HOME JOURNALS CONTACT

Journal of Applied Sciences

Year: 2006 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 13 | Page No.: 2705-2714
DOI: 10.3923/jas.2006.2705.2714
Arsenic and Antimony in Drinking Water in Khohsorkh Area, Northeast Iran Possible Risks for the Public Health
Ghassemzadeh Fereshteh, Arbab- Zavar, Mohhamad Hosein and McLennan Geoffrey

Abstract: This is the first study on antimony and arsenic contaminations of Kohsorkh area, northeast, Iran. These contaminants originate from weathering and alteration of rocks and leach into ground and surface water (geogenic exposure). Participants (200) from four villages in the study area with 3287 population were interviewed for history, diet and general health. Causes of death in the area were collected from the standard certificate that is issued by the department of health. The antimony and arsenic content in their current primary drinking water source was measured. The contamination levels for antimony and arsenic varied from 11.4 to 127.1 μg L-1 and 37.4 to 376 μg L-1, respectively. In highly affected area the concentration of surface water used directly as drinking water had an average concentration of 71.75 μg L-1 for antimony and 191.92 μg L-1 for arsenic. Antimony and arsenic analysis of tap water from houses in the study area were 35.8 to 79.3 μg L-1, respectively. Antimony and arsenic concentrations are higher than the standards for drinking waters which are 18 and 30 times more than WHO recommendations, 6 and 10 μg L-1 for antimony and arsenic respectively. This study indicates that the people in the villages in Kohsorkh area might be at a considerable risk of chronic arsenic and antimony poisoning. It is also add to evidence that long term ingestion of inorganic arsenic and antimony can increase the mortality due to cancer. However, there was not recorded any death due to the skin cancer in the area during the time of this study.

Fulltext PDF

How to cite this article
Ghassemzadeh Fereshteh, Arbab- Zavar, Mohhamad Hosein and McLennan Geoffrey, 2006. Arsenic and Antimony in Drinking Water in Khohsorkh Area, Northeast Iran Possible Risks for the Public Health. Journal of Applied Sciences, 6: 2705-2714.

Keywords: Arsenic, antimony, drinking water, Kohsorkh and carcinogen

REFERENCES
  • Ahmad, A.S., M.H.S.U. Sayed, S. Barua, M.H. Khan and M.H. Faruquee et al., 2001. Arsenic in drinking water and pregnancy outcomes. Environ. Health Perspect., 109: 629-631.
    Direct Link    

  • Apte, S.C. and A.G. Howard, 1986. Determination of dissolved inorganic antimony and antimony species in natural waters by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry. J. Anal. Atomic Spectrometry, 1: 221-225.
    Direct Link    

  • Bates, M.N., A.H. Smith and C. Hopenhayn-Rich, 1992. Aresenic ingestion and internal cancers: A review. Am. J. Epidemiol., 135: 462-476.
    Direct Link    

  • Bates, M.N., A.H. Smith and K.P. Cantor, 1995. Case-control study of bladder cancer and arsenic in drinking water. Am. J. Epidemiol., 141: 523-530.
    Direct Link    

  • Besuschio, S.C., A.C. Prez-Desanzo and M. Croci, 1980. Epidemiological associations between arsenic and cancer in Argentina. Biol. Trace Elem. Res., 2: 41-55.
    CrossRef    

  • Borgono, J.M., P. Vicent, H. Venturino and A. Infante, 1977. Arsenic in drinking water of the city of Antofagasta: Epidemiology and clinical study before and after the installation of a treatment plant. Environ. Health Perspect, 19: 103-105.
    PubMed    Direct Link    

  • Brown, C.C. and K.C. Chu, 1983. Implications of the multistage theory of carcinogenesis applied to occupational arsenic exposure. J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 70: 455-463.
    PubMed    

  • Brown, L.M., L.M. Pottern and W.J. Blot, 1984. Lung cancer in relation to environmental pollutants emitted from industrial sources. Environ. Res., 34: 250-261.
    PubMed    

  • Brown, K.G., K.E. Boyle, C.W. Chen and H.J. Gibb, 1989. A dose-response analysis of skin cancer from inorganic arsenic in drinking water. Risk Anal., 9: 519-528.
    PubMed    

  • Cebrian, M.E., A. Albores, M. Aquilar and E. Blakely, 1983. Chronic arsenic poisoning in the North of Mexico. Hum. Toxicol., 2: 121-133.
    PubMed    

  • Chakraborty, A.K. and K.C. Saha, 1987. Arsenical dermatosis form tubwell water in West Bengal. Indian J. Med. Res., 85: 326-334.

