Use of human metabolic studies and urinary arsenic speciation is assessing arsenic exposure

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01688254· OSTI ID:5109096

Johnson, L R; Farmer, J G ^[1]

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1. Memphis State Univ., TN (United States) Univ. of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

The use of hair and nail analyses to assess human exposure to the trace metalloid arsenic (As) is hindered by the possibility of external contamination. Even though urine represents the major excretory route, its use as an indicator of exposure is limited when no distinction is made between the nontoxic organoarsenical (arsenobetaine) excreted following the consumption of seafood and the toxic inorganic forms of As and related metabolites. The development of analytical techniques capable of separating the different chemical species of As in urine have shown that the ingestion of inorganic As (AsV or AsIII) by animals and man triggers an in vivo reduction/methylation process resulting in excretion of the less toxic species, monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA). This paper establishes the uptake, bio-transformation and elimination patterns reflected in urinary As following carefully controlled experimental exposure.

• OSTI ID: 5109096
• Journal Information: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States), Vol. 46:1; ISSN 0007-4861
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ORGANIC ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
METABOLISM
URINE
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
EXCRETION
PATIENTS
PRAWNS
UPTAKE
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY FLUIDS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CLEARANCE
MATERIALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
WASTES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology