Section 1: Highlights for 2004 Highlight #1: an Association between Arsenic in Drinking Water and Cognitive Function in Children in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, approximately 30-40 million people have been chronically exposed to high concentrations of naturally occurring arsenic (As) in drinking water, supplied by approximately 10 million tube wells. Aside from carcinogenic and vascular effects, the literature contains reports of neurologic consequences of acute and chronic exposure in adults, although the dosimetry is poorly described. Given the absence of a significant research base concerning the consequences of As in children, we sought to examine the possible associations between As exposure and intellectual function. In 2000, we began a prospective study of the health effects of As in 12,000 adult residents of Araihazar, Bangladesh. The study site, a 25 square km region located approximately 30 km east of Dhaka, was chosen because of its wide range of As concentrations in drinking water. Our survey of 6,000 contiguous wells in the region revealed that 75% exceed the WHO As standard of 10 μg/L, while 53% exceed the Bangladesh standard of 50 μg/L; water As concentrations ranged from <1 to 900 μg/L. In the same region, we are examining the consequences of As exposure on children’s health.