Health importance of arsenic in drinking water and food

Abstract

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid of global concern. It usually originates geogenically but can be intensified by human activities such as applications of pesticides and wood preservatives, mining and smelting operations, and coal combustion. Arsenic-contaminated food is a widespread problem worldwide. Data derived from population-based studies, clinical case series, and case reports relating to ingestion of inorganic arsenic in drinking water, medications, or contaminated food or beverages show the capacity of arsenate and arsenite to adversely affect multiple organ systems. Chronic arsenic poisoning can cause serious health effects including cancers, melanosis (hyperpigmentation or dark spots, and hypopigmentation or white spots), hyperkeratosis (hardened skin), restrictive lung disease, peripheral vascular disease (blackfoot disease), gangrene, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease.

Proteomics-Based Identification of Differentially Abundant Proteins from Human Keratinocytes Exposed to Arsenic Trioxide

“…We have demonstrated increased expression of TFRC in HaCaT cells exposed to arsenic trioxide using proteomic, transcriptomics and western blot. Arsenic induces skin color disorders such as hyper and hypopigmentation [86]. TFRC is a carrier protein for iron which is a crucial component of melanin.…”

Factors That Can Influence Animal Research

“…In humans, chronic arsenic exposure can lead to serious health effects including cancer, melanosis, hypopigmentation, hyperkeratosis, restrictive lung disease, peripheral vascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease (Otleş and Cağindi, 2010), whereas in utero exposure to lowdose arsenic in mice alters lung mechanics . In humans, chronic arsenic exposure can lead to serious health effects including cancer, melanosis, hypopigmentation, hyperkeratosis, restrictive lung disease, peripheral vascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease (Otleş and Cağindi, 2010), whereas in utero exposure to lowdose arsenic in mice alters lung mechanics .…”

Preparation of arsenic‐containing white rice grains as calibration standards for X‐ray fluorescence analysis of total arsenic in cereals

“…Rice containing other As species such as monomethylarsonic acid, arsenocholine, and arsenobetaine has been reported in the literature. The toxicity level of As depends on its chemical form; for example, As(III) is more toxic than As(V) and organic As is less harmful to humans than inorganic forms . Hence, speciation analysis of As is indispensable for accurately evaluating the toxicity of As in rice samples.…”