Bioavailability of arsenic in soil and house dust impacted by smelter activities following oral administration in cynomolgus monkeys

Evaluating the mouse model for estimation of arsenic bioavailability: Comparison of estimates of absolute bioavailability of inorganic arsenic in mouse, humans, and other species

Accurate assessment of adverse health effects attributable to ingestion of inorganic arsenic (As) present in contaminated soils requires determination of the internal dose of metal provided by ingested soil. This calculation requires estimation of the oral bioavailability of soil-borne (As). Animal models to assess the bioavailability of soil (As) are frequently used as surrogates for determination of this variable in humans. A mouse assay has been widely applied to estimate the bioavailability of As in soils at sites impacted by mining, smelting, and pesticides. In the mouse assay, the relative bioavailability (RBA) of soil (As) is determined as the ratio of the fraction of the ingested arsenic dose excreted in urine after consumption of diets containing a test soil or the soluble reference compound, sodium arsenate. The aim of the current study was to compare (As) bioavailability measured in the mouse assay with reported estimates in humans. Here, a pharmacokinetic model based on excretion of arsenic in urine and feces was used to estimate the absolute bioavailability (ABA) of As in mice that received an oral dose of sodium arsenate. Based upon this analysis, in mice that consumed diet amended with sodium arsenate, the ABA was 85%. This estimate of arsenic ABA for the mouse is comparable to estimates in humans who consumed (As) in drinking water and diet, and to estimates of ABA in monkeys and swine exposed to sodium arsenate. The concordance of estimates for ABA in mice and humans provides further support for use of the mouse model in human health risk assessment. Sodium arsenate ABA also provides a basis for estimating soil arsenic ABA from RBA estimates obtained in the mouse model.

Effect of soil particle size and extraction method on the oral bioaccessibility of arsenic

Recent findings indicate that incidental ingestion of soil by humans primarily involves soil particles <150 µm, rather than <250 µm-sized fraction previously used for most oral bioaccessibility and bioavailability studies. It was postulated that a greater soil surface area in the finer fraction (<150 versus <250 µm) might increase oral bioaccessibility of arsenic (As) in soil. Bioaccessibility and concentrations of As were compared in <150 and <250 µm fractions of 18 soil samples from a variety of arsenic-contaminated sites. The two methods used to measure bioaccessibility were compared - EPA Method 1340 and the California Arsenic Bioaccessibility (CAB) method. Arsenic concentrations were nearly the same or higher in the <150 fraction compared with <250 µm. EPA Method 1340 and the CAB method presented significantly different bioaccessibility results, as well as estimated relative oral bioavailability (RBA) based upon algorithms specific to the methods, but there was no marked difference for <150 and <250 µm soil fractions within either method. When compared with RBA determined previously for these soil samples in vivo in non-human primates, EPA Method 1340 was generally more predictive than the CAB method. Data suggest that soil- or site-specific factors control bioaccessibility under either method and that the test method selected is more important than the particle size fraction (<150 or <250) in using these in vitro methods to predict As RBA for use in risk assessment.

Human exposure and risk associated with trace element concentrations in indoor dust from Australian homes

This study examines residential indoor dust from 224 homes in Sydney, Australia for trace element concentrations measured using portable X-ray Fluorescence (pXRF) and their potential risk of harm. Samples were collected as part of a citizen science program involving public participation via collection and submission of vacuum dust samples for analysis of their As, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations. The upper 95% confidence level of the mean values for 224 samples (sieved to <250 μm) were 20.2 mg/kg As, 99.8 mg/kg Cr, 298 mg/kg Cu, 247 mg/kg Mn, 56.7 mg/kg Ni, 364 mg/kg Pb and 2437 mg/kg Zn. The spatial patterns and variations of the metals indicate high homogeneity across Sydney, but with noticeably higher Pb values in the older areas of the city. Potential hazard levels were assessed using United States Environmental Protection Agency's (US EPA) carcinogenic, non-carcinogenic and Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic (IEUBK) model human health risk assessment tools for children and adults. US EPA hazard indexes (HI) for Cr and Pb were higher than the safe level of 1.0 for children. HI > 1 suggests potential non-carcinogenic health effects. Carcinogenic risks were estimated for As, Cr and Pb whose carcinogenic slope factors (CSF) were available. Only the risk factor for Cr exceeded the US EPA's carcinogenic threshold (1 × 10^-4) for children. Children aged 1-2 years had the highest predicted mean child blood lead (PbB) of 4.6 μg/dL, with 19.2% potentially having PbB exceeding 5 μg/dL and 5.80% exceeding 10 μg/dL. The Cr and Pb levels measured in indoor dust therefore pose potentially significant adverse health risks to children.

Bioavailability of phthalate and DINCH® plasticizers, after oral administration of dust to piglets

For decades, phthalates have been widely used as plasticizers in a large number of consumer products, leading to a complex exposure to humans via ingestion, inhalation or dermal uptake. Children may have a higher unintended dust intake per day compared to adults. Therefore, dust intake of children could pose a relevant exposure and subsequently a potential health risk. The aim of this study was to determine the relative bioavailability of certain phthalates, such as di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) and the non-phthalate plasticizer diisononyl 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (DINCH^®, Hexamoll^®), after ingestion of dust. Seven 5-week-old male piglets were fed five different dust samples collected from daycare centers. Overall, 0.43 g to 0.83 g of dust sieved to 63 μm were administered orally. The piglets' urine was collected over a period of 38 h. The excreted metabolites were quantified using an LC-MS/MS method. The mean uptake rates of the applied doses for DEHP, DINP, and DINCH^® were 43% ± 11%, 47% ± 26%, and 9% ± 3.5%, respectively. The metabolites of DEHP and DINP showed maximum concentrations in urine after three to five hours, whereas the metabolites of DINCH^®, reached maximum concentrations 24 h post-dose. The oral bioavailability of the investigated plasticizers was higher compared to the bioaccessibility reported from in vitro digestion tests. Furthermore, the bioavailability of DEHP did not vary substantially between the dust samples, whereas a dose-dependent saturation process for DINP was observed. In addition to other intake pathways, dust could be a source of plasticizers in children using the recent intake rates for dust ingestion.

Long-term leaching of arsenic from pressure-treated playground structures in the northeastern United States

Wood used in playground structures built prior to 2004 was pressure-treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) which has been associated with negative health and environmental impacts. Given the prevalence and lack of maintenance of these aging play structures in rural northeastern US, the aim of this study was to determine the distribution of As (total, speciated and bioaccessible) in surface soil collected near and underneath four CCA-treated playground structures 16- and 26-years following installation. Note that one playground in southeastern MA was studied where surface soil samples were collected at various distances from the structures (0, 5, 15, and 30 cm). Total As in surface soil was measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy, whereas As speciation and bioaccessible As were determined by HPLC-ICPMS and in vitro SBRC-gastric assay, respectively. Near (≤5 cm) and underneath CCA-treated structures total As concentration in surface soil ranged from 143.4-213.5 mg/kg after 26 years of installation compared to 101.3-166.6 mg/kg ten years earlier. These concentrations exceeded the Massachusetts Residential Risk-Based Soil Standard by 5-10 times. In comparison, total As in background soil samples ranged from 4.6-6.6 mg/kg during the two study periods. While most of the As in surface soil were in the form of As(V), ≤29% was bioaccessible. Overall, our findings demonstrated that arsenic accumulation in soil surrounding aging playground structures continues to be a source of elevated exposure to children through contact with contaminated soil.

