pulmonary effects.
Participants were clinically examined and interviewed, and the arsenic content in their current primary drinking water source was measured. There were few smokers and analyses were confined to non-smokers (N = 6864 participants).
Among both males and females, the prevalence of cough, shortness of breath, and chest sounds (crepitations and/or rhonchi) in the lungs rose with increasing arsenic concentrations in drinking water. These respiratory effects were most pronounced in individuals with high arsenic water concentrations who also had skin lesions. Prevalence odds ratio (POR) estimates were markedly increased for participants with arsenic-induced skin lesions who also had high levels of arsenic in their current drinking water source (> or = 500 microg/l) compared with individuals who had normal skin and were exposed to low levels of arsenic (<50 microg/l). In participants with skin lesions, the age-adjusted POR estimates for cough were 7.8 for females (95% CI : 3.1-19.5) and 5.0 for males (95% CI : 2.6-9.9); for chest sounds POR for females was 9.6 (95% CI : 4.0-22.9) and for males 6.9 (95% CI : 3.1-15.0). The POR for shortness of breath in females was 23.2 (95% CI : 5.8-92.8) and in males 3.7 (95% CI : 1.3-10.6).
These results add to evidence that long-term ingestion of inorganic arsenic can cause respiratory effects.
Arsenic is a carcinogen to both humans and animals. Arsenicals have been associated with cancers of the skin, lung, and bladder. Clinical manifestations of chronic arsenic poisoning include non-cancer end point of hyper- and hypo-pigmentation, keratosis, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Epidemiological evidence indicates that arsenic concentration exceeding 50 microg l(-1) in the drinking water is not public health protective. The current WHO recommended guideline value for arsenic in drinking water is 10 microg l(-1), whereas many developing countries are still having a value of 50 microg l(-1). It has been estimated that tens of millions of people are at risk exposing to excessive levels of arsenic from both contaminated water and arsenic-bearing coal from natural sources. The global health implication and possible intervention strategies were also discussed in this review article.
There has been widespread speculation about whether nutritional deficiencies increase the susceptibility to arsenic health effects. This is the first study to investigate whether dietary micronutrient and macronutrient intake modulates the well-established human risk of arsenic-induced skin lesions, including alterations in skin pigmentation and keratoses. The study was conducted in West Bengal, India, which along with Bangladesh constitutes the largest population in the world exposed to arsenic from drinking water. In this case-control study design, cases were patients with arsenic-induced skin lesions and had < 500 microg/L arsenic in their drinking water. For each case, an age- and sex-matched control was selected from participants of a 1995-1996 cross-sectional survey, whose drinking water at that time also contained < 500 microg/L arsenic. Nutritional assessment was based on a 24-hr recall for major dietary constituents and a 1-week recall for less common constituents. Modest increases in risk were related to being in the lowest quintiles of intake of animal protein [odds ratio (OR) = 1.94; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05-3.59], calcium (OR = 1.89; 95% CI, 1.04-3.43), fiber (OR = 2.20; 95% CI, 1.15-4.21), and folate (OR = 1.67; 95% CI, 0.87-3.2). Conditional logistic regression suggested that the strongest associations were with low calcium, low animal protein, low folate, and low fiber intake. Nutrient intake was not related to arsenic exposure. We conclude that low intake of calcium, animal protein, folate, and fiber may increase susceptibility to arsenic-caused skin lesions. However, in light of the small magnitude of increased risks related to these dietary deficiencies, prevention should focus on reducing exposure to arsenic.
To understand the severity of related health effects of chronic arsenic exposure in West Bengal, a detailed 3-year study was carried out in Murshidabad, one of the nine arsenic-affected districts in West Bengal.
We screened 25,274 people from 139 arsenic-affected villages in Murshidabad to identify patients suffering from chronic arsenic toxicity for evidence of multisystemic features and collected biological samples such as head hair, nail, and spot urine from the patients along with the tubewell water they were consuming.
Out of 25,274 people screened, 4813 (19%) were registered with arsenical skin lesions. A case series involving arsenical skin lesions resulting in cancer and gangrene were noted during this study. Representative histopathological pictures of skin biopsy of different types of lesions were also presented. Out of 2595 children we examined for arsenical skin lesions, 122 (4%) were registered with arsenical skin lesions, melanosis with or without keratosis. Different clinical and electrophysiological neurological features were noticed among the arsenic-affected villagers. Both the arsenic content in the drinking water and duration of exposure may be responsible in increasing the susceptibility of pregnant women to spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, preterm births, low birth weights, and neonatal deaths. Some additional multisystemic features such as weakness and lethargy, chronic respiratory problems, gastrointestinal symptoms, and anemia were also recorded in the affected population.
The findings from this survey on different health effects of arsenic exposure were compared to those from previous studies carried out on arsenic-affected populations in India and Bangladesh as well as other affected countries.
Multisystemic disorders, including dermal effects, neurological complications, and adverse obstetric outcomes, were observed to be associated with chronic arsenic exposure in the study population in Murshidabad, West Bengal. The magnitude of severity was related to the concentration of arsenic in water as well as duration of the exposure.
This study conducted in Bangladesh reports the relationship of clinical complications with nutritional status and the prevalence of leukopenia among arsenic exposed patients living in the rural villages. A total of 115 exposed individuals diagnosed as arsenicosis patients were randomly selected from four known arsenic endemic villages, and age-matched 120 unexposed subjects were enrolled in the study program. The duration of arsenic exposure in about 37% of the patients was at least 10 yrs, while the population mean and range were 7.6 +/- 5.2 yrs, and 1 - 25 yrs, respectively. The mean arsenic concentrations in the drinking water for the exposed and unexposed (control) population were 218.1 microg/L and 11.3 microg/L, respectively. The spot urine sample of the arsenicosis patients contained an average of 234.6 microg/L arsenic. Although very few patients showed elevated WBC count, 16% had leukopenia (below normal count), and the whole population had significantly low WBC count than the control subjects. Prevalences of neutropenia and lymphocytosis were observed in patients with chronic exposure to high levels of arsenic in water. The body mass index was found to be lower than 18.5, the cut-off point for malnutrition (underweight), in about 28% of the arsenicosis cases compared to 15% of the controls. The monthly income and total calorie consumption per day showed the patients were underprivileged than the controls. Arsenical symptoms and complications were more severe in the nutritionally vulnerable (underweight) patients than the overweight ones. Also, the incidences of leukopenia and anaemia were more common in the female patients who were underweight. The findings of this research demonstrate that the poor nutritional status of patients increases the complications of chronic arsenic toxicity; suggest the possibility of other sources of arsenic contamination different from drinking water in the study area; and establish a higher prevalence of leukopenia and lymphocytosis in arsenicosis patients.
Monomethylarsonic acid (MMA(V)) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA(V)) are active ingredients in pesticidal products used mainly for weed control. MMA(V) and DMA(V) are also metabolites of inorganic arsenic, formed intracellularly, primarily in liver cells in a metabolic process of repeated reductions and oxidative methylations. Inorganic arsenic is a known human carcinogen, inducing tumors of the skin, urinary bladder, and lung. However, a good animal model has not yet been found. Although the metabolic process of inorganic arsenic appears to enhance the excretion of arsenic from the body, it also involves formation of methylated compounds of trivalent arsenic as intermediates. Trivalent arsenicals (whether inorganic or organic) are highly reactive compounds that can cause cytotoxicity and indirect genotoxicity in vitro. DMA(V) was found to be a bladder carcinogen only in rats and only when administered in the diet or drinking water at high doses. It was negative in a two-year bioassay in mice. MMA(V) was negative in 2-year bioassays in rats and mice. The mode of action for DMA(V)-induced bladder cancer in rats appears to not involve DNA reactivity, but rather involves cytotoxicity with consequent regenerative proliferation, ultimately leading to the formation of carcinoma. This critical review responds to the question of whether DMA(V)-induced bladder cancer in rats can be extrapolated to humans, based on detailed comparisons between inorganic and organic arsenicals, including their metabolism and disposition in various animal species. The further metabolism and disposition of MMA(V) and DMA(V) formed endogenously during the metabolism of inorganic arsenic is different from the metabolism and disposition of MMA(V) and DMA(V) from exogenous exposure. The trivalent arsenicals that are cytotoxic and indirectly genotoxic in vitro are hardly formed in an organism exposed to MMA(V) or DMA(V) because of poor cellular uptake and limited metabolism of the ingested compounds. Furthermore, the evidence strongly supports a nonlinear dose-response relationship for the biologic processes involved in the carcinogenicity of arsenicals. Based on an overall review of the evidence, using a margin-of-exposure approach for MMA(V) and DMA(V) risk assessment is appropriate. At anticipated environmental exposures to MMA(V) and DMA(V), there is not likely to be a carcinogenic risk to humans.
The contamination of groundwater by arsenic in Bangladesh is the largest poisoning of a population in history, with millions of people exposed. This paper describes the history of the discovery of arsenic in drinking-water in Bangladesh and recommends intervention strategies. Tube-wells were installed to provide "pure water" to prevent morbidity and mortality from gastrointestinal disease. The water from the millions of tube-wells that were installed was not tested for arsenic contamination. Studies in other countries where the population has had long-term exposure to arsenic in groundwater indicate that 1 in 10 people who drink water containing 500 mu g of arsenic per litre may ultimately die from cancers caused by arsenic, including lung, bladder and skin cancers. The rapid allocation of funding and prompt expansion of current interventions to address this contamination should be facilitated. The fundamental intervention is the identification and provision of arsenic-free drinking water. Arsenic is rapidly excreted in urine, and for early or mild cases, no specific treatment is required. Community education and participation are essential to ensure that interventions are successful; these should be coupled with follow-up monitoring to confirm that exposure has ended. Taken together with the discovery of arsenic in groundwater in other countries, the experience in Bangladesh shows that groundwater sources throughout the world that are used for drinking-water should be tested for arsenic.
