“ARSENIC CONTAMINATION IN DRINKING & IT

HEALTH EFFECTS”

SUPERVISOR:DR. SURYA NARAYAN PRADHAN PRESENTER:

PRATYUSHA BEHERA
4TH SEM
ROLL-18 LS 02
3.GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF AS IN
DRINKING WATER
4. DIFFERENT FORMS OF ARSENIC
5.MECHANISM OF TOXICITY &
BIOTRANSFORMATION
6.VARIOUS SOURCES OF ARSENIC IN WATER
7.HEALTH EFFECTS: DERMAL, CARDIOVASCULAR,
RESPIRATORY, GASTROINTESTINAL &
CARCINOGENIC
8.PREVENTIONS & STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS
9.CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION

Heavy metal toxicity in water :

Heavy metals are relatively denser, they have high
density and atomic weight and are known for potentially
toxic effects in the living systems and the biosphere as a
whole.
The term specifically refers to lead, arsenic, cadmium
and mercury, all of which are in the WHO’s list of top 10
toxic elements, as far human health is concerned.

• Arsenic toxicity in drinking water:

• As is a metalloid and a known class A human
carcinogen(WHO 2001). As- contaminated water has
affected the lives of over 200 million people in 105
nations worldwide (shakoor et al. 2017).
FACTS AND FIGURES:
 Range of As concentration in ground water
across the world is :0.5-5000 microgm per
litre.
 Range of As in fresh water sources in world
is 0.15-0.45 microgm/L.
 WHO guideline value for As content in
drinking water= 10 microgm/ litre as safe
limit.
 The permissible limit for As-affected asian
affected nations= 50microgm/ litre.
 Arsenicosis: The physical condition in which
the arsenic compounds get accumulated in
the body and start interfering with the
normal life processes of an individual, which
in turn leads to both short-term and long-
term abnormalities and diseases.
 Environmental occurrence of arsenic:
 As is a ubiquitous element , naturally found in
earth’s crust. Its natural concentration in the
earth’s crust is 5-10 mg per kg.(Smedley and
Kinniburgh 2010; Basu et al,2014).
WORLDWIDE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF AS IN GROUND WATER

Figure 1. (Color online) Arsenic concentration in drinking water worldwide. The corresponding
countries, concentrations (μg/L,) and populations at risk are explained below. (A): USA, 10–
48,000,NA (B): Canada, 1–100,000, NA (C): Mexico, 10–4100, 400,000 (D): Peru, 500, 250,000
(E):Bolivia, NA, 20,000 (F): Chile, 900–1040, 437,000 (G): Argentina, 100–1000, 2,000,000 (H):
Brazil, 0.4–350, NA (I): United Kingdom, 1–80, NA (J): Germany, 10–150, NA (K): Hungary,10–
176, 220,000 (L): Spain, 1–100, 50,000 (M): Greece, NA, 150,000 (N): Ghana, 1–175,
100,000(O):China, 1–8000, 700,000 (P): Nepal, 0–456, NA (Q): India, <10–3900, 1,000,000
(R):Bangladesh,<1–4700, 50,000,000 (S): Thailand, 1–5000, 1000 (T): Vietnam, 1–3050,
1,000,000(U): Taiwan, 10–1820, 200,000 NA-Not available(source: The health effects of
exposure to arsenic-contaminated drinking water: a review by global geographical distribution,
Huang et al,2014,International Journal of Environmental Health Research)
INDIAN PANORAMA:

Fig 2: “Groundwater arsenic contamination & its health effects in India”,Chakraborti et al,2017,Hydrogeology & Human Health,Vol 25.
DIFFERENT FORMS OF AS:

As

Inorganic Organic

Trivalent Pentavalent Monomethyl Dimethyl Trimethyl Arsenosugars

arsenite arsenate Arsenic acid Arsenic acid arsine oxide ,arsenolipids

Order of toxicity:
As(III)>As(V)>MMA(V)>DMA(V)
(arsenite) (arsenate)
MECHANISM OF AS-TOXICITY & BIOTRANSFORMATION IN HUMAN:
SOURCES GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT LIVER Behaves like PO 4
3-
& thus can substitute
for PO43- in ADP,prevents conversion of
As(V)
As-contaminated Inorganic As Reduction by ADP to ATP.Interferes in normal cellula
glutathione structure & functioning
water As(III)
Methylation High binding affinity for the thiol(-
MMA(V) SH)group, thus arsenite deactivates
Food crops irrigated with
Organic As Reduction enzymes, other functional proteins.
As-contaminated water
MMA(III)
As As As Methylation
80-90% of As compounds(Inorganic DMA(V)
forms are more readily absorbed in
URINE[DMA(79-85%),
GI tract than organic),Zheng et
al;2014 MMA(5-6%),INORGANIC
As(8-16%)]

As(V) is better absorbed than As(III), because As(V) is less reactive with membrane
of gastrointestinal tract.(Lee et al,2000)
 MMA & DMA as end-metabolites in urine are the biomarkers of chronic As-
exposure(Biggs et al,1997;Thomas et al,2000)
VARIOUS SOURCES OF ARSENIC IN
DRINKING WATER:

