Seasonal variation of arsenic concentrations in tubewells in west Bengal, India.

This study was conducted to monitor the changes in arsenic concentration during different seasons in a one-year period during 2002-2003 in selected tubewells in an arsenic-affected area in the district of South 24 Parganas in West Bengal, India, and to map the location of the wells. Seasonal variations in concentrations of arsenic in water were measured from 74 selected tubewells, ranging in depth from 40 to 500 feet. Water samples were collected from these wells during winter, summer, monsoon, and the following winter in 2002-2003. A global positioning system was used for locating the tubewells, and a geographic information system was used for mapping. There was evidence of seasonal variation in concentrations of arsenic in water (p=0.02) with the minimum average concentration occurring in the summer season (694 microg/L) and the maximum in the monsoon season (906 microg/L). From the winter of 2002 to the winter of 2003, arsenic concentrations increased, irrespective of the depth of the tubewells, from an average of 464 microg/L to 820 microg/L (p<0.001). This extent of variation in arsenic concentration, if confirmed, has important implications for both epidemiological research and mitigation programmes

Creatinine, diet, micronutrients, and arsenic methylation in West Bengal, India.

BackgroundIngested inorganic arsenic (InAs) is methylated to monomethylated (MMA) and dimethylated metabolites (DMA). Methylation may have an important role in arsenic toxicity, because the monomethylated trivalent metabolite [MMA(III)] is highly toxic.ObjectivesWe assessed the relationship of creatinine and nutrition--using dietary intake and blood concentrations of micronutrients--with arsenic metabolism, as reflected in the proportions of InAS, MMA, and DMA in urine, in the first study that incorporated both dietary and micronutrient data.MethodsWe studied methylation patterns and nutritional factors in 405 persons who were selected from a cross-sectional survey of 7,638 people in an arsenic-exposed population in West Bengal, India. We assessed associations of urine creatinine and nutritional factors (19 dietary intake variables and 16 blood micronutrients) with arsenic metabolites in urine.ResultsUrinary creatinine had the strongest relationship with overall arsenic methylation to DMA. Those with the highest urinary creatinine concentrations had 7.2% more arsenic as DMA compared with those with low creatinine (p < 0.001). Animal fat intake had the strongest relationship with MMA% (highest tertile animal fat intake had 2.3% more arsenic as MMA, p < 0.001). Low serum selenium and low folate were also associated with increased MMA%.ConclusionsUrine creatinine concentration was the strongest biological marker of arsenic methylation efficiency, and therefore should not be used to adjust for urine concentration in arsenic studies. The new finding that animal fat intake has a positive relationship with MMA% warrants further assessment in other studies. Increased MMA% was also associated, to a lesser extent, with low serum selenium and folate

Nutritional Factors and Susceptibility to Arsenic-Caused Skin Lesions in West Bengal, India

There has been widespread speculation about whether nutritional deficiencies increase the susceptibility to arsenic health effects. This is the first study to investigate whether dietary micronutrient and macronutrient intake modulates the well-established human risk of arsenic-induced skin lesions, including alterations in skin pigmentation and keratoses. The study was conducted in West Bengal, India, which along with Bangladesh constitutes the largest population in the world exposed to arsenic from drinking water. In this case–control study design, cases were patients with arsenic-induced skin lesions and had < 500 μg/L arsenic in their drinking water. For each case, an age- and sex-matched control was selected from participants of a 1995–1996 cross-sectional survey, whose drinking water at that time also contained < 500 μg/L arsenic. Nutritional assessment was based on a 24-hr recall for major dietary constituents and a 1-week recall for less common constituents. Modest increases in risk were related to being in the lowest quintiles of intake of animal protein [odds ratio (OR) = 1.94; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05–3.59], calcium (OR = 1.89; 95% CI, 1.04–3.43), fiber (OR = 2.20; 95% CI, 1.15–4.21), and folate (OR = 1.67; 95% CI, 0.87–3.2). Conditional logistic regression suggested that the strongest associations were with low calcium, low animal protein, low folate, and low fiber intake. Nutrient intake was not related to arsenic exposure. We conclude that low intake of calcium, animal protein, folate, and fiber may increase susceptibility to arsenic-caused skin lesions. However, in light of the small magnitude of increased risks related to these dietary deficiencies, prevention should focus on reducing exposure to arsenic

