Determination of arsenic in agricultural products, animal products and drinking water of rural areas of Bijar and Gharve, Kurdestan Province

Subject Areas : Food Science and Technology

مقداد Pirsaheb ¹ ( Assistant Professor of Kermanshah Health Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran. )
عبداله Dargahi ² ( Graduated of Environmental Health Engineering, Young Researchers Club, Parsabad Moghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Parsabad, Iran )
حافظ Golestanifar ³ ( MSc of Environmental Health Engineering, HSE Exploration Directorate NIOC, Tehran, Iran )

Received: 2012-10-16 Accepted : 2013-07-01 Published : 2013-02-19

Keywords: Agricultural Products, Arsenic, drinking water, Animal products, Kurdestan,

Abstract :

   Environmental and food contamination with toxic element arsenic is one of the important issues that are threatening public health and other creatures. In this study, a total sample of 983 consisting agricultural and animal products as well as water samples was analyzed for arsenic contamination. According to the results, the highest concentration of arsenic (1.737 mg/l) was found in the piped water of Aliabad. Moreover, the highest level of arsenic contamination was detected in wheat obtained from Giklo and Gondak (0.14 mg/kg). Accordingly, highest arsenic level in barley, peas and lentils, was estimated in the samples of Gondak (0.11 mg/kg), Giklo (mg/kg 0.013) and Ghojagh (0.017 mg/kg), respectively. In addition, the highest mean concentration of arsenic in meat and milk samples was found in Ghojagh (0.167 mg/kg) and Gondak (0.0129 mg/l). The results revealed that the contamination level of arsenic in all crops, meat and milk samples were lower than the maximum acceptable limit adopted in many other countries. However, the concentration of arsenic in water samples was 174 times higher than the acceptable limit (0.01 mg/l) determined by the Iranian National Standard. Therefore, it is necessary to perform comprehensive studies on contaminations of water sources in this area.

References:

• مسافری، محمد (1384). بررسی عوارض بهداشتی ناشی از آرسنیک در آب استان کردستان و روش‍‌های حذف آن از آب آشامیدنی. پایان‌نامه دکتری در رشته بهداشت محیط، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی و خدمات بهداشتی درمانی تهران، دانشکده بهداشت و انستیتو تحقیقات بهداشتی گروه مهندسی بهداشت محیط.

 

• Arsenic and compounds. (2004). http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-rofiles/html/arsenic.html.


• Karim, M. (2000). Arsenic in groundwater and health problems in Bangladesh. Water Research, 34(1): 304-310.


• Alam, M.B. and Sattar, M.A. (2000). Assessment of arsenic contamination in soils and waters in some areas of Bangladesh. Water Sience and Technology, 42(7-8):185-193.


• Cevval, K., Semra, G., Ozden, A. and Uzeyir, K. (1998). Arsenic in Human and Cows Milk: A Reflection of Environmental Pollution. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 101: 411–416.


• Eisler, R. (2000). Handbook of chemical, Risk assessment/ Arsenic. Vol 3, Chapter 28, pp. 1501-1566.


• Fecher, P. and Ruhnke, G. (1988). Determination of arsenic and selenium in foodstuff, methods and Erros, Atomic Spectroscopy, 19 (6): 204-206.


• Feroze, A.M. (2005). An Overview of Arsenic Removal Technologies in Bangladesh and India. http://www.unu .edu/env/Arsenic/Ahmed.


• Jiang, J.Q. (2001). Removing arsenic from groundwater for the developing word-a review. Water Science and Technology, 44(6): 89-98.


• Mosaferi, M. (2004). Examine the health effects of arsenic removal from drinking water and methods of Kurdestan. Thesis for PhD of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.


• Mosaferi, M., Taghipor, H., Hasani, A. and Borghee, M. (2008). Study of arsenic levels in drinking water: a case study. Journal of Health and Environment, 1(1): 19-28.


• Shaole, W.U., Xinbang, F. and Adolph, W. (1997). Microwave Digestion of Plant and Grain Reference Materials inNitric Acid or a Mixture of Nitric Acid or a Mixture of Nitric Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide for the Determination of Multi-elements by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 12(8): 797-806.


• Smedley, P.L. and Kinniburgh, A. (2001). Review of the source, behavior and distribution of arsenic in natural waters. Applied Geochemistry, 17: 517-568.


• Smedley, P.L. and Kinniburgh, D.G.A. (2002). Review of the source, behavior and distribution of arsenic in natural waters. Journal of Applied Geochemistry, 17: 517.


• Vos, G., Lammers, H. and Van Delf, W. (1988). Arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury in meat, livers and kidneys of sheep slaughtered in The Netherlands. European Food Research and Technology, 187(1): 1-7.


• WHO. (2003). Arsenic in drinking water. Background Document for Preparation of WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. Geneva: World Health Organization.


• www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v18je17. Htm


• Zhao, F.J., Stroud, J.L., Eagling, T., Dunham, S.J., McGrath, S.P. and Shewry, P.R. (2010). Accumulation, Distribution, and Speciation of Arsenic in Wheat Grain. Journal of Environmental Science & Technology, 44 (14): 5464–5468.