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HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO ARSENIC VIA DRINKING WATER IN INNER MONGOLIA: V. BIOMARKER STUDIES - A PILOT STUDY
Citation:
Mumford, J. S., M Schmitt, Y. Xia, H. Ma, N. Zhixiong, AND X. E. Le. HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO ARSENIC VIA DRINKING WATER IN INNER MONGOLIA: V. BIOMARKER STUDIES - A PILOT STUDY. 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: V. Biomarker Studies - a Pilot Study
Michael T. Schmitt, M.S.P.H., Judy S. Mumford, Ph.D., National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Yajuan Xia, M.D., Hengzhi Ma, M.D., Inner Mongolia Center for Endemic Disease Control and Research; Zhixiong Ning, B.S., Lin He Anti-Epidemic Station; X. Chris Le, Ph.D., University of Alberta
The groundwater in Ba Men, located in Central West Inner Mongolia, China is naturally contaminated with elevated levels of arsenic and has been associated with a variety of adverse human health effects on multiple health endpoints. A pilot study was designed to (1) detect internal arsenic levels using biomarkers of exposure (urine, nail, and hair samples), (2) evaluate DNA and chromosomal damage in buccal cells and (3) evaluate relationships between exposure and effects biomarkers. Arsenic was detected in the drinking water samples of the 19 exposed subjects with a mean level of 527.5 ? 23.6 mg/l, while the 13 control subjects had a mean level of 4.4 mg/l ? 1.0 mg/l. Arsenic was detected in the urine, nail, and hair samples in the exposed group measuring 632.7 mg/l, 32.02 mg/g and 12.42 mg/g, respectively. Biomarkers of effects were examined using the micronucleus assay to detect chromosomal abnormalities and the DNA laddering assay to detect DNA fragments. Increased micronuclei frequencies and DNA fragments were found in the high-arsenic exposed group. The biological exposure markers (urine, nail, and hair samples) all statistically correlated with the water arsenic levels. The two biomarkers of effects (MN and DNA fragmentation) were statistically correlated with one another (Spearman r = 0.5238, p < 0.01). Other correlations between exposure and effects markers will be reported. The biomarker results indicate that Ba Men residents are chronically exposed to arsenic and show health effects. These biomarkers are potentially useful for assessing arsenic exposure and effects.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Michael T. Schmitt, M.S.P.H., U.S. EPA, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Human Studies Division, MD-58C, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
(This is an abstract of a proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect EPA policy.)