title: Assessment of toxic metals in groundwater and saliva in an arsenic affected area of West Bengal, India: A pilot scale study.
abstract: Communities in many parts of the world are unintentionally exposed to arsenic (As) and other toxic metals through ingestion of local drinking water and foods. The concentrations of individual toxic metals often exceed their guidelines in drinking water but the health risks associated with such multiple-metal exposures have yet to receive much attention. This study examines the co-occurrence of toxic metals in groundwater samples collected from As-rich areas of Nadia district, West Bengal, India. Arsenic in groundwater (range: 12-1064 µg L(-1); mean ± S.D: 329±294 µg L(-1)) was the most important contaminant with concentrations well above the WHO guideline of 10 µg L(-1). Another important toxic metal in the study area was manganese (Mn) with average concentration of 202±153 µg L(-1), range of 18-604 µg L(-1). The average concentrations (µg L(-1)) of other elements in groundwater were: Cr (5.6±5.9), Mo (3.5±2.1), Ni (8.3±8.7), Pb (2.9±1.3), Ba (119±43), Zn (56±40), Se (0.60±0.33), U (0.50±0.74). Saliva collected from the male participants of the area had mean concentrations of 6.3±7.0 µg As L(-1) (0.70-29 µg L(-1)), 5.4±5.5 µg Mn L(-1) (0.69-22 µg L(-1)), 2.6±3.1 µg Ni L(-1) (0.15-13 µg L(-1)), 0.78±1.0µg Cr L(-1) (<DL-5.9 µg L(-1)), 0.94±0.90 µg Pb L(-1) (<DL-4.2 µg L(-1)), 0.56±0.37 µg Se L(-1) (0.11-1.5 µg L(-1)) and 194±54 µg Zn L(-1) (112-369 µg L(-1)). The high concentrations of salivary As and Mn are believed to be indicative of intake from the groundwater. The clustering of salivary As and Mn in principal component analysis further indicated influence of the common exposure source. Zinc and selenium comprised a separate component presumably reflecting the local deficiencies in intakes of these essential elements from drinking water and foodstuff. Thus the study reveals that the concentration of other metals beside As must be monitored in drinking water before implementation of any policies to provide safe water to the affected communities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani, Nadia 741235, West Bengal, India; Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 5825, Doha, Qatar. Electronic address: subhamoy081984@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Subhamoy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhowmick
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani, Nadia 741235, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Amit Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kundu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Vijaygarh Jyotish Ray College, 8/2 Bejoygarh, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India.
authors.forename: Jishnu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adhikari
authors.affiliation: JB Enviro Consultants PVT. LTD., "Utsab"10/B, Lake East 5th Road, Ground Floor, Santoshpur, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700075, India.
authors.forename: Debankur
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iglesias
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 109 Observatory Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA.
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nriagu
authors.affiliation: DNGM Research Foundation, 37C Block B, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, India.
authors.forename: Debendra Nath
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Guha Mazumder
authors.affiliation: Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 5825, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Basem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shomar
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani, Nadia 741235, West Bengal, India. Electronic address: dbchat2001@rediffmail.com.
authors.forename: Debashis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D060587:Groundwater / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012643:Selenium; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Groundwater; Multi-metal exposure; Saliva; West Bengal