Ground water arsenic contamination in West Bengal,India: A risk of sub-clinical toxicity in cattle as evident by correlation between arsenic exposure,excretion and deposition
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online November, 2010
Ground water arsenic contamination in West Bengal,India: A risk of sub-clinical toxicity in cattle as evident by correlation between arsenic exposure,excretion and deposition
Arsenic contamination of ground water in West Bengal, India, is a great concern for both human and livestock populations. Our study investigated and correlated the arsenic concentration in the drinking water, urinary excretion and deposition of total arsenic in hair of cattle at an arsenic contaminated zone in West Bengal. The results of our study indicated that the average concentration of arsenic in tube well water in contaminated villages ranged from 0.042 to 0.251 ppm and a statistical significant (p < 0.01) difference was seen when compared to samples from a non-contaminated zone. The arsenic concentration in urine and hair of cattle ranged between 0.245—0.691 ppm and 0.461—0.984 ppm, respectively. A close relationship was found between the total arsenic in drinking water urinary excretion (r2 = 0.03664, p < 0.05) and the arsenic concentration in hair (r2 = 0.03668, p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that quantification of arsenic concentration in cattle urine and hair can serve as biomarkers for both present and past exposure in cattle population.
Abedin MJ, Cresser MS, Meharg AA, Feldmann J., and Cotter-Howells J. (2002) Arsenic accumulation and metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Environmental Science and Technology36(5): 962-968.
2.
Amarasiriwardena CJ, Lupoli N., Potula V., Korrick S., and Hu H. ( 1998) Determination of the total arsenic concentration in human urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: a comparison of the accuracy of three analytical methods. Analyst123(3): 441-445.
3.
Basu A., Ghosh P., Das JK, Banerjee A., Ray K., and Giri AK ( 2004) Micronuclei as biomarkers of carcinogen exposure in populations exposed to arsenic through drinking water in West Bengal, India: a comparative study in three cell types. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention13(5): 820-827.
4.
Benbrahim-Tallaa L., Waalkes MP ( 2008) Inorganic arsenic and human prostate cancer. Environmental Health Perspectives116(2): 158-164.
5.
Browning E. ( 1969) Toxicity of Industrial Metals. 2nd ed. New York: Appleton-Century Croft.
6.
CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) (1997). Appendix XXIII-Canadian water quality guidelines: updates, arsenic, bromacil, carbaryl, chloropyrifos, deltamethrin, and glycols. In: Canadian water quality guidelines, Canadian Council of Resource and Environment Ministers. 1987. Prepared by the Task Force on Water Quality Guidelines.1993.Appendix XV-Protocols for deriving water quality guidelines for the protection of agricultural water uses (October 1993). In: Canadian water quality guidelines, Canadian Council of Resource and Environment Ministers. 1987. Prepared by the Task Force on Water Quality Guidelines. [Updated and reprinted with minor revisions and editorial changes in Canadian environmental quality guidelines, Chapter 5, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999, Winnipeg.].
7.
Chakrabarty AK, Saha KC ( 1993) Arsenical dermatoses from tubewell water in West Bengal . Indian Journal of Medical Research85: 326-334.
8.
Chakraborti D., Mukherjee SC, Pati S., et al. (2003) Arsenic groundwater contamination in Middle Ganga Plain, Bihar, India: a future danger?Environmental Health Perspectives111(9): 1194-1201.
9.
Chatterjee A., Das D., Mandal BK, Roy Chowdhury T., Samanta G., and Chakraborti D. ( 1995) Arsenic in ground water in six districts of West Bengal, India: the biggest arsenic calamity in the world. I. Arsenic species in drinking water and urine of the affected people. Analyst120: 643-650.
10.
Chowdhury UK, Biswas BK, Chowdhury RT, et al. (2000) Ground water arsenic contamination in Bangladesh and West Bengal -India. Environmental Health Perspectives108(5): 393-397.
11.
Chowdhury UK, Rahaman MM, Mondal BK, et al. (2001) Groundwater arsenic contamination and human suffering in West Bengal, India and Bangladesh. Environmental Sciences8(5): 393-415.
