ANEMIA AND GEOGENIC ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER OF CHELPU REGION (NORTH OF KASHMAR-NE IRAN)

Objectives:

Anemia is one of the toxic effects of arsenic in people, who are routinely exposed to high level of arsenic via food and water. In the area of geological formations, Chelpu north of Kashmar (Khorasan razavi), toxic arsenic bearing minerals such as Realgar (AsS), Orpiment (As₂S₃), in organic arsenic enters to drinking water with geochemical processes. In this study levels of arsenic was measured in drinking water sources of people living in villages Chelpu, Akbarabad and Keriz; hematological parameters were examined for anemia in these villages.

Methods:

Sampls was taken from drinking water (n = 10) and analyses of water samples with ICP-ES. Blood samples were taken from 25 individuals living in the villages Chelpu, Akbarabad and Keriz.on; blood samples were tested for hematological parameters, especially CBC.

Results:

Concentrations of arsenic in drinking water from studied area were 12 µg/l to 66 µg/l, and in all cases it was higher than the standard level (10 µg/l) provided by WHO in 2011. Hb level was variable from 10.5 g/dl to 18.1 g/dl and HCT from 32.52 % to 55.06 %.

Conclusions:

44% of the population of investigated people with border Anemia and showed the morphological types of normocytic - normochromic and microcytic - hypochromic. Due to high levels of arsenic in drinking water, anemia in individuals could be related to the toxic effects of arsenic. Our research in this area is still ongoing.