scholarly journals Exposure Levels and Contributing Factors of Various Arsenic Species and Their Health Effects on Korean Adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seul-Gi Lee ◽  
Ingu Kang ◽  
Mi-Na Seo ◽  
Jung-Eum Lee ◽  
Sang-Yong Eom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Arsenic Exposure ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
Exposure Level ◽  
Dimethylarsinic Acid ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
C Peptide ◽  
Korean Adults

Abstract Arsenic is a human carcinogen. Data on urinary arsenic species analyses of Koreans is limited. This study evaluated the arsenic exposure level, contributing factors, and health effects in Korean adults. Dietary intake information and urine samples were obtained from 2,044 participants. Arsenic exposure was assessed based on urinary concentrations of arsenic species, such as inorganic arsenic, As(III) and As(V), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), and arsenobetaine (AsB), using high-performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, followed by determination of biomarkers, malondialdehyde and c-peptide. The geometric mean concentrations were 30.9 ㎍/L for the sum of inorganic arsenic and their metabolites, and 84.7 ㎍/L for the total sum of arsenic measured. Urinary concentrations of arsenic species were influenced by age, inhabitant area (inland or coastal), and seafood intake, which was positively correlated with inorganic arsenic, DMA, and AsB. Rice intake was positively correlated with inorganic arsenic and its metabolites but not with AsB. Additionally, malondialdehyde and c-peptide levels were significantly associated with urinary concentrations of various arsenic species. Seafood and rice are major sources of organic/inorganic arsenic exposure in Korean adults; however, it is necessary to evaluate whether their overconsumption could have a potentially detrimental effect on human health.

scholarly journals Arsenic Methyltransferase and Methylation of Inorganic Arsenic

Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1351
Author(s):  
Nirmal K. Roy ◽  
Anthony Murphy ◽  
Max Costa
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Skin Color ◽  
Arsenic Exposure ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Dimethylarsinic Acid ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Foot Disease

Arsenic occurs naturally in the environment, and exists predominantly as inorganic arsenite (As (III) and arsenate As (V)). Arsenic contamination of drinking water has long been recognized as a major global health concern. Arsenic exposure causes changes in skin color and lesions, and more severe health conditions such as black foot disease as well as various cancers originating in the lungs, skin, and bladder. In order to efficiently metabolize and excrete arsenic, it is methylated to monomethylarsonic and dimethylarsinic acid. One single enzyme, arsenic methyltransferase (AS3MT) is responsible for generating both metabolites. AS3MT has been purified from several mammalian and nonmammalian species, and its mRNA sequences were determined from amino acid sequences. With the advent of genome technology, mRNA sequences of AS3MT have been predicted from many species throughout the animal kingdom. Horizontal gene transfer had been postulated for this gene through phylogenetic studies, which suggests the importance of this gene in appropriately handling arsenic exposures in various organisms. An altered ability to methylate arsenic is dependent on specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in AS3MT. Reduced AS3MT activity resulting in poor metabolism of iAs has been shown to reduce expression of the tumor suppressor gene, p16, which is a potential pathway in arsenic carcinogenesis. Arsenic is also known to induce oxidative stress in cells. However, the presence of antioxidant response elements (AREs) in the promoter sequences of AS3MT in several species does not correlate with the ability to methylate arsenic. ARE elements are known to bind NRF2 and induce antioxidant enzymes to combat oxidative stress. NRF2 may be partly responsible for the biotransformation of iAs and the generation of methylated arsenic species via AS3MT. In this article, arsenic metabolism, excretion, and toxicity, a discussion of the AS3MT gene and its evolutionary history, and DNA methylation resulting from arsenic exposure have been reviewed.

scholarly journals Monitoring Arsenic Species Content in Seaweeds Produced off the Southern Coast of Korea and Its Risk Assessment

Environments ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Min-hyuk Kim ◽  
Junseob Kim ◽  
Chang-Hyun Noh ◽  
Seogyeong Choi ◽  
Yong-Sung Joo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Arsenic Speciation ◽  
Arsenic Exposure ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Speciation Analysis ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
Dimethylarsinic Acid ◽  
Concentration Data ◽  
Seaweed Species

