Concentrations of blood and urinary arsenic species and their characteristics in general Korean population

Jeong Weon Choi; Yoon Chae Song; Nam-Yong Cheong; Kiyoung Lee; Sunmi Kim; Kyoung-Mu Lee; Kyunghee Ji; Mi-Yeon Shin; Sungkyoon Kim

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.113846

Concentrations of blood and urinary arsenic species and their characteristics in general Korean population

Environ Res. 2022 Nov;214(Pt 2):113846. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113846. Epub 2022 Jul 9.

Authors

Jeong Weon Choi¹, Yoon Chae Song², Nam-Yong Cheong², Kiyoung Lee³, Sunmi Kim⁴, Kyoung-Mu Lee⁵, Kyunghee Ji⁶, Mi-Yeon Shin⁷, Sungkyoon Kim⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
² Korea Apparel Testing and Research Institute (KATRI), Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
³ Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
⁴ Chemical Safety Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, South Korea.
⁵ Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University, Seoul, South Korea.
⁶ Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Yongin University, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
⁷ Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; Office of Dental Education, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: damage7@snu.ac.kr.
⁸ Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: ddram2@snu.ac.kr.

PMID: 35820651
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113846

Abstract

Arsenic (As) exposure has been extensively studied by investigating As species (e.g., inorganic arsenic (iAs), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA)) in urine, yet recent research suggests that blood could be a possible biomarker of As exposure. These investigations, however, were conducted on iAs-contaminated areas, and evidence on populations exposed to low levels of iAs is limited. This study aimed to describe the levels and distributions of As species in urine and blood, as well as to estimate methylation efficiency and related factors in the Korean population. Biological samples were obtained by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. A total of 2025 urine samples and 598 blood samples were utilized in this study. Six As species were measured using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (UPLC-ICP-MS): As(V), As(III), MMA, DMA, arsenobetaine (AsB), and arsenocholine (AsC). Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between As species (concentrations and proportions) and covariates. AsB was the most prevalent species in urine and blood. The relative composition of iAs, MMA, DMA, and AsC in urine and blood differed significantly. Consumption of blue-backed fish was linked to higher levels of AsB in urine and blood. Type of drinking water and multigrain rice consumption were associated with increased iAs concentration in urine. Except for iAs, every species had correlations in urine and blood in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Adolescents and smokers presented a lower methylation efficiency (higher %MMA and lower %DMA in urine) and females presented a higher methylation efficiency (lower %iAs, %MMA, and higher %DMA in urine). In conclusion, blood iAs concentration cannot represent urinary iAs; nonetheless, different compositions of urine and blood might reflect distinct information about iAs exposure. Further investigations on exposure factors and health are needed using low-exposure groups.

Keywords: Arsenic species; Biomarkers; Biomonitoring; Blood; General population; Urine.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Arsenic* / analysis
Arsenicals* / analysis
Cacodylic Acid / urine
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
Drinking Water* / analysis
Female
Republic of Korea

Substances

Arsenicals
Drinking Water
Cacodylic Acid
Arsenic