A concurrent exposure to arsenic and fluoride from drinking water in Chihuahua, Mexico.
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 (rs = 0.741). Similarly, U-tAs levels correlated positively with U-F- concentrations (rs = 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.
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico. mcgonzalezhorta@hotmail.com.
Carmen
C
González-Horta
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico. lourdes.ballinas@gmail.com.
Lourdes
L
Ballinas-Casarrubias
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico. bsanche@uach.mx.
Blanca
B
Sánchez-Ramírez
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico. mariacishida@gmail.com.
María C
MC
Ishida
Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav-IPN), Mexico D. F. 07360, Mexico. darkgray@cinvestav.mx.
Angel
A
Barrera-Hernández
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico. mc.danielagutierrez@gmail.com.
Daniela
D
Gutiérrez-Torres
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico. olga.zacarias@gmail.com.
Olga L
OL
Zacarias
Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7461, USA. jesse.saunders@unc.edu.
R Jesse
RJ
Saunders
Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7461, USA. zuzana_drobna@med.unc.edu.
Zuzana
Z
Drobná
Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7461, USA. mmendez@email.unc.edu.
Michelle A
MA
Mendez
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango (UJED), Gómez Palacio, Durango 35050, Mexico. ggarcia.vargas@gmail.com.
Gonzalo
G
García-Vargas
IARC Monographs Section, IARC/WHO, Lyon Cedex 69372, France. loomisd@iarc.fr.
Dana
D
Loomis
Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7461, USA. miroslav_styblo@med.unc.edu.
Miroslav
M
Stýblo
Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav-IPN), Mexico D. F. 07360, Mexico. ldelrazo@cinvestav.mx.
Luz M
LM
Del Razo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001151:Arsenic / Q000652:urine*; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000652:urine*; D060587:Groundwater / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D010710:Phosphates; D055815:Young Adult
D060766:Drinking Water; D010710:Phosphates; C012980:fluorophosphate; D001151:Arsenic; D005459:Fluorides