Groundwater contamination by arsenic in of 24-Parganas district of West Bengal, India: A health risk

Abstract

Arsenic poisoning due to contaminated groundwater in West Bengal, India, has been thought to be limited to the Lower Ganga Plain (LGP). Skin lesions in villagers led us to evaluate arsenic exposure in the Moyna and Adrebok villages of 24 Porgana (s) West Bengal, India in the LGP where tube wells water was used for drinking water. Results of this investigation are indicated that the groundwater of Moyna and Adrebok villages have been severely affected by As (arsenic). Most of the tubewells exceeded Arsenic (As) concentration upper limit of Indian standard (50μg/L). Few people were affected by chronic bronchitis and whole body infection. The concentration of total arsenic in urine, hair, and nails has been proposed as an indicator of environmental exposure to arsenic. The positive associations between arsenic contents measured in the urine, hair, and nails indicate the degree of severity of arsenic exposure. The arsenic concentrations were found very high in nails with respect to hair and urine. However, arsenic concentrations in hair and urine were found very high. The correlation statistics indicate that the As concentrations in nails, hair and urine are highly correlated with the concentrations of ground water. The arsenic concentrations in urine, hair and nail were increased with the increase of age upto 42 year. The arsenic concentrations in hair and nail were increased more in compare to urine sample. Interestingly the arsenic concentration in urine, hair and nail were decreased from 43 year. As arsenic shows strong reactivity and therefore affinity towards thiol compounds, it preferentially accumulates in peripheral keratin-rich tissues such as skin, nail, and hair. The cases showed significantly higher arsenic accumulation in nail and hair. This load, coupled with the genetic idiosyncrasies of the arsenic-metabolizing genes, determines whether a particular individual will be susceptible to arsenic toxicity.