Arsenic Exposure Through Dietary Intake and Associated Health Hazards

Arsenic is a naturally occurring metalloid in the earth’s crust. Arsenic contaminates the environment through anthropogenic sources, industrial activities, and the use of pesticides. The main route of arsenic exposure is ingestion through food and water. The population in Bangladesh and West Bengal has been highly affected by arsenic exposure. Rice and other food crops grown and harvested in highly contaminated areas showed higher exposure. Irrigation with contaminated groundwater and flooding irrigation methods has contributed to high arsenic content in rice. Seafood and fish grown in contaminated water showed higher arsenic content. Ingested arsenic is absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract which is then delivered to the liver and kidneys and converted into dimethyl arsenic acid and excreted through urine. Arsenic can accumulate in organs which can lead to adverse situations. Chronic exposure to arsenic can lead to developing cancers in the lungs, kidneys, bladder, skin, and prostate. Though the molecular-level activity that causes cancers is unclear, exposure to arsenic can cause DNA damage, induce cell proliferation, obstruct nucleotide repair, and shut down cellular apoptotic pathways. These can lead to the unfortunate development of cancerous cells. Not only cancers, but arsenic can also lead to other diseases like skin lesions, neurotoxicity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and stroke. Many technologies have been adopted to remove arsenic from contaminated soil and water. Coagulation and precipitation, activated alum, ion exchange resins and membrane filters, microbial bioremediation, and phytoremediation have been used to lower the arsenic content. Regulations are also established by WHO on recommended arsenic levels in drinking water (10 μg/L) to ensure the safety of the population.