Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009, 6(3), 1010-1025; doi:10.3390/ijerph6031010
Article

Well Water Arsenic Exposure, Arsenic Induced Skin-Lesions and Self-Reported Morbidity in Inner Mongolia

Yajuan Xia 1 email, Timothy J. Wade 2,* email, Kegong Wu 1 email, Yanhong Li 1 email, Zhixiong Ning 3 email, X Chris Le 4 email, Binfei Chen 6 email, Yong Feng 7 email, Judy L. Mumford 2 email and Xingzhou He 5 email
1 Inner Mongolia Center for Endemic Disease Control and Research, Huhhot, Inner Mongolia, China 2 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA 3 Ba Men Anti Epidemic Station, Bayingnormen, Inner Mongolia, China 4 University of Alberta, Department of Public Health Sciences, Edmonton, Canada 5 Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine, Institute of Environmental Health & Engineering, Beijing, China 6 Computer Sciences Corporation, RTP, North Carolina, USA 7 Hangjin Hou Centers for Disease Control, Inner Mongolia, China
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 19 January 2009 / Accepted: 26 February 2009 / Published: 9 March 2009
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health: Feature Papers)
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Abstract: Residents of the Bayingnormen region of Inner Mongolia have been exposed to arsenic-contaminated well water for over 20 years, but relatively few studies have investigated health effects in this region. We surveyed one village to document exposure to arsenic and assess the prevalence of arsenic-associated skin lesions and self-reported morbidity. Five-percent (632) of the 12,334 residents surveyed had skin lesions characteristics of arsenic exposure. Skin lesions were strongly associated with well water arsenic and there was an elevated prevalence among residents with water arsenic exposures as low as 5 μg/L-10 μg/L. The presence of skin lesions was also associated with self-reported cardiovascular disease.
Keywords: Arsenic; drinking water; Inner Mongolia; hyperkeratosis; skin lesions

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Xia, Y.; Wade, T.J.; Wu, K.; Li, Y.; Ning, Z.; Le, X.C.; Chen, B.; Feng, Y.; Mumford, J.L.; He, X. Well Water Arsenic Exposure, Arsenic Induced Skin-Lesions and Self-Reported Morbidity in Inner Mongolia. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009, 6, 1010-1025.

AMA Style

Xia Y, Wade TJ, Wu K, Li Y, Ning Z, Le XC, Chen B, Feng Y, Mumford JL, He X. Well Water Arsenic Exposure, Arsenic Induced Skin-Lesions and Self-Reported Morbidity in Inner Mongolia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2009; 6(3):1010-1025.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xia, Yajuan; Wade, Timothy J.; Wu, Kegong; Li, Yanhong; Ning, Zhixiong; Le, X Chris; Chen, Binfei; Feng, Yong; Mumford, Judy L.; He, Xingzhou. 2009. "Well Water Arsenic Exposure, Arsenic Induced Skin-Lesions and Self-Reported Morbidity in Inner Mongolia." Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 6, no. 3: 1010-1025.

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