US EPA

1147192 

Journal Article 

Environmental and occupational exposure to inorganic arsenic 

Vahter, M 

1986 

Yes 

Acta Pharmacologica et Toxicologica
ISSN: 0001-6683 

59 

31-34 

English 

3776581 

WOS:A1986E682400004 

The urine concentrations of inorganic arsenic (7440382) metabolites were determined in 99 randomly selected subjects without known exposure to arsenic and in 20 male workers exposed to arsenic-trioxide (1327533) at a nonferrous smelter in northern Sweden. A skew distribution was found for the concentrations of arsenic metabolites in the urine. Among unexposed subjects, the geometric mean was 8.2 micrograms arsenic/gram creatinine. The arithmetic mean was about 30 percent higher. Urinary concentrations of inorganic arsenic were independent of sex, place of residence, smoking habits, and consumption of beer or wine. Levels were 1.5 times higher in subjects who frequently ate flatfish and crustacea. Dimethylarsinic-acid (75605) (DMA) was the only metabolite which correlated with total metabolite concentration, indicating that it accounted for most of the variation of inorganic arsenic. In subjects occupationally exposed, urinary concentrations of inorganic arsenic increased during the first day of exposure, and then leveled off, indicating a steady state between exposure and excretion. During steady state, 19 percent of urinary arsenic was inorganic arsenic, 20 percent was methylarsonic-acid (124583), and 61 percent was DMA, which was similar to the distribution of urinary metabolites among the general population. After 2 days free from work, as much as 80 percent of the urinary arsenic metabolites were in the form of DMA. All three metabolites were significantly correlated with total urinary metabolites, demonstrating that exposure to inorganic arsenic will result in an increased excretion of inorganic arsenic in the urine. 

DCN-153349; Poisons; Toxicology; Pollutants; Urinalysis; Dietary effects; Chromatographic analysis; Occupational exposure