  • Chamsaz, M., M.H. Arbab-Zavar and S. Nazari, 2003. Dtermination of arsenic by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using headspace liquid phase microextraction after in situ hydride generation. J. Anal. Spectr., 18: 1279-1282.
    Direct Link    

  • Chen, C.J., Y.C. Chuang, T.M. Lin and H.Y. Wu, 1985. Malignant neoplasms among residents of a Blackfoot disease-endemic area in Taiwan: High-arsenic artesian well water and cancers. Cancer Res., 45: 5895-5899.
    PubMed    Direct Link    

  • Chen, C.J., Y.C. Chuang, S.L. You, T.M. Lin and H.Y. Wu, 1986. A retrospective study on malignant neoplasms of bladder, lung and liver in blackfoot disease endemic area in Taiwan. Br. J. Cancer, 53: 399-405.
    PubMed    

  • Chen, C.J., M.M. Wu, S.S. Lee, J.D. Wang, S.H. Cheng and H.Y. Wu, 1988. Atherogenicity and carcinogenicity of high arsenic artesian well water: Multiple risk factors and related malignant neoplasms of Blackfoot disease. Arteriosclerosis, 8: 452-460.
    Direct Link    

  • Chen, C.J. and C.J. Wang, 1990. Ecological correlation between arsenic level in well water and age-adjusted mortality from malignant neoplasms. Cancer Res., 50: 5470-5474.
    PubMed    Direct Link    

  • Dang, H.S., D.D. Jaiswal, C.N. Wadhwani, S. Somasunderam and H. Dacosta, 1983. Infants with a congenital anomaly and the concentration of Mo, As, Mn, Zn and Cu in the mother's milk. Sci. Total Environ., 27: 43-47.
    PubMed    

  • Engel, R.R., C. Hoenhayn-Rich, O. Receveur and A.H. Smith, 1994. Vascular effects of chronic arsenic exposure: A Review. Epidemiol. Rev., 16: 184-209.
    Direct Link    

  • Enterline, P.E. and G.M. Marsh, 1982. Cancer among workers exposed to arsenic and other substances in a copper smelter. Am. J. Epidemiol., 116: 895-911.
    Direct Link    

  • Filella, M., N. Belzile and Y.W. Chen, 2002. Antimony in the environment: A review focused on natural waters. Earth Sci. Rev., 57: 125-176.
    CrossRef    Direct Link    

  • Frisbie, S.H., R. Ortega, D.M. Maynard and B. Sarkar, 2002. The concentrations of arsenic and other toxic elements in Bangladeshis drinking water. Environ. Health Prespect., 110: 1147-1153.
    Direct Link    

  • Gebel, T., S. Kevekordes, J. Schaefer, H. Von-Platen and H. Dunkelberg, 1996. Assesment of a possible genotoxic environmental risk in sheep bred on grounds with strongly elevated contents of mercury, arsenic and antimony. Mutat. Res., 368: 267-274.
    CrossRef    

  • Gebel, T., S. Christensen and H. Dunkelberg, 1997. Comparative and environmental genotoxicity of antimony and arsenic. Chem. Biol. Interac., 107: 131-144.
    Direct Link    

  • Gebel, T.W., R.H.R. Suchenwirth, C. Bolten and H.H. Dunkelberg, 1998. Human biomonitoring of arsenic and antimony in case of elevated geogenic exposure. Environ. Health Perspect., 106: 33-39.
    PubMed    Direct Link    

  • Gebel, T.W., 1999. Arsenic and drinking water contamination. Science, 283: 1458-1459.

