- Full (HTML) - Full (PDF) - Related EHP Articles - PubMed:Related Articles - PubMed:Citation - Cited in PMC - Purchase This Issue

Chiho Watanabe,¹ Tsukasa Inaoka,² Takefumi Kadono,³ Megumi Nagano,² Satoshi Nakamura,⁴ Kayo Ushijima,⁵ Nobuko Murayama,⁶ Kaori Miyazaki,¹ and Ryutaro Ohtsuka¹

¹Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; ²Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan; ³Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; ⁴Division of Technology Transfer and Evaluation, International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo, Japan; ⁵Department of Sociology, School of Regional Sciences, Faculty of Literature, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan; ⁶Department of Health and Nutrition, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan

Abstract

Spot urine samples were collected from the inhabitants of two rural communities in northwestern Bangladesh. We compared arsenic levels in the urine samples ([As]_u ; n = 346) with those in water from tube wells ([As]_tw ; range < 1-535 µg/L ; n = 86) on an individual basis. The small variation of [As]_u within subjects and highly positive correlation with [As]_tw indicate that [As]_u is a useful indicator of exposure. Analyses of [As]_u showed that creatinine correction was necessary, that [As]_u only reflected recent exposure, and that there were substantial interindividual differences for a given [As]_tw level. To evaluate the toxic effects of arsenic exposure, we constructed a system for rating skin manifestations, which revealed distinct sex-related differences. Comparison of males and females in the same households confirmed that skin manifestations were more severe in the males, and in the males of one community a dose-response relationship between [As]_u and the degree of skin manifestation was evident. The results of this study indicate that [As]_u in spot urine samples can be used as an exposure indicator for As. They suggest that there might be sex-related, and perhaps community-related, differences in the relationship between [As]_u and skin manifestations, although several confounding factors, including sunlight exposure and smoking habits, might contribute to the observed sex difference. The existence of such differences should be further confirmed and examined in other populations to identify the subpopulations sensitive to chronic arsenic toxicity. Key words: Bangladesh, chronic arsenic toxicity, dose-response relationship, groundwater contamination, keratosis, melanosis, urinary excretion. Environ Health Perspect 109:1265-1270 (2001) . [Online 28 November 2001]

http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2001/109p1265-1270watanabe/ abstract.html

Address correspondence to C. Watanabe, Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan. Telephone: +81-3-5841-3487. Fax: +81-3-5841-3395. E-mail: chiho@humeco.m.u-tokyo.ac.jp.

We thank all of the participants and local health officers and assistants for their generous and enduring help and collaboration. We are particularly indebted to M.H. Bokul, A. Ahmad, and E. Karim for providing continuous support and valuable advice for our survey.

The study was financially supported by the Alliance for Global Sustainability and by Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (project 10044240) .

Received 15 February 2001 ; accepted 8 May 2001.