12.
Curatola CJ, Grunder FI, Moffit Jr AE ( 1978) Hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry for determination of arsenic in hair. American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal39(12): 933-938.
13.
Das HK, Chowdhury DA, Rahaman S., et al. (2000) Arsenic contamination of soil and water and related bio-hazards in Bangladesh. Dhaka: Bangla Academy, 137-144.
14.
DOF (1996) Diario Oficial de la Federacíon, Norma Oficial Mexicana NON-1127-SSAI-1994.
15.
Eisler R. ( 1994) A review of arsenic hazards to plants and animals with emphasis on fishery and wildlife resources. In: Nriagu JO (ed.) Arsenic in the Environment. Part II: Human Health and Ecosystem Effects. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc, 185-261.
16.
Ghosh K., Das I., Saha S., et al. (1981) Arsenic chemistry in groundwater in the Bengal Delta Plain: implications in agricultural system. Journal of Indian Chemical Society81(12): 1063-1072.
17.
Guha Mazumder DN, De BK, Santra A., et al. (2001) Randomized placebo-controlled trial of 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonate (DMPS) in therapy of chronic arsenicosis due to drinking arsenic-contaminated water. Clinical Toxicology39(7): 665-674.
18.
Hershey JW, Oostdyk TS ( 1988) Detection of arsenic and selenium in environmental and agricultural samples by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry . Journal Association of Official Analytical Chemist71(6): 1090-1093.
19.
International Atomic Energy Agency (1978) Activation analysis of hair as an indicator of contamination of man by environmental trace element pollutants. IAEA/RL/ 50, Vienna, Austria.
20.
International Atomic Energy Agency (1978) Activation analysis of hair as an indicator of contamination of man by environmental trace element pollutants. IAEA/RL/ 50, Vienna, Austria.
21.
Karagas MR, Tosteson TD, Blun J., et al., (2000) Measurement of low level of arsenic exposure: a comparison of water and Toenail concentration. American Journal of Epidemiology152(1): 84-90.
22.
Lakso JU, Peoples SA ( 1975) Preliminary studies on lead, cadmium and arsenic contents of feed, cattle and food animal origin coming from different farms in Saxony . Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry23: 674-676.
23.
Law 24051 (1993) Regimen de Desechos Peligrosos. Decreto Nacional 831/93, Reglamentacion de la Ley 24051. (Law 24051. 1993 Regime for hazardous wastes, Argentine).
24.
Le XC, Ma MS ( 1998) Column liquid chromatography with hydride generation atomic fluorescence detection for the speciation of arsenic. Analytical Chemistry70: 1926-1933.
25.
Liukkonen B., Crary V., Erickson M., Linn J., and Murphy M. ( 2006) Assessing the impacts of arsenic on midwestern dairy operations . USDA-CSREES 2006 National Water Quality Conference . Available at: http://www.usawaterquality.org
26.
Mahata J., Basu A., Ghoshal S., Sarkar JN, Roy AK, Poddar G., et al. (2003). Chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges in individuals exposed to arsenic through drinking water in West Bengal, India. Mutation research-Genetic toxicology and environmental mutagenesis. 534: 133-143.
27.
Mitranescu E., Ciocarlie N., Gavrila G., Tudor I., and Diaconescu JL ( 2000) Effects of sex on arsenic, cadmium, lead. Copper and zinc accumulation in calves. Veterinary and Human Toxicology42(5): 265-268.
28.
Mondal BK, Roychowdhury T., Samanta G., et al. (1997) Chronic arsenic toxicity in West Bengal . Current Sciences72: 114-117.
29.
Nandi D., Patra RC, Swarup D. ( 2005) Arsenic residues in hair samples from cattle in some arsenic affected areas of West Bengal, India. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology75(2): 251-256.
30.
National Research Council.Arsenic in drinking water (1999) Washington, DC: National Academy Press .
31.
National Research Council (2001) in Arsenic Drinking Water, 2001 update. Washington, DC : National Academy Press.