  • Gebel, T., 2000. Confounding variable in the environmental toxicology of arsenic. Toxicology, 144: 155-162.
    Direct Link    

  • Ghassemzadeh, F., M.H. Arbab-Zavar and M.H. Karimpour, 2003. Evironmental studies of arsenic in the Chelpo area, Northeast, Iran. Proceedings of the 88th Annual Meeting on Ecological Society of America, August 3-8, 2003, Savannah, Georgia, USA., pp: 121-.

  • Guha, D.N. Mazumder, J. Das Gupta and A. Santra, 1997. Non-Cancer Effects of Chronic Arsenicosis with Special Reference to Liver Damage. In: Aresenic Exposure and Health Effects, Abernathy, C., R.L. Calderon and W.R. Chappel (Eds.). Chpman and Hall, London, pp: 112-23

  • Guo, H.R., C.J. Chen and H.L. Greene, 1994. Arsenic in Drinking Water and Cancers: A Descriptive Review of Taiwan Studies. In: Arsenic Exposure with Health, Chappell, W.R., C.O. Abernathy and C.R. Cothern (Eds.). Science and Technology Letters, Northwood, pp: 129-138

  • Guo, H.R., H.S. Chiang, H. Hu, S.R. Lipsitz and R.R. Monson, 1997. Arsenic in drinking water and incidence of urinary cancer. Epidemology, 8: 545-550.
    Direct Link    

  • Guo, H.R., H.S. Yu, H. Hu and P.R. Monson, 2001. Arsenic in drinking water and skin cancer: Cell-type specificity. Cancer Cause Control, 12: 909-916.
    PubMed    

  • Hantson, P., C. Verellen-Dumoulin, J.M. Libouton, A. Leonard, E.D. Leonard and P. Mahieu, 1996. Sister chromatid exchanges in human peripheral blood lymphocytes after ingestion of high doses of arsenicals. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health, 68: 342-344.
    CrossRef    

  • Koh, E., N. Kondoh, H. Kaihara, H. Fujioka and K. Kitamura, 1989. Ureteral tumor with multipile Bowen,s disease 42 years after exposure to arsenic. Eur. J. Urol., 16: 398-400.
    PubMed    

  • Lee-Feldstein, A., 1986. Cumulative exposure to arsenic and its relationship to respiratory cancer among copper smelter employees. J. Occup. Med., 28: 296-302.
    PubMed    

  • Lee, T.C. and I.C. Ho, 1994. Differential cytotoxic effects of arsenic on human and animal cells. Environ. Health Prespect., 102: 101-105.
    PubMed    Direct Link    

  • Lerda, D., 1994. Sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) among individuals chronically exposed to arsenic in drinking water. Mutat. Res., 312: 111-120.
    PubMed    

  • Lianfang, W. and H. Jianzhong, 1994. Chronic Arsenism from Drinking Water in Some Areas of Xinjiang, China. In: ARSENIC in the Environment, Part II: Human Health and Ecosystem Effects, Nriagu, J.O. (Ed.). John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, pp: 159-172

  • Mabuchi, K., A. Lilienfeld and L. Snell, 1979. Lung cancer among pesticide workers exposed to inorganic arsenicals. Arch. Environ. Health, 34: 312-320.
    PubMed    

  • Mazlomi, A.R., 1992. Study of geology and geochemistry of gold deposit of Ali-bad area and alteration zones in Koh-sorkh, North of Kashmar. M.Sc. Thesis. Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

  • Mazumder, D.N.G., R. Haque, N. Ghosh, B.K. De, A. Santra, D. Chakraborty and A.H. Smith, 1998. Arsenic levels in drinking water and the prevalence of skin lesions in West Bengal, India. Int. J. Epidemiol., 27: 871-877.
    CrossRef    PubMed    Direct Link    

  • McCarthy, K.M., D.B. Senn, M.L. Kile, Q. Quamruzzaman and M. Rahman et al., 2004. Antimony: An unlikely confounder in the relationship between weel water arsenic and health outcomes in Bangladesh. Environ. Health Perspect., 112: 809-811.
    Direct Link    

  • Moore, L.E., A.H. Smith, C. Hopenhayn-Rich, M.L. Biggs, D.A. Kalman and M.T. Smith, 1997. Micronuclei in exfoliated bladder cells among individuals chronically exposed to arsenic in drinking water. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomark. Prev., 6: 31-36.
    Direct Link    

  • Naghavi, M., 2003. Situation of mortality in 18 proviences of Iran. Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran

  • Nomura, Y., A. Nojiri and S. Kudo, 1986. Two cases of transitional cell carcinoma of urinary tract in patients with chronic arsenic poisoning. J. Kumamoto Med. Sci., 60: 13-24.

