Abstract
The study reports the use of three biomarkers i.e. total arsenic in hair and nails, total arsenic in blood, and total arsenic in urine to identify or quantify arsenic exposure and concomitant health effects. The main source of arsenic was inorganic exposure through drinking water. The arsenic levels and the health effects were analyzed closely in a family having maximum symptoms of arsenic. Based on the result of this study it is reported that there exist a correlation between the clinically observable symptoms, the blood and urine arsenic level, and the arsenic intake through drinking water. An intensive study on the urinary arsenic levels was carried out in which the urine levels of arsenic and the urine sufficiency tests were performed. A composite picture of body burden of arsenic has been obtained by carrying out a complete biochemical analysis of a maximum affected family. This confirms pronounced chronic exposure of the arsenic to these people. A combined correlation study on the arsenic levels measured in whole blood, urine, hair, nails and age present a remarkable outcome. Accordingly, the arsenic levels in blood are negatively correlated with the urine arsenic levels, which indicate either the inadequacy of the renal system in cleaning the blood arsenic or a continuous recirculation of the accumulated arsenic. This is an important conclusion about arsenical metabolism in humans. The study also raises the issues of the prospects of complete elimination of the accumulated arsenic and the reversibility of the health effects. Based on the work in Kourikasa village we report that there are very remote chances of complete purging of arsenic and thus reversibility of the health effects owing to various factors. The paper also discusses the various issues concerning the chronic arsenic poisoning management in the affected locations.
Highlights
Arsenic is a semi-metallic poison known since ancient times
Clinical symptoms of the arsenicosis were the major criteria for the selection of subjects
The family under consideration of this study was consuming the water of hand pump no. 5 (HP 5), which was dug-up in the year 1988
Summary
Arsenic is a semi-metallic poison known since ancient times. An Arab alchemist of eighth century produced arsenious oxide, from realgar which is a naturally occurring ore found in lead and iron mining, and one of the most cruel, deadly and widely administered poisons during the medieval history was made available to the humanity. Instead of an acute poison used as insecticide, rodenticide or homicidal/suicidal purpose, it has become a chronic poison mobilized by natural or anthropogenic reasons. Pandey et al [4] first reported the arsenic contamination and human suffering at a single village named Kourikasa in erstwhile Madhya Pradesh state. Another paper by Pandey et al [5] established the regional nature of the contamination and the contamination of surface water due to the probable mobilization of contaminated groundwater. The sediments of the area have been reported to be contaminated in the affected locations of central-east India. [6]
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