Arsenic Menace: Animal Health Hazard through Nutritional Chain
D. Mondal*
Eastern Regional Station, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, 37 Belgachhia Road, Kolkata, West Bengal (700 037), India
DOI: NIL
Keywords: Arsenicosis, Clinical signs, Diagnosis, Food chain
Abstract
Arsenic is a toxic metalloid has several ores mixed in pebbles and soil. It affects animals and plant health worldwide. The toxicity generally occurs through food chain. The worse conditions of arsenicosis are found in countries like India, Bangladesh, Argentina, Mexico and other nations. Twenty states of India are affected with arsenic toxicity where West Bengal and Bihar are worse. Mobilization of arsenic from ores to water comes though seepage water into the aquifers. Animals and humans are affected through food chain. Animals affected with arsenic toxicity show mild clinical signs unlike humans; some clinical conditions occur are hyperkeratosis, chronic bronchitis, diarrhea, oncogenic growth, haematological, diabetes, cardiac dysfunctions, reproductive and neurolocomotor disorders. Diagnosis of the condition can be done with concentration of arsenic in water and soil, clinical signs of animals and estimation of arsenic level in water, soil and animals tissues. Mitigation of arsenicosis can be with drugs, use of arsenic free water, food and feed.
Downloads
not found
Reference
Adhikary, R., Mandal, V., 2017. Status of arsenic toxicity in ground water in West Bengal, India: A review. MOJ Toxicology 3(5), 104-108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15406/mojt.2017.03.00063.
Anonymous, 2022. Contamination of ground water. Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India. Available at: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1809264. Accessed on: October 03, 2023.
Keshavarzi, B., Seradj, A., Akbari, Z., Moore, F., Shahraki, A.R., Pourjafar, M., 2015. Chronic arsenic toxicity in Sheep of Kurdistan Province, Western Iran. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 69, 44-53. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-015-0157-4.
Mondal, D., 2023. Invisible killer - Arsenic Toxicity in West Bengal, India, through the food chain in Animals. In: Role of Public Health Veterinarians to achieve Health Security through One Health Approach. First Joint International Symposium and XVth Biennial Symposium of APHV, 29-30 September, Kathmandu, Nepal. (Proceeding in press)
Shrivastava, A., Barla, A., Singh, S., Mandraha, S., Bose, S., 2017. Arsenic contamination in agricultural soils of Bengal deltaic region of West Bengal and its higher assimilation in monsoon rice. Journal of Hazardous Materials 324(PartB), 526-534. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.11.022.