In vivo and in vitro methods for evaluating soil arsenic bioavailability: relevant to human health risk assessment

Arsenic (As) is the most frequently occurring contaminant on the priority list of hazardous substances, which lists substances of greatest public health concern to people living at or near U.S. National Priorities List site. Accurate assessment of human health risks from exposure to As-contaminated soils depends on estimating its bioavailability, defined as the fraction of ingested As absorbed across the gastrointestinal barrier and available for systemic distribution and metabolism. Arsenic bioavailability varies among soils and is influenced by site-specific soil physical and chemical characteristics and internal biological factors. This review describes the state-of-the science that supports our understanding of oral bioavailability of soil As, the methods that are currently being explored for estimating soil As relative bioavailability (RBA), and future research areas that could improve our prediction of the oral RBA of soil As in humans. The following topics are addressed: (1) As soil geochemistry; (2) As toxicology; (3) in vivo models for estimating As RBA; (4) in vitro bioaccessibility methods; and (5) conclusions and research needs.

Dermal absorption of benzo[a]pyrene into human skin from soil: Effect of artificial weathering, concentration, and exposure duration

In vitro assessments of ¹⁴C-benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) absorption through human epidermis were conducted with the sub-63-μm fraction of four test soils containing different amounts of organic and black carbon. Soils were artificially weathered for eight weeks and applied to epidermis at nominal BaP concentrations of 3 and 10 mg/kg for 8 or 24 h. Experiments were also conducted at 24 h with unweathered soils and with BaP deposited onto skin from acetone at a comparable chemical load. For the weathered soils, absorption was independent of the amount of organic or black carbon, the mass in the receptor fluid was proportional to exposure duration but independent of concentration, and the mass recovered in the skin after washing was proportional to concentration and independent of exposure time. Results from the weathered and unweathered soils were similar except for the mass recovered in the washed skin, which was lower for the weathered soil only at the higher concentration. We hypothesize that chemical concentrations exceeded the BaP sorption capacity accessible within the artificial weathering timeframe for all soils tested, and that BaP mass in the washed skin was dominated by particles that were not removed by washing. Fluxes into and through skin from soils were lower by an order of magnitude than from acetone-deposited BaP.

Modification of an existing in vitro method to predict relative bioavailable arsenic in soils

The soil matrix can sequester arsenic (As) and reduces its exposure by soil ingestion. In vivo dosing studies and in vitro gastrointestinal (IVG) methods have been used to predict relative bioavailable (RBA) As. Originally, the Ohio State University (OSU-IVG) method predicted RBA As for soils exclusively from mining and smelting sites with a median of 5,636 mg As kg^-1. The objectives of the current study were to (i) evaluate the ability of the OSU-IVG method to predict RBA As for As contaminated soils with a wider range of As content and As contaminant sources, and (ii) evaluate a modified extraction procedure's ability to improve prediction of RBA As. In vitro bioaccessible (IVBA) by OSU-IVG and California Bioaccessibility Method (CAB) methods, RBA As, speciation, and properties of 33 As contaminated soils were determined. Total As ranged from 162 to 12,483 mg kg^-1 with a median of 73 mg kg^-1. RBA As ranged from 1.30 to 60.0% and OSU-IVG IVBA As ranged from 0.80 to 52.3%. Arsenic speciation was predominantly As(V) adsorbed to hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) or iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al) oxides. The OSU-IVG often extracted significantly less As in vitro than in vivo RBA As, in particularly for soils from historical gold mining. The CAB method, which is a modified OSU-IVG method extracted more As than OSU-IVG for most soils, resulting in a more accurate predictor than OSU-IVG, especially for low to moderately contaminated soils (<1,500 mg As kg^-1) with RBA As = 0.81 IVBA As + 3.2, r² = 0.91.

The Critical Role of House Dust in Understanding the Hazards Posed by Contaminated Soils

The health risks posed by soil pollutants are generally thought to be due to soilingestion and have often resulted in massive regulatory efforts to remedy such contamination. The contribution of this route to the actual human health hazard has been questioned, however, as soil removal alone seems to have little influence on the body burdens of soil contaminants in exposed individuals. Ongoing research also has repeatedly and substantially reduced the estimates of soilingested daily. Because comparatively little time is spent outdoors by most individuals, exposure to soil brought indoors, present as house dust, is now thought to be nearly as important as the directingestion of soil. Exposure via house dust has not been studied specifically, but several observations suggest that it may be important. Dust is largely composed of fine particles of tracked-in soil. The smaller dust particles cling to surfaces better than soil, and contaminant concentrations are often higher in house dust. Fine particles are likely to be more bioavailable, and degradation is slower indoors. Contaminants thus may be concentrated and more readily available in the areas most frequented. In some studies, contaminant levels in dust are correlated more closely with body burdens of contaminants than other sources, suggesting that this route should be considered when assessing risks from soil. Until more research addressing exposure to dust is conducted, recommendations for assessing potential health risks from this pathway are provided.

Toxic trace elements at gastrointestinal level

Many trace elements are considered essential [iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu)], whereas others may be harmful [lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As)], depending on their concentration and chemical form. In most cases, the diet is the main pathway by which they enter our organism. The presence of toxic trace elements in food has been known for a long time, and many of the food matrices that carry them have been identified. This has led to the appearance of legislation and recommendations concerning consumption. Given that the main route of exposure is oral, passage through the gastrointestinal tract plays a fundamental role in their entry into the organism, where they exert their toxic effect. Although the digestive system can be considered to be of crucial importance in their toxicity, in most cases we do not know the events that occur during the passage of these elements through the gastrointestinal tract and of ascertaining whether they may have some kind of toxic effect on it. The aim of this review is to summarize available information on this subject, concentrating on the toxic trace elements that are of greatest interest for organizations concerned with food safety and health: Pb, Cd, Hg and As.

Low-level arsenic exposure and developmental neurotoxicity in children: A systematic review and risk assessment

Risk assessments of arsenic have focused on skin, bladder, and lung cancers and skin lesions as the sensitive cancer and non-cancer health endpoints, respectively; however, an increasing number of epidemiologic studies that can inform risk assessment have examined neurodevelopmental effects in children. We conducted a systematic review and risk assessment based on the epidemiologic literature on possible neurodevelopmental effects at lower arsenic exposures. Twenty-four cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies were identified that report on the association between low-level arsenic exposure (i.e., largely <100 μg/L of arsenic in drinking water) and neurological outcomes in children. Although the overall evidence does not consistently show a causal dose-response relationship at low doses, the most rigorously conducted studies from Bangladesh indicate possible inverse associations with cognitive function, predominantly involving concurrent arsenic exposure as measured by biomarkers (i.e., arsenic in urine or blood) and raw verbal test scores at ages 5-11 years. Issues such as non-comparability of outcome measures across studies; inaccuracies of biomarkers and other measures of inorganic arsenic exposure; potential effect modification by cultural practices; insufficient adjustment for nutritional deficiencies, maternal IQ, and other important confounders; and presence of other neurotoxicants in foreign populations limit generalizability to U.S.

POPULATIONS

Of the few U.S. studies available, the most rigorously conducted study did not find a consistent dose-response relationship between arsenic concentrations in tap water or toenails and decrements in IQ scores. Assuming that the strongest dose-response relationship from the most rigorous evidence from Bangladesh is generalizable to U.S. populations, possible reference doses were estimated in the range of 0.0004-0.001 mg/kg-day. These doses are higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reference dose for chronic lifetime exposure, thus indicating protectiveness of the existing value for potential neurotoxicity in children. This reference dose is undergoing revision as EPA considers various health endpoints in the reassessment of inorganic arsenic health risks.