Seaweed, a popular seafood in South Korea, has abundant dietary fiber and minerals. The toxicity of arsenic compounds is known to be related to their chemical speciation, and inorganic arsenic (iAs) is more detrimental than other species. Due to the different toxicities of the various chemical forms, speciation analysis is important for evaluating arsenic exposure. In this study, total arsenic (tAs) and six arsenic species (arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, arsenobetaine, and arsenocholine) were analyzed in 180 seaweed samples. Although there were differences between seaweed species, the concentration of tAs was detected at levels ranging from 1 to 100 µg/g, and the distribution of six arsenic species differed depending on the seaweed species. No correlation between the concentration of iAs and tAs was found in most seaweed species. Through statistical clustering, hijiki and gulfweed were seen to be the seaweeds with the highest ratios of iAs to tAs. Using the iAs concentration data from the arsenic speciation analysis, a risk assessment of seaweed intake in South Korea was conducted. The margin of exposure values showed no meaningful risk for the general population, but low levels of risk were identified for seaweed consumers, with high intakes of gulfweed and hijiki.

scholarly journals Groundwater Irrigation and Arsenic Speciation in Rice in Cambodia

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Murphy ◽  
Kongkea Phan ◽  
Emmanuel Yumvihoze ◽  
Kim Irvine ◽  
Ken Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arsenic Speciation ◽  
Arsenic Concentration ◽  
Arsenic Exposure ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
Dimethylarsinic Acid ◽  
Total Arsenic ◽  
Groundwater Irrigation ◽  
Financial Interests ◽  
Rice Consumption

Background. Arsenic bioaccumulation in rice is a global concern affecting food security and public health. Objective. The present study examined arsenic species in rice in Cambodia to characterize health risks with rice consumption and to clarify uncertainties with Codex guidelines. Methods. The present study collected 61 well water samples, 105 rice samples, 70 soil samples, and conducted interviews with 44 families in Preak Russey near the Bassac River and Kandal Province along the Mekong River in Cambodia. Analyses of metals, total arsenic and arsenic species were conducted in laboratories in Canada, Cambodia and Singapore. Results. Unlike in Bangladesh, rice with the highest total arsenic concentrations in Cambodia contains mostly organic arsenic, dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), which is unregulated and much less toxic than inorganic arsenic. The present study found that storing surface runoff in ditches prior to irrigation can significantly reduce the arsenic concentration in rice. It is possible to remove > 95% of arsenic from groundwater prior to irrigation with natural reactions. Conclusions. The provision of high quality drinking water in 2015 to Preak Russey removed about 95% of the dietary inorganic arsenic exposure. The extremes in arsenic toxicity that are still obvious in these farmers should become less common. Rice from the site with the highest documented levels of arsenic in soils and water in Cambodia passes current Codex guidelines for arsenic. Informed Consent. Obtained Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Arsenic exposure and seafood intake in Korean adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 451-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
H-S Bae ◽  
I-G Kang ◽  
S-G Lee ◽  
S-Y Eom ◽  
Y-D Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Arsenic Exposure ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Korean Adults ◽  
Plasma Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Exposure Levels ◽  
Fish And Shellfish

Arsenic (As) is widely distributed in the environment, and humans can be exposed to As from various sources such as air, water, soil, and food. This study was performed to evaluate the As exposure levels in Korean adults by measuring total As in urine and its relation with the consumption of seafood, a favorite food in Korea. A total of 2077 adults were the study subjects; they ranged in age from 19 to 83, and they were recruited by probability sampling stratified by area, sex, and age. None of the subjects had been exposed to As occupationally. We collected information about the demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and food consumption of study subjects using a questionnaire and followed urine sampling. Diet was assessed in individual interviews using the 24-h recall method. Total As in urine was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (PerkinElmer NEXION 300S; Concord, Ontario, Canada). The geometric mean concentration of total As in urine was observed to be 97.6 µg/L and was higher in males (103.9 µg/L) than in females (93.0 µg/L). Total As levels in urine were affected by sex, age, seafood intake, and geographic location. In this study, total As in urine was positively correlated with fish and shellfish consumption, and was mainly determined by As intake through fish and shellfish/grains/flavors. These findings suggest that seafood consumption might be a major contributor to urinary As levels in Korean adults.