The hair arsenic (As) levels are a useful indicator of chronic As poisoning in forensic cases, provided that external contamination of the hair by As can be excluded. Nails and hair have similar affinities for As, but the data on nails is somewhat limited because hair is more convenient to work with. Nails can take up and concentrate As in vitro, and therefore, like hair, are subject to the external As contamination. Hair As can be employed to identify chronic As poisoning provided that external contamination can be excluded. However, the relationship between the hair As levels and the degree of toxicity is only very approximate. Unfortunately, its lack of clinical precision limits its usefulness in assessing the severity of poisoning in the subjects who are exposed to As in their drinking water. The external contamination of the hair from washing in this water may also be a confounding factor. Preliminary experiments have shown that the locations in the hair of external As contamination and of As derived from ingestion are identical. Recent studies agree that the hair As levels in persons not subjected to significant As exposure are less than 1 μg/g. However, levels can be higher in the people living in polluted environments.
This review deals with environmental origin, occurrence, episodes, and impact on human health of arsenic. Arsenic, a metalloid occurs naturally, being the 20th most abundant element in the earth's crust, and is a component of more than 245 minerals. These are mostly ores containing sulfide, along with copper, nickel, lead, cobalt, or other metals. Arsenic and its compounds are mobile in the environment. Weathering of rocks converts arsenic sulfides to arsenic trioxide, which enters the arsenic cycle as dust or by dissolution in rain, rivers, or groundwater. So, groundwater contamination by arsenic is a serious threat to mankind all over the world. It can also enter food chain causing wide spread distribution throughout the plant and animal kingdoms. However, fish, fruits, and vegetables primarily contain organic arsenic, less than 10% of the arsenic in these foods exists in the inorganic form, although the arsenic content of many foods (i.e. milk and dairy products, beef and pork, poultry, and cereals) is mainly inorganic, typically 65-75%. A few recent studies report 85-95% inorganic arsenic in rice and vegetables, which suggest more studies for standardisation. Humans are exposed to this toxic arsenic primarily from air, food, and water. Thousands and thousands of people are suffering from the toxic effects of arsenicals in many countries all over the world due to natural groundwater contamination as well as industrial effluent and drainage problems. Arsenic, being a normal component of human body is transported by the blood to different organs in the body, mainly in the form of MMA after ingestion. It causes a variety of adverse health effects to humans after acute and chronic exposures such as dermal changes (pigmentation, hyperkeratoses, and ulceration), respiratory, pulmonary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematological, hepatic, renal, neurological, developmental, reproductive, immunologic, genotoxic, mutagenetic, and carcinogenic effects. Key research studies are needed for improving arsenic risk assessment at low exposure levels urgently among all the arsenic research groups.
Arsenic in ground water has been found above the maximum permissible limit in six districts of West Bengal covering an area of 34 000 km2 with a population of 30 million. At present 37 blocks of these six districts by the side of the River Ganga are affected and about 800 000 people from 312 villages/wards are drinking arsenic contaminated water and amongst them at least 175 000 people are showing arsenical skin lesions. The source of arsenic is geological. We have analysed thousands of tube-well water samples from these six districts for four arsenic species namely, arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA). We could detect no MMAA or DMAA in any of these samples. In urine, DMAA and MMAA are the predominant species along with arsenite and arsenate. The techniques we used for the determination and speciation of arsenic are: (i) separation of arsenite and arsenate from water by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate in chloroform followed by FI-HGAAS; (ii) spectrophotometry using Ag–DDTC in chloroform with hexamethylenetetramine as absorbing solution; (iii) ion-exchange separation of arsenite and arsenate from water followed by FI-HGAAS; and (iv) for analysis of inorganic arsenic and its metabolites in urine, FI-HGAAS was used after separation of the species by a combined cation–anion-exchange column. Total arsenic in urine was determined by FI-HGAAS after acid decomposition. The most toxic species, arsenite, is present in ground water at about 50% of the total arsenic level, and more than 90% of the total arsenic in urine is inorganic arsenic and its metabolites.
Shallow groundwater is heavily contaminated with arsenic in Bangladesh. The results of a total of 77 samples in two studied upazilas Daudkandi and Begumganj showed elevated levels of arsenic contents in tube well water (range: 0.29-0.71 ppm, n = 6), soils (range: 5.64-29.47 ppm DW, n =16), human scalp hair, (range: 2.41-14.91 ppm DW, n = 8), kachu (range: 0.11-3.89 ppm FW, n = 5), water spinach (range: 0.091-2.032 ppm FW, n =6), potato (range: 0.02-1.86 ppm FW, n = 5), danta stem (1.41 ppm FW, n=1) and paddy rice (range: 0.02-3.40 ppm DW, n = 13). No significant level of arsenic was found in balsam apple (n=5), pointed gourd (n=6), ladies finger (n=1) jute leave (n=1) and catfish (n=4). Extensive withdrawal of arsenic contaminated groundwater contaminates surface soils and plants and thus affects the food chain.
The occurrence of arsenic in natural water has received significant attention during recent years. Arsenic exists in the environment in a number of valency states. The valency state of arsenic plays an important role for its behavior and toxicity in the aqueous system. The toxicity and bioavailability of arsenic can only be determined if all its forms can be identified and quantified. Therefore, the aim of this article is to provide a general description of the occurrence of arsenic in the environment, its toxicity, health hazards, and measurement techniques for speciation analysis. Different techniques used for speciation of arsenic, viz., spectrometric, chromatographic, electrochemical, etc. have been discussed.
