DNGM Research Foundation, Kolkata, India.
J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng. 2013;48(8):896-904. doi: 10.1080/10934529.2013.761495.
Few reports are available that characterize daily arsenic exposure through water and diet among people living in groundwater-contaminated regions and correlate it with biomarkers. The present study describes the total individual arsenic exposure and arsenic level in urine and hair of such an arsenic-exposed population in West Bengal. Demographic characteristics and the total daily arsenic intake through water and diet were determined in 167 (Group-1 participants selected from arsenic endemic region) and 69 (Group-2 participants selected from arsenic non-endemic region) in West Bengal. Out of 167 Group-1 participants 78 (Group-1A) had arsenical skin lesions while 89 Group-1B) had no such lesion. Arsenic level in water samples as well as diet, urine and hair samples, collected from all the individual participants, were estimated. The mean value of estimated total arsenic content from water and diet was 349 (range: 20-1615) μg/day in 167 (Group-1) participants living in As endemic region [As in water: mean value 54 (range:BDL-326) μg/L] and 36 (range:12-120) μg/day in 69 (Group-2) participants living in As non-endemic region (As in water: below detection level (BDL), < 0.3 μg/L). Estimated mean arsenic level in urine in these two groups of participants was 116 (range: 6-526) μg/L and 17 (range: BDL-37) μg/L and in hair was 1.0 (range: 0.22-3.98) mg/Kg and 0.16 (range: 0.06-0.37) mg/Kg, respectively. Multiple regressions analysis in Group-1 participants showed that total arsenic intake was associated significantly with urinary and hair arsenic level. The estimated regression coefficient was 0.0022 (95% confidence interval, C.I: 0.0016, 0.0028; P < 0.001) and 0.0024 (95% C.I: 0.0021, 0.003; P < 0.001), respectively. In sub group analysis, higher median urinary arsenic value relative to arsenic intake through water and diet was observed in 78 Group-1A subjects with skin lesion compared to urinary arsenic value in 89 Group-1B subjects without skin lesions, though there was a marginal difference of median total arsenic intake in these two groups. This study showed that significant elevation of arsenic level in urine and hair was associated with elevated arsenic intake through water and diet in people living in arsenic endemic region (Group-1), while these values were low in people living in non-endemic region (Group-2). Those with skin lesions were found to have higher arsenic in urine and hair compared to those without skin lesion with similar arsenic intake through water and diet.
鲜有报告描述生活在地下水受污染地区的人群通过水和饮食摄入的每日砷暴露情况，并将其与生物标志物联系起来。本研究描述了孟加拉国砷暴露人群的个体总砷暴露和尿液及头发中的砷水平。在孟加拉国，167 名（从砷流行地区选择的第 1 组参与者）和 69 名（从砷非流行地区选择的第 2 组参与者）参与者中确定了人口统计学特征和通过水和饮食摄入的总砷日摄入量。对 167 名第 1 组参与者中的 78 名（第 1A 组）出现砷性皮肤损伤者和 89 名（第 1B 组）无皮肤损伤者的水样本、饮食、尿液和头发样本中的砷含量进行了评估。从所有个体参与者中采集了水样以及饮食、尿液和头发样本，并对其砷含量进行了估计。生活在砷流行地区的 167 名（第 1 组）参与者通过水和饮食摄入的总砷含量的平均值为 349（范围：20-1615）μg/天[水中砷含量平均值为 54（范围：BDL-326）μg/L]，生活在砷非流行地区的 69 名（第 2 组）参与者通过水和饮食摄入的总砷含量平均值为 36（范围：12-120）μg/天（水中砷含量低于检测下限（BDL），<0.3μg/L）。这两组参与者尿液中的平均砷含量分别为 116（范围：6-526）μg/L 和 17（范围：BDL-37）μg/L，头发中的平均砷含量分别为 1.0（范围：0.22-3.98）mg/Kg 和 0.16（范围：0.06-0.37）mg/Kg。第 1 组参与者的多元回归分析显示，总砷摄入量与尿液和头发中的砷含量呈显著正相关。估计的回归系数分别为 0.0022（95%置信区间，C.I：0.0016，0.0028；P<0.001）和 0.0024（95% C.I：0.0021，0.003；P<0.001）。在亚组分析中，与无皮肤损伤的 89 名第 1B 组参与者的尿液砷含量相比，有皮肤损伤的 78 名第 1A 组参与者的尿液砷含量相对砷摄入量通过水和饮食摄入中位数更高，尽管这两组参与者的总砷摄入量中位数存在差异。本研究表明，生活在砷流行地区（第 1 组）的人群通过水和饮食摄入的砷水平显著升高与尿液和头发中的砷水平升高有关，而生活在非流行地区（第 2 组）的人群的这些值较低。有皮肤损伤的参与者的尿液和头发中的砷含量高于无皮肤损伤且通过水和饮食摄入相似砷含量的参与者。
