title: Human exposure to arsenic in groundwater from Lahore district, Pakistan.
abstract: In the present study we determined As concentrations in healthy volunteers from three different age groups (children, adults and old age) residing in Lahore, Pakistan to gain insight into arsenic exposure to humans via drinking water. The results revealed that the concentrations of As were significantly (p<0.05) different among different sites, while non significant trends were observed among different age classes. As concentrations in blood and nails samples showed a significant (p<0.05) positive correlation. The mean concentrations of As were higher in nails samples (1.43μg/g) followed by blood samples (1.15μg/L); urine samples (0.82μg/l) and hair samples (0.74μg/g) based on all sites. The antioxidants enzyme activities in blood samples showed a significant (p<0.01) decrease with the increase in As concentrations. The result suggests that urgent action is needed to prevent further human exposure to As.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad PO 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Mehwish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bibi
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, China.
authors.forename: Muhammad Zaffar
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Hashmi
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad PO 45320, Pakistan. Electronic address: r_n_malik2000@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Riffat Naseem
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Malik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000097:blood; D060587:Groundwater; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000737:chemistry; D010154:Pakistan; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D005978:Glutathione; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; Arsenic; Ground water; Human exposure; Pakistan