Investigation of Health Effects According to the Exposure of Low Concentration Arsenic Contaminated Ground Water

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 14; no. 12; p. 1461
• Main Authors: Hong, Young-seoub, Ye, Byeong-jin, Kim, Yu-mi, Kim, Byoung-gwon, Kang, Gyeong-hui, Kim, Jeong-jin, Song, Ki-hoon, Kim, Young-hun, Seo, Jeong-wook
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 27.11.2017; MDPI
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Arsenates - analysis; Arsenic; Arsenic - analysis; Arsenicals - urine; Arsenites - analysis; Cacodylic Acid - analysis; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Diabetes; Drinking water; Drinking Water - analysis; Drinking Water - chemistry; Environmental Monitoring; Groundwater - analysis; Groundwater - chemistry; Hair - chemistry; Health risk assessment; Health Status; Humans; Male; Mass Spectrometry; Middle Aged; Pesticides; Public health; Skin cancer; Studies; Toxicity; Urine; Water Pollution - analysis; Water quality; Water shortages; Water supply; Young Adult; arsenic; health effects; biomonitoring
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14121461

Recent epidemiological studies have reported adverse health effects, including skin cancer, due to low concentrations of arsenic via drinking water. We conducted a study to assess whether low arsenic contaminated ground water affected health of the residents who consumed it. For precise biomonitoring results, the inorganic (trivalent arsenite (As III) and pentavalent arsenate (As V)) and organic forms (monomethylarsonate (MMA) and dimethylarsinate (DMA)) of arsenic were separately quantified by combining high-performance liquid chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy from urine samples. In conclusion, urinary As III, As V, MMA, and hair arsenic concentrations were significantly higher in residents who consumed arsenic contaminated ground water than control participants who consumed tap water. But, most health screening results did not show a statistically significant difference between exposed and control subjects. We presume that the elevated arsenic concentrations may not be sufficient to cause detectable health effects. Consumption of arsenic contaminated ground water could result in elevated urinary organic and inorganic arsenic concentrations. We recommend immediate discontinuation of ground water supply in this area for the safety of the residents.