Assessing the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of metals and metalloids

Bioavailability (BA) determines the potential harm of a contaminant that exerts on the receptor. However, environmental guidelines for site contamination assessment are often set assuming the contaminant is 100 % bioavailable. This conservative approach to assessing site risk may result in the unnecessary and expensive remediation of a contaminated site. The National Environmental Protection Measures in Australia has undergone a statutory 5-year review that recommended that contaminant bioavailability and bioaccessibility (BAC) measures be adopted as part of the contaminated site risk assessment process by the National Environment Protection Council. We undertook a critical review of the current bioavailability and bioaccessibility approaches, methods and their respective limitations. The 'gold' standard to estimate the portion of a contaminant that reaches the system circulatory system (BA) of its receptor is to determine BA in an in vivo system. Various animal models have been utilised for this purpose. Because of animal ethics issues, and the expenses associated with performing in vivo studies, several in vitro methods have been developed to determine BAC as a surrogate model for the estimation of BA. However, few in vitro BAC studies have been calibrated against a reliable animal model, such as immature swine. In this review, we have identified suitable methods for assessing arsenic and lead BAC and proposed a decision tree for the determination of contaminant bioavailability and bioaccessibility for health risk assessment.

Independent data validation of an in vitro method for the prediction of the relative bioavailability of arsenic in contaminated soils

In vitro bioaccessibility (IVBA) assays estimate arsenic (As) relative bioavailability (RBA) in contaminated soils to improve accuracy in human exposure assessments. Previous studies correlating soil As IVBA with RBA have been limited by the use of few soil types and sources of As, and the predictive value of As IVBA has not been validated using an independent set of As-contaminated soils. In this study, a robust linear model was developed to predict As RBA in mice using IVBA, and the predictive capability of the model was independently validated using a unique set of As-contaminated soils. Forty As-contaminated soils varying in soil type and contaminant source were included in this study, with 31 soils used for initial model development and nine soils used for independent model validation. The initial model reliably predicted As RBA values in the independent data set, with a mean As RBA prediction error of 5.4%. Following validation, 40 soils were used for final model development, resulting in a linear model with the equation RBA = 0.65 × IVBA + 7.8 and an R(2) of 0.81. The in vivo-in vitro correlation and independent data validation presented provide critical verification necessary for regulatory acceptance in human health risk assessment.

The bioavailability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from different dose media after single and sub-chronic exposure in juvenile swine

Humans are constantly exposed to contaminants in the environment, which may lead to changes in physiological processes by altering enzyme activities that could affect bioavailability. However, bioavailability estimates are typically made from a single exposure to an animal model, which may lead to overestimating bioavailability. This study uses juvenile swine to model human exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and anthracene in certified reference material (CRM), spiked soil, spiked food, or spiked corn oil after one and seven days of dosing. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated after one and seven days of exposure for both BaP and anthracene for each exposure media. Whereas there were significant differences in AUC between different media, there were no significant changes in AUC after sub-chronic exposure to BaP or anthracene. Average BaP bioavailability for CRM, spiked soil, spiked food and corn oil was 71%, 0.72%, 0.03% and 0.97% respectively. Average anthracene bioavailability was 1.7% and 43% for corn oil and CRM respectively. Anthracene was not detected above background in swine exposed to spiked food and spiked soil. Thus, this study indicates that exposure media impacts bioavailability, but there is no statistical evidence that sub-chronic exposure affects systemic exposure.

Correlation of in vivo relative bioavailability to in vitro bioaccessibility for arsenic in household dust from China and its implication for human exposure assessment

Incidental ingestion of household dust is an important arsenic (As) exposure pathway for children. However, compared to soils, assessment of As relative bioavailability (RBA) in household dust is limited. In this study, As-RBA in 12 household dust samples (7–38 mg kg(–1)) was measured using an in vivo mouse model and compared to As bioaccessibility determined using 4 assays [Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium method (SBRC), in vitro gastrointestinal method (IVG), Deutsches Institut für Normunge.V. method (DIN), and physiologically based extraction test (PBET)]. Arsenic RBA ranged from 21.8 ± 1.6 to 85.6 ± 7.2% with samples containing low Fe and high total organic carbon content having higher As-RBA. Strong in vivo–in vitro correlations (IVIVC) were found between As-RBA and As bioaccessibility for SBRC and DIN (r2 = 0.63–0.85), but weaker ones were obtained for IVG and PBET (r2 = 0.29–0.55). The developed IVIVC for SBRC and DIN were used to calculate As-RBA based on As bioaccessibility for an additional 12 household dust samples. Although As bioaccessibility differed significantly (up to 7.7-fold) based on in vitro methods, predicted As-RBA was less variable (up to 3.0-fold) when calculated using As bioaccessibility data and the corresponding IVIVC. Our data suggested that both SBRC and DIN had potential to assess As bioavailability in household dust samples; however, additional research is needed.

Validation of the predictive capabilities of the Sbrc-G in vitro assay for estimating arsenic relative bioavailability in contaminated soils

A number of bioaccessibility methodologies have the potential to act as surrogate measures of arsenic (As) relative bioavailability (RBA), however, validation of the in vivo-in vitro relationship is yet to be established. Validation is important for human health risk assessment in order to ensure robust models for predicting As RBA for refining exposure via incidental soil ingestion. In this study, 13 As-contaminated soils were assessed for As RBA (in vivo swine model) and As bioaccessibility (Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium gastric phase extraction; SBRC-G). In vivo and in vitro data were used to assess the validity of the As RBA-bioaccessibility correlation previously described by Juhasz et al. (2009). Arsenic RBA and bioaccessibility in the 13 soils ranged from 6.8±2.4% to 70.5±6.8% and 5.7±0.3% to 78.4±0.8% respectively with a strong linear relationship (R2=0.75) between in vivo and in vitro assays. When the As in vivo-in vitro correlation was compared that of Juhasz et al. (2009), there was no significant difference (P>0.05) indicating that the relationship between As RBA and As bioaccessibility was consistent thereby demonstrating its validation. For these data, a grouped linear regression model was developed (R2=0.82) with a slope and y-intercept of 0.84 and 3.56 respectively. A number of cross validation methodologies (2-fold, repeat random subsampling, leave one out) were utilized to determine the performance of the linear regression model. Residuals and prediction errors ranged from 5.4 to 9.4 and 6.9-12.2 respectively illustrating the capacity of the SBRC-G to accurately predict As RBA in contaminated soil.

Variability associated with as in vivo-in vitro correlations when using different bioaccessibility methodologies

To evaluate the capabilities of in vitro assays to predict arsenic (As) relative bioavailability (RBA), we examined the relationship between As bioaccessibility, determined using a number of in vitro bioaccessibility (IVBA) methodologies (SBRC, IVG, PBET, DIN and UBM) and As RBA determined in a mouse assay for nine As-contaminated soils and 1 NIST reference material (2710a). Significant differences (P < 0.05) in As IVBA were observed within and between assays indicating that different IVBA methodologies may not produce congruent data, as a result of variability in the extracting medium constituents and/or differences in the pH of gastric and intestinal phases. When results of in vivo determinations of As RBA were compared with As IVBA results, there was no significant difference in slopes of the relationships (P = 0.49-0.88) when SBRC, IVG, PBET, DIN, and UBM gastric and intestinal phase data were used. A significantly (P < 0.05) smaller y-intercept was, however, determined for the in vivo-SBRC gastric phase correlation compared to SBRC, IVG, PBET, and DIN intestinal phase, a factor that may influence prediction of As RBA, especially for soils with low As RBA. When in vivo-in vitro relationships were compared to previously derived correlations from the literature, some differences were observed. These differences may be attributed to factors affecting both in vivo and in vitro data including physiological differences in animal models (e.g., mouse versus swine), which may influence As absorption, differences in the approach used to estimate As RBA, and variability arising from subtle interoperator differences in performance of in vitro assays.

Arsenic urinary concentrations in children living in a naturally arsenic contaminated area

A cross sectional study using environmental and biological samples was undertaken to assess the association between arsenic (As) soil concentrations and urinary As levels of children living in an area where the soil is naturally As rich, during summer and winter. Twenty-nine children aged between 2 and 7 years from 21 dwellings in the summer study, and 23 of the 29 previous children from 17 dwellings in the winter study, were recruited. Housing characteristics, living conditions and individual characteristics were collected by questionnaire, and urine samples were collected for iAs+MMA+DMA measurement. Soil total As content and bioaccessibility were measured. Urinary As concentrations revealed that the children were not overexposed. Low bioaccessibility combined with moderately high levels in soil could explain this result. The concentration of arsenic in soil and soil-related factors appeared to contribute to the children's impregnation in summer but not in winter, which could be related to the children's behavior. This study highlights the need for additional studies of children to better understand their behavior, and obtain reference values in this particular population.

