title: Groundwater arsenic in Chimaltenango, Guatemala.
abstract: In the Municipality of Chimaltenango, Guatemala, we sampled groundwater for total inorganic arsenic. In total, 42 samples were collected from 27 (43.5%) of the 62 wells in the municipality, with sites chosen to achieve spatial representation throughout the municipality. Samples were collected from household faucets used for drinking water, and sent to the USA for analysis. The only site found to have a concentration above the 10 μg/L World Health Organization provisional guideline for arsenic in drinking water was Cerro Alto, where the average concentration was 47.5 μg/L. A health risk assessment based on the arsenic levels found in Cerro Alto showed an increase in noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for residents as a result of consuming groundwater as their primary drinking water source. Using data from the US Geological Survey and our global positioning system data of the sample locations, we found Cerro Alto to be the only site sampled within the tertiary volcanic rock layer, a known source of naturally occurring arsenic. Recommendations were made to reduce the levels of arsenic found in the community's drinking water so that the health risks can be managed.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2121 W Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Jason T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lotter
authors.affiliation: Fairbanks School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Science, Indiana University, 714 N Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA E-mail: selacey@iu.edu.
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lacey
authors.affiliation: Fairbanks School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Science, Indiana University, 714 N Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA E-mail: selacey@iu.edu.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.affiliation: Chimaltenango Health Management Sector (Dirección Área de Salud de Chimaltenango), Ministry of Health and Social Assistance (Ministerio de Salud y Asistencia Social), 6a Avenida la Alameda, Zona 1, Chimaltenango, Chimaltenango, Guatemala.
authors.forename: Genaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Socoy Set
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil & Materials Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, 842 W Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
authors.forename: Amid P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Khodadoust
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2121 W Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Serap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erdal
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D006166:Guatemala; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic