Shawky, S., Lorenzana, R., Sanga, R. (2001). Risk Assessment of Arsenic ;Case Study: Washington; USA. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31(4), 933-948. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.229159
Sherif M. Shawky; Roseanne M. Lorenzana; Ravi Sanga. "Risk Assessment of Arsenic ;Case Study: Washington; USA". Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31, 4, 2001, 933-948. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.229159
Shawky, S., Lorenzana, R., Sanga, R. (2001). 'Risk Assessment of Arsenic ;Case Study: Washington; USA', Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31(4), pp. 933-948. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.229159
Shawky, S., Lorenzana, R., Sanga, R. Risk Assessment of Arsenic ;Case Study: Washington; USA. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 2001; 31(4): 933-948. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.229159
Risk Assessment of Arsenic ;Case Study: Washington; USA
1Environmental Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt
2Region 10 U.S.EPA, Office of Environmental Assessment, Seattle WA, USA
Abstract
Arsenic is very widely distributed in the Man's environment, and all humans are exposed to low levels of this element. For most people, food constitutes the largest source of arsenic intake [about 25 to 50 micrograms per day], with lower amounts coming from drinking water and air. Some edible fish and shellfish contain elevated levels of arsenic, but this is predominantly in an organic form ["fish arsenic"] that has low toxicity. For several decades the arsenic forms, inorganic and organic, have been accumulated in the environment. Agriculture in the pesticides application, mining, some industrial activities and also as a preservative material in the wood industry are some examples of the human being activities that led to arsenical forms accumulation. The Study was focused on the seafood and drinking water consumption. The organic and inorganic arsenic's data, in the drinking water and the seafood, were sorted into two main categories: inorganic and organic data. It was found that the concentration of inorganic arsenic in bivalve shellfish and finfish were .03 and .02 ug/g respectively. Also, the adult intake of arsenic is doubled the children from the drinking water. All the available data for food and water consumption have been gathered within the area of study. After applying a Chronic Daily Intake, CDI, 's equation; it was found that Exposure estimates for young Native American children with a high shellfish dietary component [e.g. Suquamish Tribe] exceed toxicity values when drinking water concentrations are 3 ppb or greater. The Benchmark Dose, BMD, Modeling was used upon animal, rat, the results were converted to the human relevant dose. So by applying BMD, it was proved that because of arsenic accumulation in the environment of the studied area, due to diet, alone; DMA exposures of Native American children and adults [e.g. Suquamish Tribe] exceed the lowest Margin Of Exposure, MOE, toxicity estimate.