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Arsenic-induced toxicity and carcinogenicity: a two-wave cross-sectional study in arsenicosis individuals in West Bengal, India

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 23, pages 156–162 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

In the state of West Bengal in India, over 26 million individuals are exposed to arsenic via drinking water. Dermatological, non-dermatological disorders and cancers are associated with arsenic toxicity. Of late, there has been a decrease in the arsenic concentration in drinking water owing to governmental efforts, raising the possibility of remediation. A cross-sectional study was conducted, where 189 arsenicosis and 171 unexposed individuals were recruited at two time points, (2005–06 and 2010–11) with concomitant decrease in the level of arsenic exposure via drinking water in the arsenicosis group in 2010–11. Parameters studied included dermatological, non-dermatological health status and cytogenetic damage. Decrease of arsenic exposure (190.1 μg/l to 37.94 μg/l) resulted in significant decline in the number of individuals having dermatological disorders (P<0.01) and in the severity of each dermatological outcome (P<0.0001). Micronucleus formation in urothelial cells and lymphocytes decreased significantly (P<0.001). However, there was a significant (P<0.001) rise in the incidence of each of the non-dermatological diseases, that is, peripheral neuropathy, conjunctivitis and respiratory distress over the period. Thirteen (6.87%) of the initially recruited arsenicosis individuals died of cancer, in this period. Remediation by arsenic-safe drinking water can reduce dermatological manifestations and cytogenetic insult; but is unable to counter the non-dermatological symptoms.

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Abbreviations

ATP:

Adenosine tri-phosphate

CI:

Confidence interval

EMG:

Electromyography

MN:

Micronucleus

NCV:

Nerve conduction velocity

NM-IBIS:

New Mexico’s Indicator-based Information System

OR:

Odds ratio

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SEARO:

South East Asia Regional Office

SMR:

Standardized morbidity ratio

WBPHED:

West Bengal Public Health Engineering Department

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Acknowledgements

The work was supported by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-sponsored Network Project (NWP-0052), India. We are also grateful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for the award of Project Assistantship to SP and ND, Research Associateship to PB and Project Associateship to MB. The authors thank Dr. A Basu, HSAC University of Canterbury, New Zealand for his expert comments upon the statistical analysis of the data. We are grateful to the Fogarty International Training Program (2D43TW000815-11) jointly with University of California, Berkley, US for providing training to SP, ND, PB and MB for the research on epidemiology and environmental health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular and Human Genetics Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (A Unit of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi), 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, India

    Somnath Paul, Nandana Das, Pritha Bhattacharjee, Mayukh Banerjee, Apurba K Bandyopadhyay & Ashok K Giri

  2. Department of Dermatology, West Bank Hospital, Andul Road, Howrah, West Bengal, India

    Jayanta K Das

  3. Sir Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, India

    Nilendu Sarma & Tanmoy J Sau

  4. Department of Respiratory and Critical Cases, Peerless Hospital and B.K. Roy Research Center, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    Ajoy Sarkar

  5. Department of General Medicine, Sri Aurobindo Seva Kendra, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    Santanu Basu

  6. Regional Institute of Opthalmology, Calcutta Medical College, Kolkata, India

    Saptarshi Banerjee

  7. Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India

    Papia Majumder

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  1. Somnath Paul
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Correspondence to Ashok K Giri.

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Paul, S., Das, N., Bhattacharjee, P. et al. Arsenic-induced toxicity and carcinogenicity: a two-wave cross-sectional study in arsenicosis individuals in West Bengal, India. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 23, 156–162 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.91

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.91

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