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HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO ARSENIC VIA DRINKING WATER IN INNER MONGOLIA: IV. DISTRIBUTION OF ARSENIC CONCENTRATIONS IN WELLS
Citation:
Ning, Z., Z. Liu, S. Zhang, C. Ma, M Riediker, R K. Kwok, AND J. S. Mumford. HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO ARSENIC VIA DRINKING WATER IN INNER MONGOLIA: IV. DISTRIBUTION OF ARSENIC CONCENTRATIONS IN WELLS. Presented at Society for Environmental Geochemistry & Health (SEGH), San Diego, CA, July 14-19, 2002.
Description:
HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO ARSENIC VIA DRINKING WATER IN INNER MONGOLIA:
IV. DISTRIBUTION OF ARSENIC CONCENTRATIONS IN WELLS
Zhixiong Ning, B.S., Zhiyi Liu,B.S., Shiying Zhang, B.S., Chenglong Ma, B.S., Inner Mongolia Ba Men Anti-epidemic Station, Michael Riediker, Ph.D., Center for Environmental Medicine and Lung Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill; Richard K. Kwok, M.S.P.H., Judy L. Mumford, Ph.D., Epidemiology and Biomarkers Branch, NHEERL, US Environmental Protection Agency
In the Ba Men region of Inner Mongolia, China, a high prevalence of chronic arsenism has been reported in earlier studies. A survey of the drinking water sources was conducted in 1997 to better understand the occurrence of arsenic (As) in the drinking water. A total of 14,866 wells were analyzed for their As content. Methods used to detect As were colorimetry based on silver diethyldithiocarbamate, an adaptation of the mercury bromide stain technique, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. There was a wide range of As-concentrations (below the limit of detection to 1.2 mg/l). Elevated concentrations were related to well depth (maximum at the 15 to 25 m category), well type (most high concentrations associated with the small household pump wells) and the date the well was built (peaks from 1980-1990). Over 43,600 persons consumed water with As-concentrations above 0.01 mg/l (14,500 above 0.05 mg/l, 480 above 0.5 mg/l). There were significant differences between different counties and villages within each county. The presented database of As in wells of the Ba Men region provides a useful tool for planning future water explorations. These data were compiled into a geographic information system to provide better estimates of exposure. The database will aid in the design of upcoming epidemiological studies in the region on the human health effects of arsenic in drinking water.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Judy Mumford, Ph.D., Epidemiology and Biomarkers Branch, Human Studies Division, U.S. EPA, NHEERL, MD-58C
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA. e-mail: Mumford.Judy@epa.gov
(This is an abstract of a proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect EPA policy.)