Multidisciplinary approach to assess the toxicities of arsenic and barium in drinking water

Abstract

Well water could be a stable source of drinking water. Recently, the use of well water as drinking water has been encouraged in developing countries. However, many kinds of disorders caused by toxic elements in well drinking water have been reported. It is our urgent task to resolve the global issue of element-originating diseases. In this review article, our multidisciplinary approaches focusing on oncogenic toxicities and disturbances of sensory organs (skin and ear) induced by arsenic and barium are introduced. First, our environmental monitoring in developing countries in Asia showed elevated concentrations of arsenic and barium in well drinking water. Then our experimental studies in mice and our epidemiological studies in humans showed arsenic-mediated increased risks of hyperpigmented skin and hearing loss with partial elucidation of their mechanisms. Our experimental studies using cultured cells with focus on the expression and activity levels of intracellular signal transduction molecules such as c-SRC, c-RET, and oncogenic RET showed risks for malignant transformation and/or progression arose from arsenic and barium. Finally, our original hydrotalcite-like compound was proposed as a novel remediation system to effectively remove arsenic and barium from well drinking water. Hopefully, comprehensive studies consisting of (1) environmental monitoring, (2) health risk assessments, and (3) remediation will be expanded in the field of environmental health to prevent various disorders caused by environmental factors including toxic elements in drinking water.

Increased Fasting Serum Level of Arsenic Caused by Intake of Fish Meat Promotes a Potential Risk of Hypertension

“…Intake of arsenic from well drinking water has been shown to be an important health risk for people in developing countries (Kato et al, 2020;Kumasaka et al, 2013;Li et al, 2017;Yajima et al, 2018;Yajima et al, 2015). The aim of our study was to elucidate the health risk of arsenic from dietary intake in Japan.…”

“…Those studies indicate that there is a strong contribution of elements such as sodium and potassium via food intake to the prevalence of hypertension. Arsenic (As) is known as a representative toxic element (Kato et al, 2020;Li et al, 2018;Yajima et al, 2017). Various arsenic-mediated health risks including risks for oncogenic, neurogenic and cutaneous disorders have been reported (Li et al, 2017;Yajima et al, 2018;Zhong et al, 2019).…”

Levels of leachable elements from long-term use of enFlow fluid warmer

“…Arsenic is found in food, water, soil, and air, with a common method of exposure being the inhalation of dusts. 35 Islam et al 36 reported on the arsenic content of certain dental materials. Studies on arsenic trioxide in coronary stents have provided toxicological information for clinicians.…”

Human exposure assessment to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from tofu consumption

“…Studies carried out with experimental animals show that B affects development, and the reproductive system and V can cause kidney damage (IOM, 2001). Ba is an element that acts as an antagonist of K and Ca and tends to accumulate in bones (Kato et al, 2020). Ni is an element that can cause dermatitis, especially harmful in individuals with hypersensitivity or kidney problems (Das et al, 2018).…”