Chronic arsenic poisoning from burning high-arsenic-containing coal in Guizhou, China.

Abstract

Arsenic is an environmental hazard and the reduction of drinking water arsenic levels is under consideration. People are exposed to arsenic not only through drinking water but also through arsenic-contaminated air and food. Here we report the health effects of arsenic exposure from burning high arsenic-containing coal in Guizhou, China. Coal in this region has undergone mineralization and thus produces high concentrations of arsenic. Coal is burned inside the home in open pits for daily cooking and crop drying, producing a high concentration of arsenic in indoor air. Arsenic in the air coats and permeates food being dried producing high concentrations in food; however, arsenic concentrations in the drinking water are in the normal range. The estimated sources of total arsenic exposure in this area are from arsenic-contaminated food (50-80%), air (10-20%), water (1-5%), and direct contact in coal-mining workers (1%). At least 3,000 patients with arsenic poisoning were found in the Southwest Prefecture of Guizhou, and approximately 200,000 people are at risk for such overexposures. Skin lesions are common, including keratosis of the hands and feet, pigmentation on the trunk, skin ulceration, and skin cancers. Toxicities to internal organs, including lung dysfunction, neuropathy, and nephrotoxicity, are clinically evident. The prevalence of hepatomegaly was 20%, and cirrhosis, ascites, and liver cancer are the most serious outcomes of arsenic poisoning. The Chinese government and international organizations are attempting to improve the house conditions and the coal source, and thereby protect human health in this area.

Specification of Chemical Properties of Feed Coal and Bottom Ash Collected at a Coal-fired Power Plant

“…Although it was not possible to discriminate between As (K α ) and Pb (L α ) in this study, the existence of both elements, which has been identified as hazardous air pollutants, was already found in raw coal. Liu et al (2002) reported the health effects of arsenic exposure from burning coal which was burned inside the home in open pits for daily cooking and crop drying in China. Miller et al (1998) also detected Pb (12.8 ppm) in raw coal through the emissions testing in the pilot-scale combustor.…”

Proteomic profiling reveals candidate markers for arsenic-induced skin keratosis

“…According to the IARC, skin shows the strongest association between chronic arsenic exposure and cancer (IARC, 2004), and dermal manifestations such as hyperpigmentation and hyperkeratosis are diagnostic of chronic arsenicosis. Arsenical hyperkeratosis appears predominantly on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet (Liu et al, 2002). Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis has been applied in arsenic-related proteomic studies (Yu et al, 1993), but this method has the disadvantages of low reproducibility, poor representation of low abundant proteins, inaccurate quantification, high labor and time requirements, and inability to analyze the membrane and hydrophobic proteins (Abdallah et al, 2012).…”

Subchronic Exposure to Arsenic Through Drinking Water Alters Expression of Cancer-Related Genes in Rat Liver

“…Oral exposure (in drinking water or food) or inhalation exposure (burning arsenic-containing coal) to inorganic arsenic impairs multi-organ (skin, liver, lung, kidney, and brain) function and eventually induces cancers in humans (Bates et al, 1992;Chen et al, 1988Chen et al, , 1992Chiou et al, 1995Chiou et al, , 2001IARC, 1987;Liu et al, 2002;NCR, 1999). In the inorganic arsenic compounds, arsenic exists either in trivalent (arsenite) or pentavalent form (arsenate), and inorganic pentavalent arsenic is the main form of contaminated drinking water in an endemic area of chronic arsenicism in China (Chiou et al, 2001;Pi et al, 2002).…”