Optimization of Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for Measurement of High Concentrations of Arsenic and Selenium

High concentrations of As and Se in mining wastes covering a large area in the mine operating countries present a threat to public health, environment and ecological diversity in different countries. Therefore, a rapid, cost-effective, affordable and routine analysis is needed to monitor the preliminary contamination levels in these countries. In order to achieve this goal, this study has optimised the flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) to determine the high concentrations of As and Se using standard samples. The best result of the calibration curve fit (R2 = 0.959) was found for the standard As concentrations of 0, 5.61, 11.22, 16.83 and 22.45 mg/L; and indicated the very strong linearity of calibration. This procedure allowed a rapid determination of As from minimum 4.462 mg/L to higher concentrations without sample pretreatment. Besides As, this method successfully measured Se concentrations from minimum 1.0 mg/L to higher concentrations. The results showed that FAAS can measure lower concentrations of Se than As. Therefore, this method can be widely applied in different countries for determination of As and Se in environmental samples with high concentrations for the rapid, cost-effective and routine analysis, who can not afford the expensive methods such as ICP-MS, ICP-AES, ICP-OES etc. The study finally suggests the implications of the findings to chemical education

A case-control study of GST polymorphisms and arsenic related skin lesions

BACKGROUND: Polymorphisms in GSTT1, GSTM1 and GSTP1 impact detoxification of carcinogens by GSTs and have been reported to increase susceptibility to environmentally related health outcomes. Individual factors in arsenic biotransformation may influence disease susceptibility. GST activity is involved in the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds, including catalyzing the formation of arsenic-GSH conjugates. METHODS: We investigated whether polymorphisms in GSTT1, GSTP1 and GSTM1 were associated with risk of skin lesions and whether these polymorphisms modify the relationship between drinking water arsenic exposure and skin lesions in a case control study of 1200 subjects frequency matched on age and gender in community clinics in Pabna, Bangladesh in 2001–2002. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: GSTT1 homozygous wildtype status was associated with increased odds of skin lesions compared to the null status (OR1.56 95% CI 1.10–2.19). The GSTP1 GG polymorphism was associated with greater odds of skin lesions compared to GSTP1 AA, (OR 1.86 (95%CI 1.15–3.00). No evidence of effect modification by GSTT1, GSTM1 or GSTP1 polymorphisms on the association between arsenic exposure and skin lesions was detected. CONCLUSION: GSTT1 wildtype and GSTP1 GG are associated with increased risk of skin lesions

Characterization and phytoremediation of abandoned contaminated mining area in Portugal by INAA

This study aims to find out a vascular plant species that accumulate relatively high concentrations of arsenic (As) for its use as phytoremediator ar abandoned and contaminated mining areas, such as São Domingos mines (Portugal). The assessement of As contamination levels in soils and plants of other similar sites in the north of the coutry (Castromil ando Poço de Freitas) was also conducted and the sample analuses were made by instrumental neutron activation analusis. Agrostis genera have shown higher As transfer coefficients than other studied plants species and in particular Agrostis curtisii has shown a reasonable ability to accumulate high concentration of this toxic element