Urinary arsenic speciation profile in ethnic group of the Atacama desert (Chile) exposed to variable arsenic levels in drinking water.
J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng
; 50(1): 1-8, 2015.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25438126
Ethnic groups from the Atacama Desert (known as Atacameños) have been exposed to natural arsenic pollution for over 5000 years. This work presents an integral study that characterizes arsenic species in water used for human consumption. It also describes the metabolism and arsenic elimination through urine in a chronically exposed population in northern Chile. In this region, water contained total arsenic concentrations up to 1250 µg L(-1), which was almost exclusively As(V). It is also important that this water was ingested directly from natural water sources without any treatment. The ingested arsenic was extensively methylated. In urine 93% of the arsenic was found as methylated arsenic species, such as monomethylarsonic acid [MMA(V)] and dimethylarsinic acid [DMA(V)]. The original ingested inorganic species [As(V)], represent less than 1% of the total urinary arsenic. Methylation activity among individuals can be assessed by measuring primary [inorganic As/methylated As] and secondary methylation [MMA/DMA] indexes. Both methylation indexes were 0.06, indicating a high biological converting capability of As(V) into MMA and then MMA into DMA, compared with the control population and other arsenic exposed populations previously reported.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Arsênio
/
Poluentes Químicos da Água
/
Água Potável
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Chile
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng
Assunto da revista:
TOXICOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2015
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Chile
País de publicação:
Reino Unido