scholarly journals Effect of arsenosugar ingestion on urinary arsenic speciation

1998 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 539-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingsheng Ma ◽  
X Chris Le
Keyword(s):  
Arsenic Speciation ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Sample Pretreatment ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
Urine Samples ◽  
Standard Reference Materials ◽  
Dimethylarsinic Acid ◽  
Urinary Arsenic ◽  
Biomarkers Of Exposure

Abstract We developed and evaluated a method for the determination of μg/L concentrations of individual arsenic species in urine samples. We have mainly studied arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) because these are the most commonly used biomarkers of exposure by the general population to inorganic arsenic and because of concerns over these arsenic species on their toxicity and carcinogenicity. We have also detected five unidentified urinary arsenic species resulting from the metabolism of arsenosugars. We combined ion pair liquid chromatography with on-line hydride generation and subsequent atomic fluorescence detection (HPLC/HGAFS). Detection limits, determined as three times the standard deviation of the baseline noise, are 0.8, 1.2, 0.7, and 1.0 μ/L arsenic for arsenite, arsenate, MMAA, and DMAA, respectively. These correspond to 16, 24, 14, and 20 pg of arsenic, respectively, for a 20-μL sample injected for analysis. The excellent detection limit enabled us to determine trace concentrations of arsenic species in urine samples from healthy subjects who did not have excess exposure to arsenic. There was no need for any sample pretreatment step. We used Standard Reference Materials, containing both normal and increased concentrations of arsenic, to validate the method. Interlaboratory studies with independent techniques also confirmed the results obtained with the HPLC/HGAFS method. We demonstrated an application of the method to the determination of arsenic species in urine samples after the ingestion of seaweed by four volunteers. We observed substantial increases of DMAA concentrations in the samples collected from the volunteers after the consumption of seaweed. The increase of urinary DMAA concentration is due to the metabolism of arsenosugars that are present in the seaweed. Our results suggest that the commonly used biomarkers of exposure to inorganic arsenic, based on the measurement of arsenite, arsenate, MMAA, and DMAA, are not reliable when arsenosugars are ingested from the diet.

scholarly journals Microbial Methylation of Metalloids: Arsenic, Antimony, and Bismuth

2002 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Bentley ◽  
Thomas G. Chasteen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
Dimethylarsinic Acid ◽  
Microbial Conversion ◽  
Microbiological Test ◽  
Methylarsonic Acid ◽  
Microbial Methylation

SUMMARY A significant 19th century public health problem was that the inhabitants of many houses containing wallpaper decorated with green arsenical pigments experienced illness and death. The problem was caused by certain fungi that grew in the presence of inorganic arsenic to form a toxic, garlic-odored gas. The garlic odor was actually put to use in a very delicate microbiological test for arsenic. In 1933, the gas was shown to be trimethylarsine. It was not until 1971 that arsenic methylation by bacteria was demonstrated. Further research in biomethylation has been facilitated by the development of delicate techniques for the determination of arsenic species. As described in this review, many microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and yeasts) and animals are now known to biomethylate arsenic, forming both volatile (e.g., methylarsines) and nonvolatile (e.g., methylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid) compounds. The enzymatic mechanisms for this biomethylation are discussed. The microbial conversion of sodium arsenate to trimethylarsine proceeds by alternate reduction and methylation steps, with S-adenosylmethionine as the usual methyl donor. Thiols have important roles in the reductions. In anaerobic bacteria, methylcobalamin may be the donor. The other metalloid elements of the periodic table group 15, antimony and bismuth, also undergo biomethylation to some extent. Trimethylstibine formation by microorganisms is now well established, but this process apparently does not occur in animals. Formation of trimethylbismuth by microorganisms has been reported in a few cases. Microbial methylation plays important roles in the biogeochemical cycling of these metalloid elements and possibly in their detoxification. The wheel has come full circle, and public health considerations are again important.