The water from some drilled wells in southwest Finland contains high arsenic concentrations (min-max: 17-980 microg/L). We analyzed inorganic arsenic (As-i) and organic arsenic (monomethylarsonate [MMA] and dimethylarsinate [DMA]) species in urine and conducted a clinical examination of current users (n = 35) and ex-users (n = 12) of such wells. Ex-users had ceased to use the water from the wells 2-4 months previously. Urinary arsenic species were also analyzed from persons whose drinking water contained less than 1 microg/L of arsenic (controls, n = 9). The geometric means of the concentrations of total arsenic in urine were 58 microg/L for current users, 17 microg/L for ex-users, and 5 microg/L for controls. The excreted arsenic was associated with the calculated arsenic doses, and on average 63% of the ingested arsenic dose was excreted in urine. The ratios of MMA/DMA and As-i/As-tot (As-tot = As-i + MMA + DMA) in urine tended to be lower among the current users and in the higher exposure levels than in controls, suggesting that As-i was better methylated in current users. However, the differences were mainly explained by age; older persons were better methylators of inorganic arsenic than younger individuals. The arsenic content of hair correlated well with the past and chronic arsenic exposure; an increase of 10 microg/L in the arsenic concentration of the drinking water or an increase of 10-20 microg/day of the arsenic exposure corresponded to a 0.1 mg/kg increase in hair arsenic. The individuals were interviewed and complained of muscle cramps, mainly in the legs, and this was associated with elevated arsenic exposure. The present study demonstrates that arsenic methylation has no threshold at these exposure levels.
A high performance liquid chromatography-microwave digestion-hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HPLC-MW-HG-AAS) coupled method is described for As(III), As(V), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), arsenobetaine (AsB) and arsenocholine (AsC) determination. A Hamilton PRP-X100 anion-exchange column is used for carrying out the arsenic species separation. As mobile phase 17 mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) is used for As(III), As(V), MMA and DMA separation, and ultrapure water (pH 6.0) for AsB and AsC separation. Prior to injection into the HPLC system AsB and AsC are isolated from the other arsenic species using a Waters Accell Plus QMA cartridge. A microwave digestion with K(2)S(2)O(8) as oxidizing agent is used for enhancing the efficiency of conversion of AsB and AsC into arsenate. Detection limits achieved were between 0.3 and 1.1 ng for all species. The method was applied to arsenic speciation in fish samples.
This study examined the relationship between total arsenic levels in hair of employees in a semiconductor fabrication facility and job responsibility, a surrogate variable for arsenic exposure potential. Maintenance personnel who regularly worked in equipment cleaning areas were assumed to have higher potential for occupational exposure than other employees. Occipital scalp hair samples were collected from 30 maintenance personnel, supervisors, and equipment engineers with high, medium, and low potential for exposure and from 26 administrative employees. Total arsenic in hair was measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy with hydride generation. Workplace air and wipe samples were analyzed to verify differing exposure potential in fabrication and administrative areas. Subjects completed written questionnaires to identify possible nonoccupational sources of arsenic. Mean hair arsenic in two of the three groups working in or near fabrication areas was slightly higher but not statistically different from that of administrative controls. Eliminating smokers, only the maintenance group regularly assigned to fabrication areas was higher than administrative controls but still not statistically different. A regression analysis of all factors indicated that sex, tapwater consumption, and dietary habits were significant contributors to arsenic in hair. Trends among these groups were consistent with expected exposure potential, although not dramatically different from controls. Main study conclusions were that (1) nonoccupational sources of arsenic can be expected to contribute more to hair levels in employees than that observed in this particular semiconductor work environment, where safe work practices were believed to be followed; and (2) monitoring should be considered in this industry to identify employees experiencing chronic, low-level arsenic exposures only if the facility also examines nonoccupational sources of exposure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
In six districts of West Bengal arsenic has been found in ground water above the maximum permissible limit recommended by the WHO of 0.05 mg l-1. This water is used by the villagers for drinking, cooking and other household purposes. These six districts have an area of 34,000 km2 and hold a population of 30 million. Over the last five years we have surveyed only a few small areas of these six affected districts and our survey revealed that, at present, at least 800,000 people from 312 villages in 37 blocks are drinking contaminated water and more than 175,000 people are showing arsenical skin lesions that are the late stages of manifestation of arsenic toxicity. Most of the three stages of arsenic-related clinical manifestations are observed amongst the affected people. The common symptoms are conjunctivitis, melanosis, depigmentation, keratosis and hyperkeratosis; cases of gangrene and malignant neoplasms are also observed. The source of arsenic is geological. We have analysed thousands of arsenic contaminated water samples. Most of the water samples contain a mixture of arsenite and arsenate and in none of them could we detect methylarsonic or dimethylarsenic acid. We have also analysed a large number of urine, hair and nail samples, several skin-scales and some liver tissues (biopsy samples) of the people drinking the arsenic contaminated water and showing arsenical skin lesions. Flow injection hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (FI-HGAAS) was used for the analysis of hair, nails, urine and skin-scale after decomposition by various techniques. The liver tissues were analysed by Zeeman corrected-ETAAS using a few milligrams of the biopsy samples.
