Arsenic contamination of groundwater and prevalence of arsenical dermatosis in the Hetao plain area, Inner Mongolia, China

Abstract

An investigation was carried out on arsenic contamination of groundwater and prevalence of arsenical dermatosis in the Hetao plain of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Based on the screening of water samples from 96 randomly selected wells in this Region, two areas (Wuyuan and Alashan) were chosen as highly contaminated areas because arsenic in the water samples was higher than 50 microg/l. Arsenic was measured using an arsenic silver diethyl dithiocarbamate method for 326 water samples from all the wells in these areas. The results show arsenic contaminated groundwater from tubule-type wells of depths about 15-30 m was serious compared with open-type wells where depth is about 3-5 m. In the Wuyuan area, 96.2% of water samples from tubule-type wells contained arsenic above 50 microg/l and 69.3% in Alashan area; the highest value was 1354 microg/l and 1088 microg/l, respectively. In these two areas, a health survey was carried out for arsenical dermatosis. The results show the prevalence of arsenical dermatosis in the Wuyuan area was 44.8%, higher than 37.1% prevalence of arsenical dermatosis in the Alashan area. The prevalence of arsenical dermatosis was highest in the over 40-year-old age group. There was no sex difference in the prevalence. Further investigation is needed to clarify the actual situation of arsenic pollution of groundwater in Inner Mongolia, China in order to reduce the adverse health effect among residents exposed to arsenic.