Children Facing Greater Health Risk Due to Arsenic Exposure Through Food Chain in the Samastipur District, Bihar

The present study estimated the accumulation of arsenic (As) in human through food chain in Patori, Mohanpur, Mohuddinagar and Vidyapatinagar blocks of Samastipur district Bihar. Water, wheat, potato, human hair and nail samples were collected from the residents of these blocks. It was found that 51.2% of the water samples were As contaminated with concentration > 10 ppb. Arsenic concentration in wheat and potato samples was in the range of 51.55 to 269.55 µg/kg and 0–203.05 µg/kg, respectively. The health risk index (HRI) > 1 was found to be 60.46% for children and females, and 58.14% for males due to consumption of As contaminated water. The health risk index (HRI) > 1 due to consumption of As contaminated wheat was found in 96% children, 76% female and 80% male. Similarly, HRI > 1 due to consumption of As contaminated potato was found in 48.15% of children, 11.1% of female and 29.63% of male population. High concentration of As was found in hair and nail samples of six and one human subjects, respectively.