In cases of arsenic poisoning, the distribution of arsenic along the length of a hair can be used to distinguish between chronic and acute exposure. Individual 5-mm segments of a hair were analyzed for their arsenic content by solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry with a mixed Pd-Mg(NO3)2 matrix modifier. Results obtained using arsenic calibration solutions and standard additions to uncontaminated hairs are analytically indistinguishable, allowing aqueous standards to be used for hair analysis. The characteristic mass is 24 pg, and the 3 sigma detection limit is approximately 10 pg. Results obtained for hairs from two victims of arsenic poisoning are in good agreement with those obtained using neutron activation analysis.
Arsenic concentrations were measured in scalp hair of three groups of people of a village in west of Iran. One group consisted of healthy subjects, the second of subjects with suspected arsenic poisoning and the third with people infected with arsenic poisoning. The measurements were carried out using neutron activation analysis at Tehran Research Reactor. Along with these measurements, the arsenic content of water sources used by the inhabitants were also measured. The measurements revealed that the average arsenic concentration in the healthy group was 0.2 +/- 0.07 ppm, in the suspected group was 4.9 +/- 0.5 ppm, in the infected group was 5.6 +/- 0.5 ppm and in water samples varied between 0.03 +/- 0.01 and 1.04 +/- 0.10 ppm.
The groundwater in seven districts of West Bengal, India, covering an area of 37,000 km2 with a population of 34 million, has been contaminated with arsenic. In 830 villages/wards more than 1.5 million people, out of the total population, drink the arsenic-contaminated water. Safe water from a source having < 0.002 mg 1(-1) arsenic has been supplied for 2 years to five affected families comprising 17 members (eight of them with arsenical skin-lesions) of different age groups for impact assessment study in terms of loss of arsenic through urine, hair and nail. The study indicates random observable fluctuations of arsenic concentration in urine among members on different scheduled sampling days with a declining trend, particularly during the first 6 months. Furthermore, the investigation showed that despite having safe water for drinking and cooking, the study group could not avoid an intake of arsenic, time and again, through edible herbs grown in contaminated water, food materials contaminated through washing, and the occasional drinking of contaminated water. After minimizing the level of contamination, a noteworthy declining trend after 8 months was observed in urine, hair and nails in all the cases, but not to that level observed in a normal population, due to prevailing elevated background level of arsenic in the area. The eight members, who had already developed skin lesions, are far from recovering completely, indicating a long-lasting damage. Statistical interpretation of the data are considered.
In ecologic studies, participants are studied by groups, and the exposure status of each group is usually represented by a single indicator, mostly the mean exposure. In this paper, we propose using multiple variables derived from dummy variables at the individual level to describe the exposure. An analysis of the association between arsenic in drinking water and skin cancer was used as an example. Well water arsenic levels and skin cancer incidence from 1980 to 1987 were assessed for 243 townships in Taiwan. We first analyzed the data using the mean arsenic concentration in each township as the only exposure variable. The second analysis used multiple variables to describe arsenic exposure; each variable denoted the percentage of wells with arsenic levels within a specific range in each township. Although the first approach did not identify associations between arsenic levels and skin cancer, the multiple-variable approach identifies a positive association at the highest arsenic exposure category (>0.64 mg/L) in both men and women. Therefore, using multiple variables to describe an exposure in ecologic studies may facilitate a better description of the exposure status and thereby lead to more accurate risk assessment, especially when the dose-response relationship is not linear.
There is strong evidence from epidemiologic studies of an association between chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) and hyperpigmentation, hyperkeratosis, and neoplasia in the skin. Although it is generally accepted that methylation is a mechanism of arsenic detoxification, recent studies have suggested that methylated arsenicals also have deleterious biological effects. In these studies we compare the effects of inorganic arsenicals (arsenite (iAs(III)) and arsenate (iAs(V))) and trivalent and pentavalent methylated arsenicals (methylarsine oxide (MAs(III)O), complex of dimethylarsinous acid with glutathione (DMAs(III)GS), methylarsonic acid (MAs(V)), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAs(V))) in human keratinocyte cultures. Viability testing showed that the relative toxicities of the arsenicals were as follows: iAs(III) > MAs(III)O > DMAs(III)GS > DMAs(V) > MAs(V) > iAs(V). Trivalent arsenicals induced an increase in cell proliferation at concentrations in the 0.001 to 0.01 microM range, while at high concentrations (>0.5 microM) cell proliferation was inhibited. Pentavalent arsenicals did not stimulate cell proliferation. As seen in the viability studies, the methylated forms of As(V) were more cytotoxic than iAs(V). Exposure to low doses of trivalent arsenicals stimulated secretion of the growth-promoting cytokines, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. DMAs(V) reduced cytokine secretion at concentrations at which proliferation and viability were not affected. These data suggest that methylated arsenicals, products of the metabolic conversion of inorganic arsenic, can significantly affect viability and proliferation of human keratinocytes and modify their secretion of inflammatory and growth-promoting cytokines.