In vivo efficacy of ferrihydrite as an enterosorbent for arsenic: short-term evaluation in rodents

The use of dietary adsorbents to reduce arsenic (As) exposure is innovative. Ferrihydrite successfully sorbs arsenite and asenate over a wide range of pH conditions and the As-ferrihydrite complexes are stable in gastrointestinal (GIT) models. Our objectives were to (1) compare structural characteristics (using x-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared [FTIR] spectroscopy) and As binding affinities of industrially produced ferrihydrite (IDF) and lab-synthesized ferrihydrite and (2) evaluate the efficacy of the material displaying the best sorption capability as an As enterosorbent in a short-term mammalian model. Lab-synthesized ferrihydrite displayed superior binding affinity for both arsenate and arsenite in vitro, which led to its use in the in vivo portion of the study. Young Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed either a control diet or a 0.5% w/w ferrihydrite feed. After 1 wk of acclimation, rats were given 0.5 ml of 500 mg/L arsenate or arsenite via gavage with or without ferrihydrite. Rats were then transferred to metabolism cages, and urine collected after 24 and 48 h was analyzed for total As. Rats were evaluated daily for signs of morbidity and mortality for up to 1 wk. Ferrihydrite reduced mean urinary As levels by 74.9% and 43.6% after 24 h and 49.1% and 39.5% after 48 h for arsenite- and arsenate-treated groups, respectively. Importantly, treatment groups receiving ferrihydrite displayed no signs of As-related toxicity. All As reductions were statistically significant except for arsenate treatments at 24 h. Data suggest that, as an enterosorbent, ferrihydrite reduces bioavailability after As exposures.

Mouse assay for determination of arsenic bioavailability in contaminated soils

A mouse assay for measuring the relative bioavailability (RBA) of arsenic (As) in soil was developed. In this study, results are presented of RBA assays of 16 soils, including multiple assays of the same soils, which provide a quantitative assessment of reproducibility of mouse assay results, as well as a comparison of results from the mouse assay with results from a swine and monkey assay applied to the same test soils. The mouse assay is highly reproducible; three repeated assays on the same soils yielded RBA estimates that ranged from 1 to 3% of the group mean. The mouse, monkey, and swine models yielded similar results for some, but not all, test materials. RBA estimates for identical soils (nine test soils and three standard reference materials [SRM]) assayed in mice and swine were significantly correlated (r = 0.70). Swine RBA estimates for 6 of the 12 test materials were higher than those from the mouse assay. RBA estimates for three standard reference materials (SRM) were not statistically different (mouse/swine ratio ranged from 0.86-1). When four test soils from the same orchard were assessed in the mouse, monkey, and swine assays, the mean soil As RBA were not statistically different. Mouse and swine models predicted similar steady state urinary excretion fractions (UEF) for As of 62 and 74%, respectively, during repeated ingestion doses of sodium arsenate, the water-soluble As form used as the reference in the calculation of RBA. In the mouse assay, the UEF for water soluble As(V) (sodium arsenate) and As(III) (sodium [meta] arsenite) were 62% and 66%, respectively, suggesting similar absolute bioavailabilities for the two As species. The mouse assay can serve as a highly cost-effective alternative or supplement to monkey and swine assays for improving As risk assessments by providing site-specific assessments of RBA of As in soils.

An in vitro method for estimation of arsenic relative bioavailability in soil

This report summarizes the results of a study to develop an in vitro bioaccessibility (IVBA) extraction technique for estimating the relative bioavailability (RBA) of arsenic (As) in soil. The study was implemented in several steps. In step 1, key variables in the extraction protocol were identified. In step 2, 21 different extraction conditions were tested on 12 different soils with reliable RBA values measured in swine or monkeys to identify which yielded useful in vivo-in vitro correlations (IVIVC). In step 3, three extraction conditions were evaluated using 39 different test soils to make a final selection of the best IVIVC. In step 4, the within- and between-lab reproducibility of the extraction method was examined. The optimum IVIVC model for swine utilized a pH 1.5 IVBA extraction fluid, with an R (2) value of .723. For monkeys, the optimum IVIVC model was obtained using a pH 7 IVBA extraction fluid that contained phosphate, with an R (2) value of .755. Within-lab precision of IVBA results was typically less than 3%, with an average of 0.8% for all 4 labs. Between-lab variation in mean IVBA values was generally less than 7%, with an overall average of 3%. The principal advantages of this IVBA method compared to other in vitro methods described in the literature are that (1) the fluids and extraction conditions are simple, (2) the results have been calibrated against a larger data set than any other method, and (3) the method has been demonstrated to be reproducible both within and between labs.

Bioaccessible and non-bioaccessible fractions of soil arsenic

In order for in vitro methods to become widely accepted as tools that accurately assess soil arsenic (As) exposure through the oral ingestion pathway, a better understanding is needed regarding which fractions of soil As are being measured in the in vitro extraction. The objective of the current study is to (1) identify in vitro bioaccessible (IVBA) and non-IVBA fractions of soil As using sequential extraction; and (2) determine the sorptive phases of soil in non-IVBA As soil fractions. Nineteen soils with a range of soil properties were spiked with 250 mg/kg of sodium arsenate and aged. In vitro bioaccessible As (IVBA As) was then determined using The Ohio State University in vitro gastrointestinal method (OSU-IVG), and soil As was fractionated using sequential extraction into: (F1) non-specifically sorbed; (F2) specifically sorbed; (F3) amorphous and poorly crystalline oxides of Fe and Al; (F4) well-crystallized oxides of Fe and Al and residual As phases. The IVBA As across the 19 soil ranged from 0.36 to 2.75 mmol/kg (12 to 86%) with a mean of 1.26 mmol/kg (42%) in the gastric phase and from 0.39 to 2.80 mmol/kg (13 to 87%) in the intestinal phase with a mean of 1.32 mmol/kg (43%). The results of the sequential extraction showed that IVBA As extracted by the OSU-IVG is the As present in the first two fraction (F1 and F2) of the sequential extraction. In the non-IVBA fractions, highly significant relationships (P < 0.01) exist between F3 As and log transformed F3 Fe (r (2) = 0.74), but not F3 Al. In addition, the gastric extraction dissolves a significant fraction of soil Al, but not soil Fe, therefore As sorbed to Al oxides likely contributed to IVBA As and is accounted for in the F2 fraction of the sequential extraction. In vitro methods that demonstrate the ability to extract the similar soil fractions that occur in vivo across a wide range of soil types and As-contaminant sources is an important criteria for in vitro method validation. Further research that includes soils with multiple As-contaminant sources (mining, pesticide, etc.), soil As fractionation, and in vivo bioavailability is needed in order to determine if F1+F2 are the bioavailable As fractions in soils that vary in total As content and sorbed As species.

Arsenic biotransformation as a cancer promoting factor by inducing DNA damage and disruption of repair mechanisms

Chronic exposure to arsenic in drinking water poses a major global health concern. Populations exposed to high concentrations of arsenic-contaminated drinking water suffer serious health consequences, including alarming cancer incidence and death rates. Arsenic is biotransformed through sequential addition of methyl groups, acquired from s-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Metabolism of arsenic generates a variety of genotoxic and cytotoxic species, damaging DNA directly and indirectly, through the generation of reactive oxidative species and induction of DNA adducts, strand breaks and cross links, and inhibition of the DNA repair process itself. Since SAM is the methyl group donor used by DNA methyltransferases to maintain normal epigenetic patterns in all human cells, arsenic is also postulated to affect maintenance of normal DNA methylation patterns, chromatin structure, and genomic stability. The biological processes underlying the cancer promoting factors of arsenic metabolism, related to DNA damage and repair, will be discussed here.

Relative bioavailability and bioaccessibility and speciation of arsenic in contaminated soils

BACKGROUND

Assessment of soil arsenic (As) bioavailability may profoundly affect the extent of remediation required at contaminated sites by improving human exposure estimates. Because small adjustments in soil As bioavailability estimates can significantly alter risk assessments and remediation goals, convenient, rapid, reliable, and inexpensive tools are needed to determine soil As bioavailability.

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated inexpensive methods for assessing As bioavailability in soil as a means to improve human exposure estimates and potentially reduce remediation costs.

METHODS

Nine soils from residential sites affected by mining or smelting activity and two National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference materials were evaluated for As bioavailability, bioaccessibility, and speciation. Arsenic bioavailability was determined using an in vivo mouse model, and As bioaccessibility was determined using the Solubility/Bioavailability Research Consortium in vitro assay. Arsenic speciation in soil and selected soil physicochemical properties were also evaluated to determine whether these parameters could be used as predictors of As bioavailability and bioaccessibility.

RESULTS

In the mouse assay, we compared bioavailabilities of As in soils with that for sodium arsenate. Relative bioavailabilities (RBAs) of soil As ranged from 11% to 53% (mean, 33%). In vitro soil As bioaccessibility values were strongly correlated with soil As RBAs (R² = 0.92). Among physicochemical properties, combined concentrations of iron and aluminum accounted for 80% and 62% of the variability in estimates of RBA and bioaccessibility, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The multifaceted approach described here yielded congruent estimates of As bioavailability and evidence of interrelations among physicochemical properties and bioavailability estimates.

Changes in arsenic fractionation, bioaccessibility and speciation in organo-arsenical pesticide amended soils as a function of soil aging

Although organoarsenical pesticides are being phased out, sites with high concentrations of organic arsenical residues still exist due to the long-term application of these pesticides. The biotic and abiotic speciation of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) can result in the formation of inorganic arsenic (As) species. Oxidation state, retention, and thereby persistence, varies according to temporal changes, influencing the availability and toxicity of contaminants. The current greenhouse study aimed at evaluating temporal changes in the oxidation state of As, geochemical partitioning, and bioaccessibility. Four soils with varying physiochemical properties were contaminated with DMA at two concentrations (675 and 1,500 mg kg(-1) of As). Rice plants were grown for a 6 months period, following which, the soils were allowed to age. The operationally defined forms of As and its bioaccessibility was analyzed at 0, 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years. Changes in oxidation state of As were evaluated immediately after spiking and after 3 years of soil-pesticide equilibration. Results show that geochemical partitioning of As was affected significantly (P<0.05) by soil type, loading rates, and equilibration time. Arsenic was bound mainly to the poorly-crystalline Fe/Al-oxyhydroxides in the soil. However, these interactions did not affect As bioaccessibility, presumably due to the dissolution of the bound fractions of As in the acidic stomach. While 74-94% of the total bioaccessible As was transformed to As(V), 4-19% was transformed to the more toxic As(III). This study indicates that although aging affected the geochemical partitioning of As in the soil, bioaccesibility was controlled by the gastric pH.

An inter-laboratory trial of the unified BARGE bioaccessibility method for arsenic, cadmium and lead in soil

The Bioaccessibility Research Group of Europe (BARGE) has carried out an inter-laboratory trial of a proposed harmonised in vitro physiologically based ingestion bioaccessibility procedure for soils, called the Unified BARGE Method (UBM). The UBM includes an initial saliva phase and simulated stomach and intestine compartments. The trial involved the participation of seven laboratories (five European and two North American) providing bioaccessibility data for As (11 samples), Cd (9 samples) and Pb (13 samples) using soils with in vivo relative bioavailability data measured using a swine model. The results of the study were compared with benchmark criteria for assessing the suitability of the UBM to provide data for human health risk assessments. Mine waste and slag soils containing high concentrations of As caused problems of poor repeatability and reproducibility which were alleviated when the samples were run at lower soil to solution ratios. The study showed that the UBM met the benchmark criteria for both the stomach and stomach & intestine phase for As. For Cd, three out of four criteria were met for the stomach phase but only one for the stomach & intestine phase. For Pb two, out of four criteria were met for the stomach phase and none for the stomach & intestine phase. However, the study recommends tighter control of pH in the stomach phase extraction to improve between-laboratory variability, more reproducible in vivo validation data and that a follow up inter-laboratory trial should be carried out.

Arsenic biotransformation as a cancer promoting factor by inducing DNA damage and disruption of repair mechanisms

Chronic exposure to arsenic in drinking water poses a major global health concern. Populations exposed to high concentrations of arsenic-contaminated drinking water suffer serious health consequences, including alarming cancer incidence and death rates. Arsenic is biotransformed through sequential addition of methyl groups, acquired from s-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Metabolism of arsenic generates a variety of genotoxic and cytotoxic species, damaging DNA directly and indirectly, through the generation of reactive oxidative species and induction of DNA adducts, strand breaks and cross links, and inhibition of the DNA repair process itself. Since SAM is the methyl group donor used by DNA methyltransferases to maintain normal epigenetic patterns in all human cells, arsenic is also postulated to affect maintenance of normal DNA methylation patterns, chromatin structure, and genomic stability. The biological processes underlying the cancer promoting factors of arsenic metabolism, related to DNA damage and repair, will be discussed here.

Does arsenic in soil contribute to arsenic urinary concentrations in a French population living in a naturally arsenic contaminated area?

A cross sectional study using environmental and biological samples was implemented to assess the association between arsenic (As) concentrations in the environment and urinary As levels of residents living in an area where the soil is naturally As rich. As was measured in drinking water, atmospheric particulate matter, and soil and a geographic information system was used to assign environmental concentrations closest to the participants' dwellings and the sum of inorganic As and metabolites in urine samples. The only potential source of As environmental contamination was from soil with a range of 13-131 mg As/kg of dry matter. As(V) was the only species present among As extracted from the analyzed soil samples. The chemical extraction showed a poor mobility of As soil. There was no difference between child and teenager, and adult urinary As concentrations, though men had higher urinary As concentrations than women (p<0.001). Given the important differences in lifestyle between 7-18 year olds, men, and women, these groups were analyzed separately. Whilst we were unable to find a stable model for the 7-18 year old group, for the adult men group we found that seafood consumption in the 3 days prior to the investigation (p=0.02), and beer (p=0.03) and wine consumption in the 4 days before the study, were associated with As urinary levels (μg/L). In adult women, creatinine was the only variable significantly associated with As urinary concentration (μg/L). The concentrations we measured in soils were variable and although high, only moderately so and no link between As concentrations in the soil and urinary As concentrations could be found for either men or women. Some individual factors explained half of the variability of adult men urinary As levels. The unexplained part of the variability should be searched notably in As mobility in soil and uncharacterized human behavior.

Method variables affecting the bioaccessibility of arsenic in soil

Arsenic bioaccessibility tests are now being commonly used in risk assessment. However, concerns remain about the reliability of such tests because the bioaccessibility of arsenic from soil may be susceptible to soil composition (including iron concentration), as well as method considerations such as varying liquid-to-solid ratios and the chosen buffer system. In this study, arsenic-contaminated tailings and soils were tested to compare two bioaccessibility methods: one that uses glycine as a buffer, and a second that is more physiologically based. With the glycine-buffered method, arsenic and iron bioaccessibility increased in the presence of a higher buffer concentration at higher liquid-to-solid ratios, whereas the results of physiologically-based tests were unaffected by variations in these parameters. In the glycine-buffered system, interactions between iron and glycine may influence the concentration of arsenic in solution, which may not be consistent with human gastrointestinal conditions. The choice of a physiologically-based method may be more appropriate to achieve representative arsenic bioaccessibility values toward estimating risks to human health.

Assessment of four commonly employed in vitro arsenic bioaccessibility assays for predicting in vivo relative arsenic bioavailability in contaminated soils

Currently, a number of in vitro methods are in use worldwide to assess arsenic (As) bioaccessibility in soils. However, a dearth of research has been undertaken to compare the efficacy of the in vitro methods for estimating in vivo relative As bioavailability. In this study, As bioaccessibility in contaminated soils (n = 12) was assessed using four in vitro assays (SBRC, IVG, PBET, DIN). In vitro results were compared to in vivo relative As bioavailability data (swine assay) to ascertain which methodologies best correlate with in vivo data. Arsenic bioaccessibility in contaminated soils varied depending on the in vitro method employed. For the SBRC and IVG methods, As bioaccessibility generally decreased when gastric-phase values were compared to the intestinal phase. In contrast, extending the PBET and DIN assays from the gastric to the intestinal phase resulted in an increase in As bioaccessibility for some soils tested. Comparison of in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that the in vitro assay encompassing the SBRC gastric phase provided the best prediction of in vivo relative As bioavailability (R(2) = 0.75, Pearson correlation = 0.87). However, relative As bioavailability could also be predicted using gastric or intestinal phases of IVG, PBET, and DIN assays but with varying degrees of confidence (R(2) = 0.53-0.67, Pearson correlation = 0.73-0.82).

Nutritional status and gastrointestinal microbes affect arsenic bioaccessibility from soils and mine tailings in the simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem

In vitro gastrointestinal models, used to measure the metal(loid) bioaccessibility for site specific risk assessment, are typically operated under fasted conditions. We evaluated the hypothesis that fed conditions increase arsenic bioaccessibility on three reference soils (NIST 2711, NIST 2709, and BGS 102) and the bulk and <38 mum size fractions of a mine tailing. The three nutritional states included a fed state with a carbohydrate mixture, a second fed state with homogenized crowberries (Empetrum nigrum), and a fasted state. The carbohydrate mixture increased arsenic bioaccessibility from four of five samples in the simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem (SHIME) stomach but only three of five samples in the SHIME small intestine and colon. In contrast, crowberries increased arsenic bioaccessibility from four of five samples in the SHIME small intestine but had variable affects in the SHIME stomach and colon. The effect of nutritional status on arsenic bioaccessibility was potentially mediated via ligand-promoted dissolution in the SHIME stomach and small intestine. The displacement of arsenic with phosphate was potentially present in the SHIME small intestine but not the SHIME stomach. Microbial activity increased arsenic bioaccessibility relative to sterile conditions from four of five samples under fasted conditions and three of the five samples under fed conditions, which may suggest that in vitro gastrointestinal (GI) models operated under fed conditions and with microbes provide a more conservative estimate of in vitro bioaccessibility. However, for some samples, the arsenic bioaccessibility in the SHIME colon (with microbial activity) was equivalent to values observed in a separate physiologically based extraction test under small intestinal conditions (without microbial activity). These results suggest that the incorporation of microbial activity into in vitro GI models does not necessarily make estimates of arsenic bioaccessibility more protective than those generated using in vitro models that do not include microbial activity.

Bioavailability and bioaccessibility of arsenic in a soil amended with drinking-water treatment residuals

Earlier incubation and greenhouse studies in our laboratory confirmed the effectiveness of drinking-water treatment residual (WTR) in decreasing soil arsenic (As) bioaccessibility as determined with in vitro tests, which led us to hypothesize a similar outcome if animal studies were to be conducted. Our objective was to evaluate the potential of WTR in lowering soil As bioavailability by conducting in vivo experiments and compare the in vitro to the in vivo As data. This study was performed using 6-week-old male BALB/c mice that were fed with an As-contaminated soil slurry using the gavage method. Blood and stomach contents were collected at 1 and 24 h after feeding. Urine and excreta were collected at time 0 (before feeding) and 24 h after feeding. Relative As bioavailability (RBA) values calculated from the blood samples of mice fed with WTR and WTR-amended soil samples ranged from 13% to 24% and from 25% to 29%, respectively; both were significantly (p < 0.001) lower than that of the unamended (no-WTR) soil (approximately 100% RBA). Absolute As bioavailability (ABA) in the gastric phase was significantly (p < 0.001) lowered, to 7-16%, in the WTR-amended soil compared with that of the unamended control (26%). A significant (p < 0.001) linear correlation (r = 0.94) was observed between the in vitro (stomach-phase) and the in vivo RBA data. Percentage recovery of As obtained from four mice tissue compartments (i.e., blood, stomach, urine, and fecal matter) after oral and intramuscular administrations was 63-80%. Results illustrate the effectiveness of in situ WTR amendment in decreasing in vivo soil As bioavailability, thereby lowering the potential cancer risk via an oral ingestion pathway.

Principles and application of an in vivo swine assay for the determination of arsenic bioavailability in contaminated matrices

The assessment of arsenic (As) bioavailability from contaminated matrices is a crucial parameter for reducing the uncertainty when estimating exposure for human health risk assessment. In vivo assessment of As utilising swine is considered an appropriate model for human health risk assessment applications as swine are remarkably similar to humans in terms of physiology and As metabolism. While limited in vivo As bioavailability data is available in the literature, few details have been provided regarding technical considerations for performing in vivo assays. This paper describes, with examples, surgical, experimental design and analytical issues associated with performing chronic and acute in vivo swine assays to determine As bioavailability in contaminated soil and food.

Bioaccessible lead in soils, slag, and mine wastes from an abandoned mining district in Brazil

We determined the amount of bioaccessible lead in samples of contaminated soils and in mining and refining wastes collected in the surroundings of a former smelter in a rural area in southeastern Brazil. Previous studies showed that some resident children and adults had blood Pb levels above recommended limits, but the contamination route was not established. The incidental ingestion of contaminated soils and dusts is considered to be a major route of lead uptake by humans. Bioavailability of heavy metals like Pb depends on solubility during digestion. We used in vitro tests that simulate human gastrointestinal (GI) media to measure the amount of soluble Pb under such conditions. Pb in soil and solid waste samples ranged from 0.03 to 4.1% and 1.2 to 15%, respectively. On average, 70% of the lead content was soluble in three different simulated gastric solutions (pH 1.5 and 1.7). For the same samples, lead solubility decreased to 2-22% when the pH was raised to pH 7 to approximate conditions found in the small intestine. These results indicate that if soils and dusts of the area are ingested, most of the lead will dissolve in the stomach, and part of it will remain soluble in the duodenum, i.e., would be potentially available for absorption. These findings may explain the high blood Pb levels previously reported.

Effect of soil ageing on in vivo arsenic bioavailability in two dissimilar soils

Arsenic (As) bioavailability in spiked soils aged for up to 12 months was assessed using in vitro and in vivo methodologies. Ageing (natural attenuation) of spiked soils resulted in a decline in in vivo As bioavailability (swine assay) of over 75% in soil A (Red Ferrosol) but had no significant effect on in vivo As bioavailability even after 12 months of ageing in soil B (Brown Chromosol). Sequential fractionation, however, indicated that there was repartitioning of As within the soil fractions extracted during the time course investigated. In soil A, the As fraction associated with the more weakly bound soil fractions decreased while the residual fraction increased from 12% to 35%. In contrast, little repartitioning of As was observed in soil B indicating that natural attenuation may be only applicable for As in soils containing specific mineralogical properties.

