Association between Chronic Arsenic Exposure and Children's Intelligence in Thailand

Effect of Arsenic and Manganese Exposure on Intellectual Function of Children in Arsenic Stress Area of Purbasthali, Burdwan, West Bengal

“…Therefore, rough calculation presented in Table 5 showed there is imbalance between input and output arsenic. Some of the earlier studies on school aged children reported association between neurobehavioral function and exposure to arsenic through drinking water (Calderon et al 2001;Rosado et al 2007;Siripitayakunit et al 1999;Tsai et al 2003;Von Ehrenstein et al 2007;Wang et al 2007). Present study result also highlighted that tubewell water of study area consists very high to moderate level of manganese (Mn), (0.024-0.590 ppm ±0.146).…”

Arsenic: Health Effects, Mechanisms of Actions, and Research Issues

“…Several factors, such as employment status and type, appeared to affect susceptibili? ty to inorganic As toxicity (18).…”

Health effect levels for risk assessment of childhood exposure to arsenic

“…Compared to skin effects, peripheral neuropathy is less consistently reported for populations with continuous exposure to arsenic in drinking water (NRC, 1999). Arsenic has been associated more with peripheral than central nervous system confusion, seizures, coma; ATSDR, 2000; Tsai et al, 2003) and such poisonings in children have resulted in observations of lower IQ after the event (reviewed by Siripitayakunkit et al, 1999). Only a few recent studies have examined the potential for CNS effects in populations of children from subchronic environmental arsenic exposure.…”

“…Only a few recent studies have examined the potential for CNS effects in populations of children from subchronic environmental arsenic exposure. A cross-sectional study by Siripitayakunkit et al (1999Siripitayakunkit et al ( , 2001 found a negative correlation between hair arsenic levels and IQ test scores and visual perception (but not visual motor integration) for 529 children ages 6-9 years in a district of Thailand exposed to elevated arsenic levels in water. However, it is unclear whether these effects are the most sensitive endpoint even if caused by arsenic, and the associated dose levels are not reported.…”

“…Thus, on a per-unit-body-weight basis, even if children had the same sensitivity as adults, children could have a greater prevalence of health effects because of their higher daily dose. With a few exceptions likely involving higher exposures (e.g., Siripitayakunkit et al, 1999;Zald ıvar, 1977), most populations exposed to arsenic in drinking water show higher prevalence of skin and other health effects in older age groups than in children. The available evidence, reviewed below, indicates that children are generally not more sensitive on a per-unit-body-weight basis when doses are sufficiently low and that at the lowest arsenic doses associated with effects in human populations, cumulative exposure over time becomes more important for determining prevalence of effects than daily dose on a per-unit-body-weight basis.…”