Arsenical dermatosis from tubewell water in West Bengal
Chakraborty, A.K.; Saha, K.C.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 85: 326-334
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 2956191 Document Number: 292225
Arsenical dermatosis as a result of drinking tubewell water was detected in 14 villages in 5 districts of West Bengal viz., 24-Parganas, Burdwan, Nadia, Malda and Murshidabad. House-to-house survey in 6 villages (4 in 24-Parganas, one each in Burdwan and Nadia districts) revealed 197 patients of arsenical dermatosis in 48 families. In some families, all the members had symptoms of dermatosis. Diffuse melanosis was found in all patients. The liver was enlarged in 34.5 per cent and ascites present in 5.6 per cent of patients. One patient developed skin cancer. Three deaths were reported due to chronic arsenic poisoning. Of 71 water samples collected from tubewells of the affected villages, in 55 (27.5%) arsenic level was higher than the permissible limit (i.e. 0.05 mg/l). Depth of the tubewells varied from 110 to 150 feet. Mean arsenic content in 31 water samples collected from tubewells of the affected families was 0.64 mg/l and that in 40 water samples collected from tubewells of the unaffected families was 0.21 mg/l. Lowest concentration of arsenic in water producing dermatosis was found to be 0.2 mg/l. The source of high amount of arsenic in tubewell water could not be ascertained.(author)