Comparison of in vivo and in vitro methodologies for the assessment of arsenic bioavailability in contaminated soils

An in vivo swine assay was utilised for the determination of arsenic (As) bioavailability in contaminated soils. Arsenic bioavailability was assessed using pharmacokinetic analysis encompassing area under the blood plasma-As concentration time curve following zero correction and dose normalisation. In contaminated soil studies, As uptake into systemic circulation was compared to an arsenate oral dose and expressed as relative As bioavailability. Arsenic bioavailability ranged from 6.9+/-5.0% to 74.7+/-11.2% in 12 contaminated soils collected from former railway corridors, dip sites, mine sites and naturally elevated gossan soils. Arsenic bioavailability was generally low in the gossan soils and highest in the railway soils, ranging from 12.1+/-8.5% to 16.4+/-9.1% and 11.2+/-4.7% to 74.7+/-11.2%, respectively. Comparison of in vivo and in vitro (Simplified Bioaccessibility Extraction Test [SBET]) data from the 12 contaminated soils and bioavailability data collected from an As spiked soil study demonstrated that As bioavailability and As bioaccessibility were linearly correlated (in vivo As bioavailability (mgkg(-1))=14.19+0.93.SBET As bioaccessibility (mgkg(-1)); r(2)=0.92). The correlation between the two methods indicates that As bioavailability (in vivo) may be estimated using the less expensive, rapid in vitro chemical extraction method (SBET) to predict As exposure in human health risk assessment.

Framework for metals risk assessment

EPA recognized that metals present unique risk assessment issues, and saw the need to develop a framework document that puts forth key scientific principles for metals risk assessments to help ensure consistency in metals assessments across EPA programs and regional offices. This framework, called the "Framework for Metals Risk Assessment," is a science-based document that describes basic principles that address the special attributes and behaviors of metals and metal compounds to be considered when assessing their human health and ecological risks. The Risk Assessment Forum oversaw the development of this document, including input from stakeholders and experts throughout the Agency, and obtained through several expert workshops, followed by peer review by the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB). The Framework for Metals Risk Assessment document is intended to serve as a guide for all EPA programs and regional offices to supplement or update the policies, practices and guidance they currently use in their respective metals assessments. This framework document is not a prescriptive guide on how any particular type of assessment should be conducted within an EPA program office. Rather, it outlines key metal principles and describes how they should be considered in conducting human health and ecological risk assessments to advance our understanding of metals impact and foster consistency across EPA programs and regions. Although the audience for the framework is primarily intended to be Agency risk assessors, it also will communicate principles and recommendations for metals risk assessment to stakeholders and the public. This framework will be used in conjunction with guidance developed by the programs and regions for site-specific risk assessment, criteria derivation, ranking or categorization and other similar Agency activities related to metals. The Framework for Metals Risk Assessment document is intended to serve as a guide for all EPA programs and regional offices to supplement or update the policies, practices and guidance they currently use in their respective metals assessments. EPA assessments can vary in level of detail from simple, screening analyses to complex, definitive assessments. More complex scientific tools and metal specific methods should be applied as the complexity of the hazard assessment or risk assessment increases.

Dermal Absorption of Arsenic from Soils as Measured in the Rhesus Monkey

Regulatory agencies have relied on dermal absorption data for soluble forms of arsenic as the technical basis for specific absorption values that are used to calculate exposure to arsenic in weathered soil. These evaluations indicate that percutaneous absorption of arsenic from soil ranges from 3.2 to 4.5% of the dermally applied dose, based on studies of arsenic freshly mixed with soil. When this value is incorporated into risk assessments and combined with other assumptions about dermal exposures to soil, the conclusion is often that dermal exposure to arsenic from soil may contribute significantly to overall exposure to arsenic in soil. Prior characterization research has indicated that the solubility of arsenic in soil varies, depending on the provenance of the soil, the source of the arsenic, and the chemical interaction of arsenic with other minerals present within the soil matrix. Weathering produces forms of arsenic that are more tightly bound within the soil and less available for absorption. Our research expands on prior in vivo studies to provide insights into the potential for dermal absorption of arsenic from the more environmentally relevant substrate of soil. Specifically, two soils with very high concentrations of arsenic were evaluated under two levels of skin hydration. One soil, containing 1400 mg/kg arsenic, was collected adjacent to a pesticide production facility in New York. The other soil, containing 1230 mg/kg arsenic, was collected from a residential area with a history of application of arsenical pesticides. Although the results of this research are constrained by the small study size dictated by the selection of an animal research model using monkeys, the statistical power was optimized by using a "crossover" study design, wherein each animal could serve as its own comparison control. No other models (animal or in vitro) were deemed adequate for studying the dermal absorption of soil arsenic. Our results show dermal absorption of soluble arsenic in solution to be 4.8 +/- 5.5%, which is similar to results reported earlier for arsenic in solution (and used by regulatory agencies in recommendations regarding dermal absorption of arsenic). Conversely, absorption following application of arsenic in the soil matrices resulted in mean estimated arsenic absorption of 0.5% or less for all soils, and all individual estimates were less than 1%. More specifically, following application of arsenic-bearing soils to the abdomens of monkeys, urinary arsenic excretion could not be readily distinguished from background. This was true across all five soil-dosing trials, including application of the two dry soils and three trials with wet soil. These findings are consistent with our understanding of the environmental chemistry of arsenic, wherein arsenic can be present in soils in complexed mineral forms. This research addresses an important component involved in estimating the true contribution of percutaneous exposures to arsenic in soil relative to exposures via ingestion. Our findings suggest that dermal absorption of arsenic from soil is truly negligible, and that EPA's current default assumption of 3% dermal absorption of arsenic from soils results in significant overestimates of exposure.

Decreasing arsenic bioaccessibility/bioavailability in soils with iron amendments

We investigated the use of various iron amendments (metallic Fe and soluble Fe(II)- and Fe(III)-halide salts) to reduce arsenic (As) bioaccessibility (as a surrogate for oral bioavailability) in contaminated soils. Soluble Fe(II)- and Fe(III)-salts were more effective than metallic Fe in reducing As bioaccessibility. Adding soluble Fe(III)-salts to soil reduces As bioaccessibility in two ways, by increasing the Fe(III) (hydr)oxide content and by lowering the soil pH. A detailed investigation into the effect of soil moisture when adding Fe(III) amendments indicated that the reaction can occur in situ if sufficient (>or=30% moisture) is added. If the amendments are added to the soil without moisture, a reduction in bioaccessibility will occur in the extraction fluid itself (i.e., an experimental artifact not reflecting a true in situ reduction in bioaccessibility). Adding Fe (III)-salts to nine As-contaminated soils at a Fe:As molar ratio of 100:1 reduced the average bioaccessibility in the soils by approximately a factor of two. Greater reductions in As bioaccessibility can be achieved by increasing the Fe:As molar ratio. These results suggest decreasing As bioaccessibility and bioavailability in soil by adding Fe amendments may be an effective strategy to remediate As-contaminated soils.

Risk-based evaluation of the exposure of children to trace elements in playgrounds in Madrid (Spain)

Eighty samples of sandy substrate were collected in November 2002 and 2003, from 20 municipal playgrounds in Madrid (Spain) to assess the potential adverse health effects of the exposure of children to trace elements in this material during their games. In each playground, two 500 g samples were collected, dried at 45 degrees C for 48 h, sieved below 100 microm, acid digested and analyzed by ICP-MS. Doses contacted through ingestion and inhalation and the dose absorbed through the skin were calculated using USEPAs hourly exposure parameters for children and the results of an in situ survey. The toxicity values considered in this study were mostly taken from the US DoEs RAIS compilation. The results of the risk assessment indicate that the highest risk is associated with ingestion of soil particles and that the trace element of most concern is arsenic, the exposure to which results in a cancer risk value of 4.19 x 10(-6), close to the 1 x 10(-5) probability level deemed unacceptable by most regulatory agencies. Regarding non-cancer effects, exposure to playground substrate yields an aggregate Hazard Index of 0.28, below the threshold value of 1 (with As, again, as the largest single contributor, followed by Pb, Cr, Al and Mn). Although the uncertainties associated with the estimates of toxicity values and exposure factors should be reduced before any definite conclusions regarding potential health effects are drawn, risk assessment has proven to be a very useful tool to identify the contaminants and exposure pathways of most concern in urban environments.