Deletions of regions at 13q14 have been detected by various genetic approaches in human cancers including prostate cancer. Several studies have defined one region of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 13q14 that seems to reside in a DNA segment of 7.1 cM between genetic markers D13S263 and D13S153. To define the smallest region of overlap (SRO) for deletion at 13q14, we first applied tissue microdissection and multiplex PCR to detect homozygous deletion and/or hemizygous deletion at 13q14 in 134 prostate cancer specimens from 114 patients. We detected deletions at markers D13S1227, D13S1272, and A005O48 in 13 (10%) of these tumor specimens. Of the 13 tumors with deletions, 12 were either poorly differentiated primary tumors or metastases of prostate cancer. To fine-map the deletion region, we then constructed a high-resolution YAC/BAC/STS/EST physical map based on experimental and database analyses. Several markers encompassing the deletion region were analyzed for homozygous deletion and/or hemizygous deletion in 61 cell lines/xenografts derived from human cancers of the prostate, breast, ovary, endometrium, cervix, and bladder, and a region of deletion was defined by duplex PCR assay between markers A005X38 and WI-7773. We also analyzed LOH at 13q14 in the 61 cell lines/xenografts using the homozygosity mapping of deletion approach and 26 microsatellite markers. We found 24 (39%) of the cell lines/xenografts to show LOH at 13q14 and defined a region of LOH by markers M1 and M5. Combination of homozygous or hemizygous deletion and LOH results defined the SRO for deletion to be an 800-kb DNA interval between A005X38 and M5. There are six known genes located in or close to the SRO for deletion. This region of deletion is at least 2 Mb centromeric to the RB1 tumor-suppressor gene and the leukemia-associated genes 1 and 2, each of which is located at 13q14. These data suggest that the 800-kb DNA segment with deletion contains a gene whose deletion may be important for the development of prostate and other cancers. This study also provides a framework for the fine-mapping, cloning, and identification of a novel tumor-suppressor gene at 13q14.
Arsenic level of hair samples of apparently healthy Egyptian was measured by means of hydride atomic absorption spectrophotometery. It ranged between 0.04 and 1.04 mg As/kg hair, about 55% of the analysed hair samples were within the range of allowable values (0.08-0.25 mg As/kg hair), but 45% were not. There were no considerable sex-related differences (0.303 and 0.292 mg As/kg hair for males and females, respectively). Different educational levels did not influence it either, when the effect of the age had been excluded. Children and adolescents proved to be more susceptible to arsenic as their mean levels (0.353 microg/g), and were significantly higher than those in the adults (0.233 microg/g). Smoking and some dietary habits had an important role in the elevation of arsenic levels among the nonoccupational Egyptian population: 60% of smokers and 66.7% of indoor passive smokers had arsenic levels >0.25 mg As/kg hair. Arsenic levels were also dependent on the kind of smoking, as hair arsenic of the subject smoking molasses tobacco was found to be significantly higher than that of cigarette smokers (0.459 and 0.209 mg As/kg hair, respectively). The frequency of meat and fish consumption per week was also found to be positively, significantly correlated with arsenic levels. On the other hand, the frequency of consumption of fruits, fresh and cooked vegetables, milk and milk products per week beneficially influenced the arsenic level of the hair samples examined. Arsenic content of the consumed water in Egypt was 0.001 mg/l, which is below the maximum drinking water level allowed by World Health Organisation (WHO). Therefore, the arsenic content of domestic tap water hardly contributed to the arsenic exposure of the Egyptian population in the regions of the study. It is likely that exposure routes by smoking, fish and animal protein consumption are the principal cause of arsenic accumulation in the general Egyptian population.
The diagnosis and evaluation of chronic arsenic poisoning remains a difficult task. Clinical indicators are crude measures, and electromyography adds little to the picture. Blood arsenic levels are transitory, however urine levels are useful for monitoring ongoing exposure. Hair arsenic is useful as a confirmatory feature in chronic arsenic poisoning provided external contamination by arsenic can be excluded. The distribution of arsenic in cross sections or along the length of a shaft of hair cannot distinguish external contamination from arsenic derived from ingestion.
Establishment of the maximum contaminant level that regulates the concentration of arsenic in public water supplies has been
an extraordinarily protracted process. The U.S. Public Health Service set an interim standard of 50 mg per liter in 1942.
It was another 60 years before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lowered the standard to 10 mg per liter, despite extensive
epidemiological evidence of significant cancer risks.
Smith
et al.
of this Policy Forum consider how the regulatory process might interpret and respond more effectively to results from epidemiological
studies.
