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  • Original Article
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Validation of estimates of past exposure to arsenic in drinking water using historical urinary arsenic concentrations

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 23, pages 450–454 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Consumption of inorganic arsenic in drinking water at high levels has been associated with chronic diseases. Research groups have estimated historic exposure using databases and models of arsenic in drinking water supplies, along with participant residential histories. Urinary arsenic species are an established biomarker of recent exposure; we compare arsenic concentrations in historically collected urine samples with predicted estimates of arsenic exposure. Using a cohort of 462 subjects with at least one urine sample collected from 1984-1992 and an arsenic exposure estimate through drinking water at the time of the urine sample, individual exposure estimates were compared with speciated urine arsenic (UAs) concentrations using correlation and multiple regression analyses. Urine inorganic arsenic (UIAs) concentrations (trivalent arsenic, pentavalent arsenic, monomethylarsonic acid, dimethylarsonic acid) were best predicted by residential water arsenic concentrations (R2=0.3688), compared with metrics including water consumption (R2=0.2038) or water concentrations at employment locations (R2=0.2331). UIAs concentrations showed similar correlation when stratified by whether the arsenic concentration was predicted or measured. Residential water arsenic concentrations, independent of water intake or water concentrations at places of employment, best explain the variability in UIAs concentrations, suggesting historical reconstruction of arsenic exposure that accounts for space-time variability and water concentrations may serve as a proxy for exposure.

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Abbreviations

AB:

Arsenobetaine

UAs:

Total Urine Arsenic

As3+:

Trivalent Arsenic

As5+:

Pentavalent Arsenic

DM:

Diabetes Mellitus

DMA:

Dimethylarsonic Acid

MMA:

Monomethylarsonic Acid

SLVDS:

San Luis Valley Diabetes Study

SLV:

San Luis Valley

UAs:

Urine Arsenic

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Laurie-Peterson Wright and the chemistry laboratory staff at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for their contribution to this research. We would also like to thank Dr. Richard Hamman for authorization to conduct this research as part of the San Luis Valley Health Studies. We would like to thank all of the participants and residents of the SLV whose courtesy and interest in the research was the source of its success. Lastly, we would like to thank the numerous people whose contribution to this study was invaluable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Mail Stop F443, 13991 E Montview Ave, Aurora, 80045, Colorado, USA

    Katherine A James, Julie A Marshall, John E Hokanson, Gary O Zerbe & Tim E Byers

  2. Division of Evaluative Sciences, Preventive Medicine, State University of New York, Stony Brook,

    Jaymie R Meliker

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  1. Katherine A James
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  2. Jaymie R Meliker
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Correspondence to Katherine A James.

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James, K., Meliker, J., Marshall, J. et al. Validation of estimates of past exposure to arsenic in drinking water using historical urinary arsenic concentrations. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 23, 450–454 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2013.8

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