Relative oral bioavailability of arsenic from contaminated soils measured in the cynomolgus monkey

A number of studies have found that gastrointestinal absorption of arsenic from soil is limited, indicating that a relative oral bioavailability (RBA) adjustment is warranted when calculating risks from exposure to arsenic-contaminated soil. However, few studies of arsenic bioavailability from soil have been conducted in animal models with phylogenetic similarity to humans, such as nonhuman primates. We report here the results of a study in which the RBA of arsenic in soil from a variety of types of contaminated sites was measured in male cynomolgus monkeys. A single oral dose of each contaminated soil was administered to five adult male cynomolgus monkeys by gavage, and the extent of oral absorption was evaluated through measurement of arsenic recovery in urine and feces. Urinary recovery of arsenic following doses of contaminated soil was compared with urinary recovery following oral administration of sodium arsenate in water in order to determine the RBA of each soil. RBA of arsenic in 14 soil samples from 12 different sites ranged from 0.05 to 0.31 (5-31%), with most RBA values in the 0.1-0.2 (10-20%) range. The RBA values were found to be inversely related to the amount of arsenic present with iron sulfate. No other significant correlations were observed between RBA and arsenic mineralogic phases in the test soils. The lack of clear relationships between arsenic mineralogy and RBA measured in vivo suggests that gastrointestinal absorption of arsenic from soil may be more complex than originally thought, and subject to factors other than simple dissolution behavior.

Evaluation of the in vitro activity and in vivo bioavailability of realgar nanoparticles prepared by cryo-grinding

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) has been a research focus because of its promising anticancer effects especially in the treatment of leukemia. Another arsenic compound, realgar (As2S2), has long been used as a therapeutic agent to treat some diseases in ancient China and Europe, and its medicinal effects have attracted increasing attentions in recent years. However, its poor water-solubility unfortunately results in poor bioavailability and hampers it from being studied and used for possible clinical application. In this study, nanosized realgar particles were prepared by cryo-grinding with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and/or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Major physical properties of the respective nanosized realgar particles were characterized. Co-grinding realgar with PVP and/or SDS produced smaller and more monodisperse suspension of nanoparticles. The in vitro cytotoxic effects of such nanosized realgar particles on selected human ovarian (CI80-13S, OVCAR, OVCAR-3) and cervical (HeLa) cancer cell lines were investigated. Significant anti-proliferation effect of these realgar nanoparticles on these cancer cell lines was observed. CI80-13S was most sensitive to the nanosized realgar particles with IC50 values of less than 1 microM as As2S2, whereas the other cancer cell lines had IC50 values in a range of 2-4 microM as As2S2. The cytotoxic activity of the realgar nanoparticles to these human gynecological cell lines was comparable to arsenic trioxide observed previously. In these cancer cell lines, the cytotoxic effects were caused by apoptosis as confirmed by cell cycle and DNA laddering analysis. In in vivo study, a remarkable increase in urinary recovery of arsenic was observed in rats after a single oral administration of the cryo-ground realgar particle suspension. Ranging from 58.5 to 69.6% of the administered dose of arsenic was recovered in urine in the first 48 h from the PVP and/or SDS co-ground preparations; whereas the original realgar powder gave a urinary recovery of only 24.9%. The finding suggested that size reduction of realgar particles to nano levels could enhance its bioavailability substantially.

Exposure to arsenic and lead of children living near a copper-smelter in San Luis Potosi, Mexico: Importance of soil contamination for exposure of children

The objective of this study was to assess the levels of soil contamination and child exposure in areas next to a primary smelter (arsenic-copper metallurgical) located in the community of Morales in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. In Morales, 90% of the soil samples studied in this work were above 400 mg/kg of lead, and above 100 mg/kg of arsenic, which are guidelines recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Bioaccessibility of these metals was studied in vitro in 10 soil samples; the median values of bioaccessibility obtained in these samples were 46.5% and 32.5% for arsenic and lead. Since the concentrations of arsenic and lead in soil were above normal values, and taking into account the bioaccessibility results, exposure to these metals was evaluated in children. Regarding lead, children aged 3-6 years had the highest mean blood lead levels; furthermore, 90% of them had concentrations above 10 microg/dl (CDC's action level). Total urinary arsenic was higher in children aged 8-9 yr; however, the percentage of children with concentrations above 50 microg/g creatinine (CDC's action level) or 100 microg/g creatinine (World Health Organization [WHO] action level) was similar among different age groups. Using the EPAs integrated exposure uptake biokinetic model for lead in children (IEUBK), we estimated that 87% of the total lead in blood is obtained from the soil/dust pathway. The exposure dose to arsenic, estimated for the children living in Morales using Monte Carlo analysis and the arsenic concentrations found in soil, was above the EPA's reference dose. With all these results, it is evident that studies are needed in order to identify adverse health effects in children living in Morales; nevertheless, it is more important to develop a risk reduction program as soon as possible.

Temporal changes in soil partitioning and bioaccessibility of arsenic, chromium, and lead

The hazard imposed by trace element contaminants within soils is dependent on their ability to migrate into water systems and their availability for biological uptake. The degree to which a contaminant may dissociate from soil solids and become available to a target organism (i.e., bioaccessibility) is therefore a determining risk factor. We used a physiologically based extraction test (PBET) to estimate the bioaccessible fraction of arsenic-, chromium-, and lead-amended soil. We investigated soils from the A and B horizons of the Melton Valley series, obtained from Oak Ridge National Laboratory site, to address temporal changes in bioaccessibility. Additionally, common extractions that seek to define reactive pools of metals were employed and their correlation to PBET levels evaluated. With the exception of Pb amended to the A horizon, all other treatments exhibited an exponential decrease in bioaccessibility with incubation time. The bioaccessible fraction was less than 0.2 mg kg(-1) within 30 d of incubation for As and Cr in the A horizon and for As and Pb within the B horizon; Cr in the B horizon declined to nearly 0.3 mg kg(-1) within 100 d of aging. The exchangeable fraction declined with incubation period and, with the exception of Pb, was highly correlated with the decline in bioaccessibility. Our results demonstrate limited bioaccessibility in all but one case and the need to address both short-term temporal changes and, most importantly, the soil physiochemical properties. They further reveal the importance of incubation time on the reactivity of such trace elements.

Children's exposure to arsenic from CCA-treated wooden decks and playground structures

CCA-treated wood is widely used in the fabrication of outdoor decks and playground equipment. Because arsenic can be removed from the surface of CCA-treated wood both by physical contact and by leaching, it is important to determine whether children who play on such structures may ingest arsenic in quantities sufficient to be of public health concern. Based on a review of existing studies, it is estimated that arsenic doses in amounts of tens of micrograms per day may be incurred by children having realistic levels of exposure to CCA-treated decks and playground structures. The most important exposure pathway appears to be oral ingestion of arsenic that is first dislodged from the wood by direct hand contact, then transferred to the mouth by children's hand-to-mouth activity. The next most important pathway appears to be dermal absorption of arsenic, while ingestion of soil that has become contaminated by leaching from CCA-treated structures appears to be of lesser importance, except possibly in the case of children with pica. Considerable uncertainty, however, is associated with quantitative estimates of children's arsenic exposure from CCA-treated wood. Priorities for refining estimates of arsenic dose include detailed studies of the hand-to-mouth transfer of arsenic, studies of the dermal and gastrointestinal absorption of dislodgeable arsenic, and studies in which doses of arsenic to children playing in contact with CCA-treated wood are directly determined by measurement of arsenic in their urine, hair, and nails.