  • Osburn, H.S., 1969. Lung cancer in a mining district in Rhodesia. S. Afr. Med. J., 43: 1307-1312.
    PubMed    

  • Ramos, O., L. Carrizales, L. Yanez, J. Mejia, L. Batres, D. Ortiz and F. Diaz-Barriga, 1995. Arsenic increased lipid peroxidation in rat tissues by a mechanism independent of glutathione levels. Environ. Health Prespect., 103: 85-88.
    Direct Link    

  • Roy, P. and A. Saha, 2002. Metabolism and toxicity of arsenic: A human carcinogen. Curr. Sci., 82: 38-45.
    Direct Link    

  • Smedley, P.L. and D.G. Kinniburgh, 2002. A review of the source, behaviour and distribution of arsenic in natural waters. Applied Geochem., 17: 517-568.
    CrossRef    Direct Link    

  • Smith, A.H., C. Hopenhayn-Rich, M.N. Bates, H.M. Goeden and I. Hertz-Picciotto et al 1992. Cancer risks from arsenic in drinking water. Environ. Health Perspect., 97: 259-267.
    Direct Link    

  • Smith, A.H. and H.L.O. Huyck, 1999. An Overview of the Abundance, Relative Mobility, Bioavailability and Human Toxicity of Metals. In: The Environmental Geochemistry of Mineral Deposits, Plumlee, G.S.M., M.J. Logsdon and L.H. Filipek (Eds.). Society of Economic Geologists, USA., pp: 29-70

  • Smith, A.H. and M.M. Hira Smith, 2004. Arsenic drinking water regulations in developing countries with extensive exposure. Toxicology, 198: 39-44.
    CrossRef    

  • Tseng, W.P., H.M. Chu, S.H. How, J.M. Fong and S. Yeh, 1968. Prevalence of skin cancer in an endemic area of chronic arsenicism in Taiwan. J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 40: 453-463.
    PubMed    

  • Tsuda, T., A. Babazono, E. Yamamoto, N. Kurumatani and T. Ogawa et al., 1995. Ingested arsenic and internal cancer: A historical cohort study followed for 33 years. Am. J. Epidemiol., 141: 198-209.
    Direct Link    

  • Warner, M.L., L.E. Moore, M.T. Smith, D.A. Kalman, E. Fanning and A.H. Smith, 1994. Increased micronuclei in exfoliated bladder cells of individuals who chronically ingest arsenic-contaminated water in Nevada. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomark. Prev., 3: 583-590.
    Direct Link    

  • WHO, 1996. Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality Health Criteria and Other Supporting Information. 2nd Edn., WHO, Geneva

  • Wu, M.M., T.L. Kuo, Y.H. Hwang, and C.J. CHEN, 1989. Dose-response relation between arsenic concentration in well water and mortality from cancer and vascular diseases. Am. J. Epidemiol., 130: 1123-1132.
    Direct Link    

  • Yamauchi, H., K. Takahashi, M. Mashiko, Y. Yamamura, 1989. Biological monitoring of arsenic exposure of gallium arsenide and inorganic arsenic-exposed workers by determination of inorganic arsenic and its metabolites in urine and hair. Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J., 50: 606-612.

  • Yazdznbod, A., S. Arshi, M.H. Derakhshan, A.R. Sadjadi and R. Malekzadeh, 2001. Gastric cardia cancer: The most common type of upper gastointestinal cancer in Ardabil, Iran: An endoscopy clinic experience. Arch. Iran Med., 4: 76-79.
    Direct Link    

    • © Science Alert. All Rights Reserved