Mineral ores[realgar(AsS),
arsenopyrite(FeAsS), Agricultural
Orpiment(As2o3) activities(pesticides ,irrigation
with As-contaminated water)
and geothermal inputs
Contamination in
ground water &
surface
water(fresh)

Industries(semiconductor Others(mining and smelting

manufacturing, fertilizer activities, burning of coal and
manufacturing) timber preservatives)
HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS:
Long Term Short Term
Exposure Exposure

Skin lesions and

Skin irritation and
persistent
thickening
pigmentation

Cardiovascular &
nausea
hepatic diseases

Pulmonary Vomiting and

diseases Abdominal pain

Sleep
Gastrointestinal abnormalities &
troubles
headaches

Cancer(skin,lungs
Liver)
DERMAL EFFECTS:
 Causes: both internal & dermal exposure.

1.Diffuse & spotted melanosis(Raindrop

pigmentation)

2.Leucomelanosis

3.Spotted keratosis

4.Diffuse & spotted keratosis on palm

5.Multiple squamous carcinoma

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES:
Arsenic compounds

Produce ROS like H2O2 & hydroxyl radicals

Induce alterations of nitric oxide metabolism & endothelial function

Results in altered vascular flexibility, decline of vasorelaxation in blood vessels

Leads to arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart blockage, stroke &

infarction(Chakraborti et al,2017)
EFFECTS ON GASTROINTESTINAL
SYSTEM:
Absorption of As-compounds(about 70-90% of total intaken As)
in the small intestine

Submucosal capillary damage from the absorbed

arsenic(Tchounwou et al,2003)

Short term exposure: abdominal pain & cramping, diarrhoea

Long term exposure:gastroenteritis,gastritis,collitis(Tchounwou
et al 2003)
RESPIRATORY DISORDERS:
As compounds(mostly arsenic trioxide)

Induce formation of lesions in mucous membrane of respiratory

tract(Hine et al,1977)

Causes irritation in nasal mucosa, larynx,bronchi & perforation of nasal

septum(Hine et al,1977)

Results in bronchitis, pulmonary insufficiency due to emphysematous

lesions, chronic cough & shortness of breath(Borgono et al,1977)
CARCINOGENICITY:
Lungs cancer( more
prominent in persons with
Skin cancer(arsenite promotes arsenical keratosis than As-
UV-induced skin unexposed persons),promotes
cancers,Rossman et al,2004) multiple
epitheliomatosis,bronchial
carcinoma ,IARC,1980))
Arsenic
poisoning
Urinary bladder
cancer(persons regularly Others( persons with arsenic-
excreting MMA,DMA in urine induced skin lesions are at
are at higher risk than high risk of liver & kidney
unexposed persons,Steinmaus cancer, Smith et al,2002)
et al,2003)
PREVENTION & STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS
CONCLUSION
 Every element in this universe has its own
existence , but its health hazards cannot be
ignored.
 As is also obtained from certain dietary
sources(mostly plant products). So ,it’s a
natural component of food from a view, but
its undesirable accumulation in the body
above the threshold level can create havoc.
 Human awareness about As-induced health &
environmental effects and replacement of As
in semiconductors, pesticide-manufacturing &
plastic-good industries by a less/non toxic
element can really bring positive change.
REFERENCES:
1.Karagas M.R, Gossai A,Pierce B, Ahsan H,2015.Drinking water arsen
contamination ,skin lesions and malignancies: a systematic review of the glob
evidence,2015(2:52-68),Water and Health,doi:10.1007/s40572-014-0040-x

2.Huang L,Wu H, Kujip T.J,The health effects of exposure to arsenic-contaminate

drinking water:a review by global geographical distribution,2015,International journ
of environmental health research,vol 25,N0.4,doi:10.1080/09603123.2014.958139

3.Hong Y.S,Ye B.J,Kim, Y.M,Kang G.H, Kim J.J, Song K.H, Kim Y.H, Seo
J.W,2017.Investigation of health effects according to the exposure of lo
concentration As-contamninated water,International Journal Of Environment
Research and Public Health, doi:10.3390/ijerph14121461

4.Chakraborti D, Rahman M.M, Das B,Chatterjee A,Das D,Nayak B,Pal A, Chowdhur

U,Ahmed S,Biswas B.K, Sengupta M.K,Hossain M.A, Samanta G,Roy M.M,Dutt
R.N,Saha K.C,Mukherjee S.C,Pati S,Kar P.B,Mukherjee A,Kumar M,2017. Groundwate
arsenic contamination and its health effects in india,2017,Hydrogeology and Huma
Health, doi:10.1007/s10040-017-1556-6

5.Shakoor M.B,Nawaz R,Hussain F,Raza M,Ali S,Rizwan M,Sang E,Ahma

S,2017.Human health implications,risk assesment and remediation of A
contaminated water:a critical review,Science of the total environment,601
602(2017)756-769, doi:10.1016/j.scitoenv.2017.05.223
THANK YOU