Arsenic exposure assessment of children living in a lead mining area in Southeastern Brazil

• Published in: Cadernos de saúde pública Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 391 - 398
• Main Authors: Sakuma, Alice Momoyo, De Capitani, Eduardo Mello, Figueiredo, Bernardino Ribeiro, Maio, Franca Durante de, Paoliello, Monica Maria Bastos, da Cunha, Fernanda Gonçalves, Duran, Maria Cristina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz 01.02.2010
• Subjects: Adolescent; Arsenic - urine; Brazil; Case-Control Studies; Child; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Humans; Lead; Mining; PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Brazil; Mining; Environmental Exposure; Mineração; Exposição Ambiental; Intoxicação por Arsênico; Arsenic Poisoning
• ISSN: 0102-311X; 1678-4464; 1678-4464; 0102-311X
• DOI: 10.1590/S0102-311X2010000200018

Environmental contamination by arsenic compounds in the Ribeira River Valley, São Paulo, Brazil has already been observed. Lead mining and refining activities had been carried on since late colonial times and finished recently, at the end of 1995. The source of As in the region is known to be mainly from arsenopirite geological presence in the lead ore. Chronic exposure to arsenic compounds may cause peripheral vascular disorders, hyperpigmentation, hiperkeratosis and cancer of the skin, bladder, lung, liver and other internal organs. The purpose of this study was to assess children exposure to arsenic from environmental sources in the region. Urine samples from children between 7 to 14 years old were collected at the following localities: Cerro Azul (Paraná); urban areas of Ribeira (São Paulo) and Adrianópolis (Paraná); Vila Mota neighborhood (rural area of Adrianópolis) and Serra neighborhood (Iporanga, São Paulo), identified as groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Group 1 was considered as non-exposed control group. Toxicologically relevant forms of As were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with hydride generation system. The median values of urine arsenic levels obtained in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 were respectively: 3.60, 6.30, 6.41 e 8.94 microg/L.