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Arsenic urinary concentrations in children living in a naturally arsenic contaminated area

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 23, pages 145–150 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

A cross sectional study using environmental and biological samples was undertaken to assess the association between arsenic (As) soil concentrations and urinary As levels of children living in an area where the soil is naturally As rich, during summer and winter. Twenty-nine children aged between 2 and 7 years from 21 dwellings in the summer study, and 23 of the 29 previous children from 17 dwellings in the winter study, were recruited. Housing characteristics, living conditions and individual characteristics were collected by questionnaire, and urine samples were collected for iAs+MMA+DMA measurement. Soil total As content and bioaccessibility were measured. Urinary As concentrations revealed that the children were not overexposed. Low bioaccessibility combined with moderately high levels in soil could explain this result. The concentration of arsenic in soil and soil-related factors appeared to contribute to the children's impregnation in summer but not in winter, which could be related to the children's behavior. This study highlights the need for additional studies of children to better understand their behavior, and obtain reference values in this particular population.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant of the Agence de l’Environnement et de la maîtrise de l’Energie, Ademe (French Environment and Energy Management Agency) and the Institut de veille sanitaire, InVS (French Institute for Public Health Surveillance). We are grateful to the interviewers in Nancy (Centre d’épidémiologie Clinique, CEC), the Cire-Est (Cellule de l’Institut de veille sanitaire en région), the DDASS 54 (Direction Départementale des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales), the DRASS of Lorraine (Direction Régionale des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales), the local air pollution-monitoring network (AIRLOR), and Claire Dassonville. We would like to thank all the subjects who participated in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Paris Descartes, Laboratoire Santé Publique et Environnement — EA 4064, Paris, France

    Clémence Fillol & Nathalie Seta

  2. Département Santé environnement, Institut de veille sanitaire, Saint-Maurice Cedex, France

    Clémence Fillol & Frédéric Dor

  3. L’Institut National de l’EnviRonnement Industriel et des Risques, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France

    Sébastien Denys & Karine Tack

  4. CHRU de Lille, Laboratoire de Toxicologie et Génopathies, Lille, France

    Laurence Labat

  5. AP-HP, hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Biochimie, Paris, France,

    Nathalie Seta

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  1. Clémence Fillol
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Correspondence to Clémence Fillol.

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Fillol, C., Dor, F., Denys, S. et al. Arsenic urinary concentrations in children living in a naturally arsenic contaminated area. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 23, 145–150 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.72

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