Increased Mortality from Lung Cancer and Bronchiectasis in Young Adults after Exposure to Arsenic in Utero and in Early Childhood

Arsenic in drinking water is an established cause of lung cancer, and preliminary evidence suggests that ingested arsenic may also cause nonmalignant lung disease. Antofagasta is the second largest city in Chile and had a distinct period of very high arsenic exposure that began in 1958 and lasted until 1971, when an arsenic removal plant was installed. This unique exposure scenario provides a rare opportunity to investigate the long-term mortality impact of early-life arsenic exposure. In this study, we compared mortality rates in Antofagasta in the period 1989–2000 with those of the rest of Chile, focusing on subjects who were born during or just before the peak exposure period and who were 30–49 years of age at the time of death. For the birth cohort born just before the high-exposure period (1950–1957) and exposed in early childhood, the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for lung cancer was 7.0 [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.4–8.9; p < 0.001] and the SMR for bronchiectasis was 12.4 (95% CI, 3.3–31.7; p < 0.001). For those born during the high-exposure period (1958–1970) with probable exposure in utero and early childhood, the corresponding SMRs were 6.1 (95% CI, 3.5–9.9; p < 0.001) for lung cancer and 46.2 (95% CI, 21.1–87.7; p < 0.001) for bronchiectasis. These findings suggest that exposure to arsenic in drinking water during early childhood or in utero has pronounced pulmonary effects, greatly increasing subsequent mortality in young adults from both malignant and nonmalignant lung disease

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Use of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco Products

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to increased use of tobacco products&nbsp;later in life. However, studies to date&nbsp;have ignored smokeless tobacco products. To address this, data from the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which interviewed adults 18&nbsp;years and over (N&nbsp;=&nbsp;102,716) were analyzed. Logistic regression models were fit to estimate odds ratios&nbsp;of ever smoking, current smoking and current smokeless tobacco use in relation to ACEs. Results showed that less than 4&nbsp;% of respondents currently used smokeless tobacco products, while 44.95 and 18.57&nbsp;% reported ever and current smoking, respectively. Physical abuse (OR 1.40; 95&nbsp;% CI 1.14, 1.72), emotional abuse (OR 1.41; 95&nbsp;% CI 1.19, 1.67), sexual abuse (OR 0.70; 95&nbsp;% CI 0.51, 0.95), living with a drug user (OR 1.50; 95&nbsp;% CI 1.17, 1.93), living with someone who was jailed (OR 1.50; 95&nbsp;% CI 1.11, 2.02) and having parents who were separated or divorced (OR 1.31; 95&nbsp;% CI 1.09, 1.57) were associated with smokeless tobacco use in unadjusted models. After accounting for confounders, physical abuse (OR 1.43; 95&nbsp;% CI 1.16, 1.78), emotional abuse (OR 1.32; 95&nbsp;% CI 1.10, 1.57), living with a problem drinker (OR 1.30; 95&nbsp;% CI 1.08, 1.58), living with a drug user (OR 1.31; 95&nbsp;% CI 1.00, 1.72) and living with adults who treated each other violently (OR 1.30; 95&nbsp;% CI 1.05, 1.62) were associated with smokeless tobacco use. Living with someone who was mentally ill (OR 0.70; 95&nbsp;% CI 0.53, 0.92) was associated with smokeless tobacco use after accounting for confounders and all ACEs. Results indicated that some childhood adversities are associated with use of smokeless tobacco products. Special attention is needed to prevent tobacco use&nbsp;of different types among those experiencing ACEs

Suszeptibilität von Schulkindern, Asthma, Atopie oder Lungenfunktionseinbußen zu entwickeln in Abhängigkeit von ihrem Alpha 1 -Antitrypsin-Status: welche Rolle spielt eine Luftschadstoffexposition? ; eine Populationsstudie im Rahmen der International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), phase II

von Ehrenstein OS. Suszeptibilität von Schulkindern, Asthma, Atopie oder Lungenfunktionseinbußen zu entwickeln in Abhängigkeit von ihrem Alpha 1 -Antitrypsin-Status: welche Rolle spielt eine Luftschadstoffexposition? ; eine Populationsstudie im Rahmen der International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), phase II. Bielefeld; 2000