This paper carries out probabilistic risk analysis methods to quantify arsenic (As) bioaccumulation in cultured fish of tilapia (Orechromis mossambicus) and large-scale mullet (Liza macrolepis) at blackfoot disease (BFD) area in Taiwan and to assess the range of exposures for the people who eat the contaminated fish. The models implemented include a probabilistic bioaccumulation model to account for As accumulation in fish and a human health exposure and risk model that accounts for hazard quotient and lifetime risk for humans consuming contaminated fish. Results demonstrate that the ninety-fifth percentile of hazard quotient for inorganic As ranged from 0.77-2.35 for Taipei city residents with fish consumption rates of 10-70 g/d, whereas it ranged 1.86-6.09 for subsistence fishers in the BFD area with 48-143 g/d, consumption rates. The highest ninety-fifth percentile of potential health risk for inorganic As ranged from 1.92 x 10(-4)-5.25 x 10(-4) for Taipei city residents eating tilapia harvested from Hsuehchia fish farms, with consumption rates of 10-70 g/d, whereas for subsistence fishers it was 7.36 x 10(-4)-1.12 x 10(-3) with 48-143 g/d consumption rates. These findings indicate that As exposure poses risks to residents and subsistence fishers, yet these results occur under highly conservative conditions. We calculate the maximum allowable inorganic As residues associated to a standard unit risk, resulting in the maximum target residues, are 0.0019-0.0175 and 0.0023-0.0053 microg/g dry weight for tilapia and large-scale mullet, respectively, with consumption rates of 70-10 g/d, or 0.0009-0.0029 and 0.0011-0.0013 microg/g dry weight for consumption rates of 169-48 g/d.
There is conflicting evidence in the literature as to the predominant mechanism and also the compositional element(s) that drives the pulmonary inflammatory response of ambient particulate matter (PM). We have investigated the inflammogenic potential of coarse (2.5-10 microm) and fine (<2.5 microm) PM from both a rural and an industrial location in Germany, using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of rat lungs 18 h post intratracheal instillation with PM. Irrespective of the sampling location, the coarse fraction of PM(10) but not its fine counterpart caused neutrophilic inflammation in rat lungs, in the absence of any severe pulmonary toxicity as indicated by the lack of an increase in lavage protein and lactate dehydrogenase levels. The rural sample of coarse PM also caused a significant increase in the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) content as well as glutathione depletion in the BAL fluid. The contrasting inflammatory responses of the different samples could not be explained by differences in the concentrations of soluble Fe, Cu, V, Ni, Cr, or Al or by the.OH generating capacities of the PM suspensions. However, the effects of the different PM samples were clearly associated with their endotoxin content, as well as their ability to induce interleukin (IL)-8 and TNFalpha from whole blood in vitro. In conclusion, on an equal mass basis, coarse but not fine PM samples from our sampling campaign induced an inflammatory reaction in the lung in the absence of gross cellular lung damage, following intratracheal instillation. Our data also indicate, in accordance with previous independent in vitro observations, that endotoxin or related contaminants may play a role in these in vivo effects.
Chronic arsenic (As) poisoning has become a worldwide public health issue. Most human As exposure occurs from consumption of drinking water containing high amounts of inorganic As (iAs). In this paper, epidemiological studies conducted on the dose-response relationships between iAs exposure via the drinking water and related adverse health effects are reviewed. Before the review, the methods for evaluation of the individual As exposure are summarized and classified into two types, that is, the methods depending on As concentration of the drinking water and the methods depending on biological monitoring for As exposure; certain methods may be applied as optimum As exposure indexes to study dose-response relationship based on various As exposure situation. Chronic effects of iAs exposure via drinking water include skin lesions, neurological effects, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes mellitus, and malignancies including skin cancer. The skin is quite sensitive to arsenic, and skin lesions are some of the most common and earliest nonmalignant effects related to chronic As exposure. The increase of prevalence in the skin lesions has been observed even at the exposure levels in the range of 0.005-0.01 mg/l As in drinking waters. Skin, lung, bladder, kidney, liver, and uterus are considered as sites As-induced malignancies, and the skin is though to be perhaps the most sensitive site. Prospective studies in large area of endemic As poisoning, like Bangladesh or China, where the rate of malignancies is expected to increase within the next several decades, will help to clarify the dose-response relationship between As exposure levels and adverse health effects with enhanced accuracy.
The objective of this study was to determine arsenic exposure via drinking water and to characterize urinary arsenic excretion among adults in the Yaqui Valley, Sonora, Mexico. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2001 to May 2002. Study subjects were from the Yaqui Valley, Sonora, Mexico, residents of four towns with different arsenic concentrations in their drinking water. Arsenic exposure was estimated through water intake over 24 h. Arsenic excretion was assessed in the first morning void urine. Total arsenic concentrations and their species arsenate (As V), arsenite (As III), monomethyl arsenic (MMA), and dimethyl arsenic (DMA) were determined by HPLC/ICP-MS. The town of Esperanza with the highest arsenic concentration in water had the highest daily mean intake of arsenic through drinking water, the mean value was 65.5 microg/day. Positive correlation between total arsenic intake by drinking water/day and the total arsenic concentration in urine (r = 0.50, P < 0.001) was found. Arsenic excreted in urine ranged from 18.9 to 93.8 microg/L. The people from Esperanza had the highest geometric mean value of arsenic in urine, 65.1 microg/L, and it was statistically significantly different from those of the other towns (P < 0.005). DMA was the major arsenic species in urine (47.7-67.1%), followed by inorganic arsenic (16.4-25.4%), and MMA (7.5-15%). In comparison with other reports the DMA and MMA distribution was low, 47.7-55.6% and 7.5-9.7%, respectively, in the urine from the Yaqui Valley population (except the town of Cocorit). The difference in the proportion of urinary arsenic metabolites in those towns may be due to genetic polymorphisms in the As methylating enzymes of these populations.