Abstract P099: Association Between Arsenic And Heart Failure

Circulation ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 133 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalaivani Sivakumar ◽  
Demilade Adedinsewo ◽  
Anekwe Onwuanyi
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Rice Flour ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dimethylarsinic Acid ◽  
Urinary Arsenic ◽  
Monomethylarsonic Acid ◽  
Developing Heart ◽  
High Arsenic

Background: Heart failure is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in the United States. Arsenic, a ubiquitous element, found in drinking water, rice, flour and other grains, has been shown to play a role in the development of arrhythmias and coronary heart disease through vascular endothelial dysfunction and free radical injury. Studies have shown that arsenic induces interstitial myocardial fibrosis and we hypothesize that this may contribute to the development of heart failure. Methods: We conducted an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2012. Urinary arsenic was evaluated as a combination of inorganic arsenic, and methylated arsenic species (Monomethylarsonic acid and Dimethylarsinic acid) in microgram per gram of urine creatinine. We used a logistic regression model to evaluate the relationship between quartiles of urinary arsenic and heart failure while controlling for confounders. Analyses were conducted using SAS survey procedures and data evaluated at α=0.05. Results: The total number of study participants were 2065 adults with the mean age of 40.2 years, approximately half were male (48.8%) and 64.1% were white. There was no significant association between urinary arsenic measures and incidence of heart failure. Persons with high arsenic levels (>75th percentile) were less likely to develop heart failure after controlling for confounders. Conclusion: Our results show a statistically significant decrease in the odds of developing heart failure among persons with high arsenic levels (>24ug/g). This is in contrast to other studies, which have shown high arsenic levels to have a toxic effect on the heart. Limitations of our study include the inability to determine the chronicity of exposure and exclude persons with increased levels of organic arsenic from seafood, which are nontoxic. Additional observational and prospective studies are needed to further evaluate this association.

Evaluation of Arsenate Content of Rice and Rice Bran Purchased from Local Markets in the People's Republic of China

2014 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 665-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHOUHUI DAI ◽  
HUI YANG ◽  
XUEFEI MAO ◽  
JING QIU ◽  
QUANJI LIU ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rice Bran ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
Dimethylarsinic Acid ◽  
Total Arsenic ◽  
People's Republic Of China ◽  
Local Markets ◽  
Republic Of China ◽  
Monomethylarsonic Acid ◽  
The Difference

In previous studies, inorganic arsenic and total arsenic concentrations in rice bran have been much higher than those in polished rice obtained from the same whole paddy rice. However, the arsenic species distribution between rice and bran is still unknown, especially for arsenite (AsIII) and arsenate (AsV). To characterize the arsenic species in rice and bran and explain the elevated concentrations of inorganic arsenic and total arsenic, four arsenic species, AsIII, AsV, dimethylarsinic acid, and monomethylarsonic acid, were evaluated. Rice and bran samples (n = 108) purchased from local markets in the People's Republic of China were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with hydride generation and atomic fluorescence spectrometry and then microwave extraction. As expected, most of the arsenic was found in bran, with bran/rice ratios of 6.8 for total arsenic species and 6.4 for inorganic arsenic. Among four arsenic species, the maximum bran/rice ratio was 104.7 (335/3.2 μg kg−1) for AsV followed by 1.2 (69.2/56.1) for AsIII, 1.3 (6.7/5.2) for dimethylarsinic acid, and 4.0 (0.8/0.2) for monomethylarsonic acid. Thus, the large difference in arsenic concentration between rice and bran was mostly due to the difference in the AsV concentration, which account for 96 and 95% of the difference for total arsenic species and inorganic arsenic, respectively. Therefore, the possibility of AsV contamination in rice bran and its by-products needs more study. This study is the first in which concentrations of AsIII and AsV in rice and bran have been documented, revealing that a higher percentage of AsV occurs in bran than in rice.

