| Arsenic contamination in drinking water |
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The results of the study, published in April 2012, indicate an increase in mortality for all types of cancer (particularly lung and bladder), hypertension, ischemic heart disease and diabetes in populations living in municipalities with arsenic levels higher than 20 μg / L and, to a lesser extent, in the exposed areas of the province of Latina. The effects are resulting from chronic exposure in past decades, in which the levels of arsenic have at times been higher than today. Although these results need to be confirmed by subsequent studies, the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) has already established that arsenic is a carcinogenic element. The effects of prolonged exposure to water and food start showing after at least 5 years of exposure. The results of the research indicate the need for a continuous monitoring of the levels of the contamination of drinking water by arsenic and its effects on health as well as the need for public health interventions to ensure compliance with the limits established by current legislation. |