To evaluate the main intake source of arsenic by the villagers from arsenic-affected families in Jalangi and Domkol blocks in Mushidabad district, West Bengal-India, we determined the concentrations of arsenic in tube-well water and in food composites, mainly including vegetables and cereals collected from the surveyed families which were cultivated in that region. The daily dietary intakes of arsenic by the villagers were estimated and the excretions of arsenic through urine and hair were determined. The arsenic concentrations in hair and urine of the studied population living in mild (2.78 microg/L), moderate (30.7 microg/L) and high (118 microg/L) arsenic-affected families were 133, 1,391 and 4,713 microg/kg and 43.1, 244 and 336 microg/L, respectively. The linear regressions show good correlations between arsenic concentrations in water vs hair (r(2)=0.928, p<0.001) and water vs urine (r(2)=0.464, p<0.01). Approximately 29.4%, 58.1% and 62.1% of adult population from mild, moderate and high arsenic-affected families were suffering from arsenical skin manifestations. The mean arsenic concentrations of food composites (vegetables and cereals) in high arsenic-affected families are not significantly different from mild arsenic-affected families. The daily dietary intakes of arsenic from water and food composites of the studied population, living in high, moderate and mild arsenic-affected families were 568, 228 and 137 microg, respectively. The linear regressions show good correlations between arsenic concentrations in hair vs daily dietary intake (r(2)=0.452, p<0.001) and urine vs daily dietary intake (r(2)=0.134, p<0.001). The water for drinking contributed 6.07%, 26.7% and 58.1% of total arsenic in our study from mild, moderate and high arsenic-affected families. The result suggested that the contaminated water from high arsenic-affected families should be the main source for intake of arsenic. On contrary, the contribution of arsenic-contaminated food composites from mild and moderate arsenic-affected families might be the main source for intake of arsenic. The Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) values of arsenic in our study were 3.32, 5.75 and 12.9 microg/kg body weight/day from mild, moderate and high arsenic-affected families, respectively, which is higher than the recommended PTWI value of arsenic (2.1 microg/kg body weight/day).
Zinc is essential for all life forms and plays a vital role in human nutrition and biochemical functions. Epidemiologic studies suggest that zinc deficiency may be associated with increased risk of cancer.
We measured the concentration of Zn in whole blood and scalp hair of female patients with breast and ovarian cancers from different cities of Pakistan. Sixty-five patients (30-60 y) and 50 healthy subjects of the same age groups were included. Both controlled and study group female patients were of same socio-economic status, localities and dietary habits. The scalp hair and whole blood samples were oxidized by mixture of 65% nitric acid: 30% hydrogen peroxide (2:1) ratio in microwave oven, to reduce the conventional wet acid digestion period. The proposed method was validated by certified sample of human hair BCR 397 and Clincheck control-lyophilized human whole blood. The all digested samples were analyzed for Zn concentration using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS).
There was a significant decrease in mean total of Zn in whole blood and scalp hair samples of both cancer groups of patients compared to a controlled healthy female group (p<0.001).
There is an association of Zn with biological samples in different types of cancer in females.
The concentrations of 15 elements were determined in water, sediment and tissues of fish (Oreochromis mossambicus) collected from five sampling stations of Manchar Lake in 2005 for two successive seasons, winter (WS) and summer (SS). Elements analysis was performed by atomic absorption spectrometry with flame (FAAS) and electrothermal (ETAAS) modes, using multielement standard solution. The obtained results show that, the trace and toxic elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) and macronutrients (Al, Ca, K, Mg and Na) concentrations in lake water were above the recommended drinking water standards by WHO. Concentrations of Na detected in lake water in WS and SS, were in the range of 445.5-562.7 and 420.6-643.5 mgl(-1), respectively. While among toxic elements As concentration in both seasons, have been found in the range of 60.4-88.9 and 64.9-101.8 microgl(-1) respectively, these values are 6-10 times higher than the permissible limit of WHO. The mean concentrations of elements understudy in muscles of fish were found as 2.35, 1.39, 0.46, 2.3, 1517.9, 2.2, 2.4 and 188.9 mgkg(-1) for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn, respectively. High accumulation of toxic elements in fish tissues is indicating that some of the metal contaminants are entering the food chain. Correlations among the variables were identified by multivariate analysis. The extraction of elements from sediments with EDTA, to predict the bioavailability of trace and toxic elements, has shown that among them As, Cd and Zn were the most bioavailable elements in lake sediment.
Hair arsenic as an index of toxicity Methylation study of a population environmentally exposed to arsenic in drinking water
- Hindmarsh Jt
- D Dekerkhove
- G Grime
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- Smith
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Hindmarsh JT, Dekerkhove D, Grime G, Powell JO. In: Chappell WR, Abernathy CO, Calderon RL, editors. Hair arsenic as an index of toxicity. 1st ed. Oxford UK: Elsevier; 1999. Hopenhayn-Rich C, Biggs ML, Smith AH, Kalman DA, Moore LE. Methylation study of a population environmentally exposed to arsenic in drinking water. Environ Health Perspect 1996;104:620–7.
Update arsenic in drinking water. Washington DC: National Academic Press Determination of arsenic in hair using neutron activation
- Pazirandeh Ah
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