A Concurrent Exposure to Arsenic and Fluoride from Drinking Water in Chihuahua, Mexico

Carmen González-Horta, Lourdes Ballinas-Casarrubias, Blanca Sánchez-Ramírez, María C. Ishida, Angel Barrera-Hernández, Daniela Gutiérrez-Torres, Olga L. Zacarias, R. Jesse Saunders, Zuzana Drobná, Michelle A. Mendez, Gonzalo García-Vargas, Dana Loomis, Miroslav Stýblo and Luz M. Del Razo
Additional contact information
Carmen González-Horta: Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico
Lourdes Ballinas-Casarrubias: Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico
Blanca Sánchez-Ramírez: Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico
María C. Ishida: Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico
Angel Barrera-Hernández: Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav-IPN), Mexico D. F. 07360, Mexico
Daniela Gutiérrez-Torres: Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico
Olga L. Zacarias: Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico
R. Jesse Saunders: Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7461, USA
Zuzana Drobná: Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7461, USA
Michelle A. Mendez: Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7461, USA
Gonzalo García-Vargas: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango (UJED), Gómez Palacio, Durango 35050, Mexico
Dana Loomis: IARC Monographs Section, IARC/WHO, Lyon Cedex 69372, France
Miroslav Stýblo: Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7461, USA
Luz M. Del Razo: Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav-IPN), Mexico D. F. 07360, Mexico

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: Inorganic arsenic (iAs) and fluoride (F ? ) are naturally occurring drinking water contaminants. However, co-exposure to these contaminants and its effects on human health are understudied. The goal of this study was examined exposures to iAs and F ? in Chihuahua, Mexico, where exposure to iAs in drinking water has been associated with adverse health effects. All 1119 eligible Chihuahua residents (>18 years) provided a sample of drinking water and spot urine samples. iAs and F ? concentrations in water samples ranged from 0.1 to 419.8 µg As/L and from 0.05 to 11.8 mg F ? /L. Urinary arsenic (U-tAs) and urinary F ? (U-F ? ) levels ranged from 0.5 to 467.9 ng As/mL and from 0.1 to 14.4 µg F ? /mL. A strong positive correlation was found between iAs and F ? concentrations in drinking water ( r s = 0.741). Similarly, U-tAs levels correlated positively with U-F ? concentrations ( r s = 0.633). These results show that Chihuahua residents exposed to high iAs concentrations in drinking water are also exposed to high levels of F ? , raising questions about possible contribution of F ? exposure to the adverse effects that have so far been attributed only to iAs exposure. Thus, investigation of possible interactions between iAs and F ? exposures and its related health risks deserves immediate attention.

Keywords: adults; arsenic; drinking water; fluoride; groundwater (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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