EFECTOS A LA SALUD POR LA INGESTA CRÓNICA DE ARSÉNICO EN AGUA

Abstract

Studies about water pollution for presence of arsenic realized by international agencies reveal high concentrations of this element in Bangladesh, La India, Thailand, United States, Argentina, Chile and Mexico. The ingestion of high doses produced gastrointestinal symptoms, disturbances of the cardiovascular functions and nervous system eventually causing death; the chronic exposure to arsenic through drinking water has been associated with disease in the skin (hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmentation) and has been associated to increased risk of skin, lungs, bladder and kidney cancer, and because of this, arsenic is considered as powerful agent carcinogenic, included in the A group of dangerous substances, with priority 1 for the ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry); recent studies have shown that it is able to cross the placental barrier inducing malformations or neurological damage of various types. The World Health Organization, the European Community and the US Agency for Environmental Protection, established as the maximum limit permissible (MLP) value of 0.01 mg/L As for drinking water; in Mexico, from 2006, the MLP was changed from 0.059 to 0.025 mg/L.