Association between Arsenic and other heavy metal exposures through drinking water and food with lung function and respiratory symptoms: A cross-sectional study
Presenter Biography
I'm a PhD in Epidemiology candidate.
Program/Major
Epidemiology
Student Level
Doctoral
Presentation Type
Presentation
Start Date
4-10-2025 12:05 PM
End Date
4-10-2025 12:20 PM
Creative Commons License or Rights Statement
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43477
Subjects
Lung function, Heavy metals, Children
Abstract
Impaired lung function is a major health concern, particularly in children, as it increases the risk of chronic respiratory diseases and long-term morbidity. Environmental exposure to heavy metals (HMs) such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and manganese has been associated with reduced lung function and respiratory symptoms. However, findings vary by exposure context and population, with limited research in pediatric populations and few studies evaluating the combined effects of multiple HMs. These exposures disproportionally affect marginalized rural communities, especially in low and middle-income countries with mining activities. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between exposure to As and other HMs through drinking water and food with lung function and respiratory symptoms in children from Tumbes, Peru—a region where the primary freshwater source, the Puyango-Tumbes River, is polluted with HMs, likely due to upstream mining. We recruited 399 children aged 4-17 years from 14 villages in Tumbes in 2023. Hair samples were analyzed for HM levels using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and lung function was assessed by spirometry and analyzed as percent predicted forced vital capacity (ppFVC) and categorized into lung function patterns. Respiratory symptoms indicative of asthma and allergic rhinitis were evaluated using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. After adjusting for confounders, higher hair arsenic levels were significantly associated with nasal symptoms suggestive of allergic rhinitis (adjusted odds ratio: 1.59; 95% CI 1.32, 1.90). A non-significant inverse association was found between hair arsenic and ppFVC. Quantile-based G-computation assessing HM mixtures also showed a non-significant inverse association with ppFVC, with arsenic contributing the most to the negative effect. These findings suggest that while arsenic exposure may be linked to allergic rhinitis, its impact on lung function in this population remains inconclusive.
Association between Arsenic and other heavy metal exposures through drinking water and food with lung function and respiratory symptoms: A cross-sectional study
Impaired lung function is a major health concern, particularly in children, as it increases the risk of chronic respiratory diseases and long-term morbidity. Environmental exposure to heavy metals (HMs) such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and manganese has been associated with reduced lung function and respiratory symptoms. However, findings vary by exposure context and population, with limited research in pediatric populations and few studies evaluating the combined effects of multiple HMs. These exposures disproportionally affect marginalized rural communities, especially in low and middle-income countries with mining activities. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between exposure to As and other HMs through drinking water and food with lung function and respiratory symptoms in children from Tumbes, Peru—a region where the primary freshwater source, the Puyango-Tumbes River, is polluted with HMs, likely due to upstream mining. We recruited 399 children aged 4-17 years from 14 villages in Tumbes in 2023. Hair samples were analyzed for HM levels using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and lung function was assessed by spirometry and analyzed as percent predicted forced vital capacity (ppFVC) and categorized into lung function patterns. Respiratory symptoms indicative of asthma and allergic rhinitis were evaluated using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. After adjusting for confounders, higher hair arsenic levels were significantly associated with nasal symptoms suggestive of allergic rhinitis (adjusted odds ratio: 1.59; 95% CI 1.32, 1.90). A non-significant inverse association was found between hair arsenic and ppFVC. Quantile-based G-computation assessing HM mixtures also showed a non-significant inverse association with ppFVC, with arsenic contributing the most to the negative effect. These findings suggest that while arsenic exposure may be linked to allergic rhinitis, its impact on lung function in this population remains inconclusive.