32.
Navas-Acien A., Guallar E. ( 2008). Measuring arsenic exposure, metabolism, and biological effects: The role of urine proteomics. Toxicological Science106(1): 1-4.
33.
Navas-Acien A., Sharrett AR, Silbergeld EK, et al. (2005) Arsenic exposure and cardiovascular disease: A systematic review of the epidemiologic evidence. American Journal of Epidemiology162(11): 1037-1049.
34.
Neiger R., Nelson N., Miskimins D., Caster J., and Caster L. ( 2004) Bovine arsenic toxicosis. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigation16(5): 436-438.
35.
Pal A., Nayak B., Das B., Hossain MA, Ahamed S., and Chakraborti D. ( 2007) Additional danger of arsenic exposure through inhalation from burning of cow dung cakes laced with arsenic as a fuel in arsenic affected villages in Ganga-Meghna-Brahmaputra plain. Journal of Environmental Monitoring9(10): 1067-1070.
36.
Pérez-Carrera A., Fernández-Cirelli A. ( 2005) Arsenic concentration in water and bovine milk in Cordoba, Argentina. Preliminary results. Journal of Dairy Research72(1): 122-124.
37.
Pérez-Carrera A., Fernández-Cirelli A. ( 2004) Arsenic and fluoride levels in water for dairy (Province of Cordoba, Argentina). Investigation Veterinaria (INVET)6: 51-60.
38.
Raab A., Hansen HR, Zhuang L., and Feldmann J. ( 2002) Arsenic accumulation and speciation analysis in wool from sheep exposed to arsenosugars. Talanta58(1): 67-76.
39.
Radostits OM, Gay CC, Blood DC, and Hinchcliff HC ( 2000) Veterinary Medicine. London : WB Saunders.
40.
Raikwar MK, Kumar P., Singh M., and Singh A. ( 2008).Toxic effect of heavy metals in livestock health . Veterinary World1(1): 28-30.
41.
Rana T., Sarkar S., Mandal TK, Bhattyacharyya K., and Roy A. ( 2008) Arsenic residue in blood, urine and faeces samples from cattle in the Nadia district of West Bengal in India. The International Journal of Veterinary Medicine4.
42.
Rana T., Bera AK, Das S., et al. (2010) Effect of ascorbic acid on blood oxidative stress in experimental chronic arsenicosis in rodents. Food and Chemical Toxicology In Press.
43.
Rosas I., Belmont R., Armienta A., and Baez A. ( 1999) Arsenic concentration in water and soil, milk and forage in Comarca Lagunera, Mexico. Water Air and Soil Pollution112: 133-149.
44.
Sanyal SK ( 1999) Chemodynamics of geogenic contaminants in the soil environment-Arsenic Proc. Sewnd Intl Conf On contaminants in the soil Environment in the Australasia-Pacific Region, New Delhi , December 12-17, 1999. Abstract, 389-390. India Network for soil contamination Research, New Delhi , India and soil contamination Research in Asia and the Pacific, Adelaide, Australia.
45.
Selby LA, Dorn CR ( 1989) Public health hazards associated with arsenic poisoning in cattle. Journal of American Veterinary and Medical Association165: 1010.
46.
Smith AH, Lingas EO, Rahman M. ( 2000) Contamination of drinking water of arsenic in Bangladesh: a public health emergency. Bulletin of World Health Organisation78: 1093-1103.
47.
Underwood EJ ( 1977) Trace Element in Human and Animal Nutrition. 4th ed. New York: Academic Press.
48.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) ( 1992) Chemical-specific parameters for toxicity characteristic contaminants, Document 600/S, 3-91/004.
49.
Vahter M., Concha G., Nermell B., Nilsson R., Dulout F., and Natarajan AT ( 1995) A unique metabolism of inorganic arsenic in native Andean women. European Journal of Pharmacology293: 455-462.
50.
WHO (1993) Guideline for Drinking Water Quality: Recommendation 1. Geneva: World Health Organisation.
