A comparison of arsenic exposure in young children and home water arsenic in two rural West Texas communities

Abstract

BackgroundIn a previously conducted Health Impact Assessment of a well-water dependent southwest community, arsenic (As) levels greater than the EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (10 μg/L) were identified in home water samples. The goals of this study were to test whether children from the previously studied well-water dependent community (Community 1) had higher blood As levels than children from a demographically similar and geographically nearby community dependent on a municipal water supply (Community 2); to test whether home water As levels predicted child As blood levels; and to examine how child As blood levels changed over time.MethodsThis was an observational study of 252 children aged 4 to 12 years from two communities. Children were recruited through elementary schools and tested during the school day; 204 children participated in follow-up testing. Home water samples were collected according to U.S. Environmental Protection agency recommended procedures. Child heavy metal blood levels and home water sample heavy metal levels were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. General linear regression analysis was used to test the influence of community on child As levels, and to examine the contribution of home water As levels to child blood As levels.ResultsArsenic was detectable in all children tested. Blood levels ranged from 0.09–2.61 μg/dL; approximately 31% of children tested at Time I (79/252) had blood As values above the current acceptable limit (1.2 μg/dL). Approximately 8% of household water samples (6/76) had As levels higher than 10 μg/L. Community did not predict child blood As levels; seasonal effects differed by Community. At Time II, child blood As levels were higher in Community 2 than in Community 1.ConclusionA large proportion of children in the communities tested had As exposure. Home water As levels did not predict child blood As levels. Fluctuating child blood As levels by season and over time suggested the contribution of multiple factors and the need for further studies.

A Review of Metal Exposure Studies Conducted in the Rural Southwestern and Mountain West Region of the United States

“…These studies were included in our review because they assessed environmental metals exposure potential for a rural population in the study region. Two of these studies reported associations between environmental metals in water and markers of potential health effect [15, 16], and two other studies reported associations between As in water with levels in blood or nail clippings [17, 18]. …”

“…Sampling methods were conducted in a prospective fashion including one-time grab samples and repeat sample collection to observe seasonal variability. Chemical concentrations were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) – Optical Emissions Spectroscopy [15, 16, 19–21], ICP – Atomic Emissions Spectroscopy [15, 16, 19, 20], ICP – Mass Spectroscopy [13, 15–17, 19–24], or Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy [18]. Additionally, concentrations of As, U, chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), iron (Fe), and vanadium (V) were measured in mine waste, soil, sediment and other solid material using x-ray fluorescence [21, 22], X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy [21].…”

“…Additionally, As species concentrations were measured with high performance liquid chromatography coupled with ICP-MS [4, 5, 9, 28] or ion-pair chromatographic separation with hydride generation-atomic fluorescence detection [18]. Blood As, Cd, and Pb were also measured using ICP-MS [17] and toenail total As was measured by instrumental neutron activation analysis [18]. Samuel-Nakamura et al (2017) quantified accumulated As, U, Cd, Se, Pb, and Mo in sheep muscle, bone, intestine, lung, liver, kidney, and wool using ICP-MS [25].…”

“…Arsenic was the only metal evaluated in regulated, public water sources (Table 4). The median As concentrations reported from 2 studies of public water supplies in west Texas ranged from 3.8–7.8 μg/L [17, 24] (Table 5). Calderon et al (2014) also measured As concentrations in public water supply sources in Nevada but did not report ambient concentrations [18].…”

Clinical Symptoms, Neurological Signs, and Electrophysiological Findings in Surviving Residents with Probable Arsenic Exposure in Toroku, Japan

“…Chronic arsenic toxicity, which is due to low-concentration exposure over a long period of time, impairs the same organs and tissues as acute toxicity, although in cases of higher exposure levels, skin and nervous system disturbances are usually more pronounced (Lagerkvist and Zetterlund 1994 ; Ahsan et al 2006 ; Naujokas et al 2013 ). Chronic arsenic intoxication has been caused not only by drinking contaminated groundwater (Mazumder et al 1998 ; Milton and Rahman 2002 ; Chakraborti et al 2003 ; Otto et al 2006 ; Chen 2014 ; Del Rio et al 2017 ; Rehman et al 2018 ) but also by occupational exposures, such as mining (Ishinishi et al 1977 ; Kawasaki et al 2002 ; Eisler 2004 ) and work with copper smelters (Feldman et al 1979 ; Lubin et al 2008 ; Halatek et al 2009 ; Sinczuk-Walczak et al 2010 ).…”