Ground water arsenic contamination in West Bengal, India

[Torpedo]

Ground water arsenic contamination in West Bengal, India: A risk of sub-
clinical toxicity in cattle as evident by correlation between arsenic
exposure, excretion and deposition
http://tih.sagepub.com/content/26/10/709.abstract

Asit Kumar Bera
Eastern Regional Station, Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Belgachia Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, asitm...@yahoo.com

Tanmoy Rana
Eastern Regional Station, Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Belgachia Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Subhshree Das
Eastern Regional Station, Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Belgachia Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Debasis Bhattacharya
Eastern Regional Station, Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Belgachia Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Subhasish Bandyopadhyay
Eastern Regional Station, Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Belgachia Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Diganta Pan
Eastern Regional Station, Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Belgachia Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Sumanta De
Eastern Regional Station, Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Belgachia Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Srikanta Samanta
Fish Health and Environment Division, Central Inland Fishery
Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Atalanta Narayan Chowdhury
Fish Health and Environment Division, Central Inland Fishery
Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Tapan Kumar Mondal
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, West Bengal
University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Belgachia Road, Kolkata, West
Bengal, India

Subrata Kumar Das
Eastern Regional Station, Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Belgachia Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Abstract

Arsenic contamination of ground water in West Bengal, India, is a great
concern for both human and livestock populations. Our study investigated
and correlated the arsenic concentration in the drinking water, urinary
excretion and deposition of total arsenic in hair of cattle at an
arsenic contaminated zone in West Bengal. The results of our study
indicated that the average concentration of arsenic in tube well water
in contaminated villages ranged from 0.042 to 0.251 ppm and a
statistical significant (p < 0.01) difference was seen when compared to
samples from a non-contaminated zone. The arsenic concentration in urine
and hair of cattle ranged between 0.245?0.691 ppm and 0.461?0.984 ppm,
respectively. A close relationship was found between the total arsenic
in drinking water urinary excretion (r2 = 0.03664, p < 0.05) and the
arsenic concentration in hair (r2 = 0.03668, p < 0.05). Our findings
indicate that quantification of arsenic concentration in cattle urine
and hair can serve as biomarkers for both present and past exposure in
cattle population.