Arsenic Speciation in Urine from Humans Intoxicated by Inorganic Arsenic Compounds

1985 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Lovell ◽  
J.G. Farmer
Keyword(s):  
Arsenic Trioxide ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Arsenic Speciation ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
Dimethylarsinic Acid ◽  
Monomethylarsonic Acid ◽  
Detoxification Mechanism

Trends in the urinary concentrations of the four arsenic species, pentavalent [As (V)] and trivalent [As (III)] inorganic arsenic, monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA), were followed for several days subsequent to the acute intoxication of two human subjects by arsenic trioxide [As (III)2O3] and sodium orthoarsenate [Na2HAs(V)O4.7H2O], respectively, in unsuccessful suicide attempts. Total arsenic concentrations ranged from 1.6 to 18.7 mg/l. The increasing predominance of the less toxic methylated species, especially DMAA, after 3 or 4 days supports the concept of methylation as a natural detoxification mechanism as part of an overall reduction/methylation sequence involved in the biotransformation of inorganic arsenic by the human body. However, the additional possibility of oxidation of As(III) to As(V) in vivo under extreme immediate postingestion conditions is suggested by initial high urinary As(V) after arsenic trioxide intoxication. Relative proportions of As(V), As(III), MMAA and DMAA in both cases probably reflect species-dependent differences in rates of direct elimination and reactivity with tissues as well as the efficiency of methylation.

Pharmacokinetics of Arsenic Species with Relapsed or Refractory Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) Treated with Arsenic Trioxide (ATO) in Japanese Patients.

Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 4426-4426
Author(s):  
Kazuyuki Shigeno ◽  
Miki Kobayashi ◽  
Naohi Sahara ◽  
Satoki Nakamura ◽  
Shinya Fujisawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Complete Remission ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Japanese Patients ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Data ◽  
Dimethylarsinic Acid ◽  
Total Arsenic ◽  
Excretion Rates

Abstract Background: The therapy with ATO induced high complete remission and maintained for long survival for patients with relapsed or refractory APL. While the clinical effect of ATO against APL was confirmed, its pharmacokinetics has yet to be clarified. In most reports on pharmacokinetics of ATO, the arsenic concentrations were measured as total arsenic. We investigated the pharmacokinetics of arsenic species in Japanese patients with relapsed or refractory APL treated with ATO. Patients and Methods: In the prospective study, from 12 patients with APL treated with ATO, the blood and urine for the pharmacokinetic data were collected and subsequently stored frozen until analysis. ATO (0.15 mg/kg) was intravenously administered once daily over 2 hours to until bone marrow remission to a maximum of 60 days. The plasma and urine were collected on day 1 and after 1, 2 and 4 weeks. Inorganic arsenic (AsIII and AsV) and the major metabolites monomethylarsonic acid (MAAV) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAAV) in plasma and urine were quantified by HPLC/ICP-MS. Results: Ten of 12 patients (83%) achieved complete remission (CR). Six of ten (60%) who achieved CR were negative in the post-treatment RT-PCR test. For two patients the blood and urine were collected also during consolidation. The plasma concentrations of inorganic arsenic on day 1 reached the Cmax (mean 22.6±11.4 ng/mL) immediately after completion of administration followed by a biphasic elimination while the appearance of methylated metabolites in the blood was delayed. During the repeated administration, the plasma concentrations of inorganic arsenic reached the steady-state. The Cmax of inorganic arsenic on week 4 was similar (mean 23.2±10.2 ng/mL) but the elimination was delayed. As a result, the AUC increased about 2-fold (from mean 211.8±55.1 to 474.8±192.6 ng/mL), and the clearance declined (from 0.7±0.2 to 0.4±0.1 L/kg/h) but no marked change was observed in volume of distribution. In contrast, the MAAV and DMAAV concentrations increased in relation to increased administration frequency fold (from mean 3.1±1.6, 5.4±2.9 to 10.9±4.7, 21.4±12.3 ng/mL). The plasma concentrations of arsenobetaine, an organic arsenic compound derived from seafood, remained almost constant (about 2 mg/mL) during the study period. The urinary excretion rates of AsIII and AsV remained almost constant after week 1, suggesting that the steady-state was attained. In contrast, a tendency to increase with administration frequency was observed in the excretion rates of MAAV and DMAAV after week 4 (from mean 17.4±11.2, 19.4±8.5 to 19.6±10.0, 21.1±9.5 %). The total arsenic excretion rate remained at ~60% of dose after week 1. Conclusion: ATO is metabolized when administered intravenously to APL patients and methylated metabolites were promptly eliminated from the blood and excreted into urine after completion of administration, indicating no measurable accumulation of ATO in the blood.

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