Blood test shows we have arsenic in our drinking water

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American Water Works Association - Waterweek

Saturday, October 27, 2001 8:17 PM

Blood test shows we have arsenic in our drinking water

 

 

http://www.awwa.org/waterweek/wwlast.htm

 

 

Research suggests arsenic toxicity mechanism

Ingested arsenic may cause harmful health effects by increasing blood levels

of reactive oxidants and lowering antioxidant capacity, according to

Taiwanese researchers who studied the blood arsenic levels in 64 residents

of an area in Taiwan where well-water arsenic levels ranged from zero to

more than 3,000 micrograms/L.

Led by Meei-Maan Wu of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at Academia

Sinica, the team found that whole-blood arsenic levels ranged from zero to

46.50 micrograms/L and showed a positive association with the level of

reactive oxidants in plasma and an inverse relationship with plasma

antioxidant capacity.

As published in the October issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, the

team found that lower primary arsenic methylation capability was associated

with lower levels of antioxidant capability and concluded that " persistent

oxidative stress in peripheral blood may be a mechanism underlying the

carcinogenesis and atherosclerosis induced by long-term arsenic exposure. "

In a related development, an EPA advisory panel will review hazards to

children posed by wood treated by chromated copper arsenate during an Oct.

23-24 public meeting. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act

Scientific Advisory Panel will evaluate several documents, including a

hazard assessment report on inorganic arsenic.

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