Drinking water arsenic species in endemic areas of endemic arsenicosis in Jilin Province

Objective To identify the morphology of arsenic in drinking water, by detecting arsenic in the drinking water within the endemic areas so as to determine the causes of arsenic through different forms of arsenic exposure. Methods The arsenic poisoning area and the high arsenic arsenic area in Taonan City and Tongyu County of Jilin Province were selected as the survey sites. The drinking water samples were collected, and the arsenic content and different arsenic species in the water samples were measured and analyze the relationship between well depth and water arsenic content. Results A total of 161 arsenic water samples were tested, mainly in the form of inorganic arsenic; As5+ concentration was 0.004 to 0.226 mg/L, the median was 0.053 mg/L; the As3+ concentration was 0.004 to 0.309 mg/L, the median was 0.057 mg/L. Total arsenic content was in the range of 0.009 to 0.509 mg/L, the median was 0.100 mg/L. Monomethylated arsenic (MMA) was detected in 1 water sample with the content of 0.005 mg/L, dimethyl arsine (DMA) was detected in 1 water sample with the content of 0.014 mg/L. Totally 101 wells were surveyed with the depth of 13 to 75 meters. Totally 94 water samples had the water arsenic level of more than 0.05 mg/L, and most of them were detected in the well with the depth of more than 50 meters, which was accounted for 85.1% (80/94). Conclusions Arsenic mainly exists in the form of inorganic arsenic in drinking water, organic arsenic is only found in water at low concentrations. Excessive water arsenic is mainly distributed in wells deeper. Key words: Drinking water; Arsenic; Morphology