Effect of prevention and control measures on drinking-water-borne endemic arsenic poisoning in Shaanxi Province / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the arsenic content in internal and external environment of the people in drinking-water-borne endemic arsenic poisoning areas in Shaanxi Province, the status quo of the disease and the management and services of the existing patients, so as to provide a theoretical basis for evaluating the effect of prevention and control measures on drinking-water-borne endemic arsenic poisoning.Methods:From 2019 to 2020, in accordance with the requirements of the "Notice of Shaanxi Provincial Health Commission on Issuance of Monitoring Plans for Key Endemic Diseases such as Kashin-Beck Disease" and "Monitoring Plans for Drinking Water Arsenic Poisoning in Shaanxi Province", investigation was carried out in all villages of drinking-water-borne endemic arsenic poisoning in Mianxian County of Hanzhong City, Shanyang County and Zhen'an County of Shangluo City to understand the operation of water improvement project. One terminal water sample was collected to determine the content of arsenic in water, and permanent population of the whole village who are and/or had been exposed to excessive arsenic water in the past were examined for arsenic poisoning and the disease condition was determined according to the standard of "Diagnosis of Endemic Arsenicosis" (WS/T 211-2015). Five villages were randomly selected, and 50 people were selected from each village. Real-time urine sample was collected to determine the content of urinary arsenic. At the same time, management and services of the existing arsenic poisoning patients was investigated.Results:A total of 13 villages were investigated, all of which had been improved in water quality, and all 13 water improvement projects were operating normally, with arsenic content < 0.01 mg/L. A total of 12 577 people were examined, and 417 cases of arsenic poisoning were detected, with a detection rate of 3.32%. No new arsenic poisoning case and arsenic-related skin cancer case had been detected. A total of 260 urine samples were detected, and the geometric mean value of urinary arsenic (< 0.001 mg/L) was lower than the safety guideline value of human urinary arsenic (0.032 mg/L). The existing arsenic poisoning patients (417 cases) were included in health management and contracted services.Conclusions:Shaanxi Province has reached the elimination standard of drinking-water-borne endemic arsenic poisoning. In the future, more attention should be paid to the management of water improvement project, as well as to strengthen health promotion and management services for existing patients to consolidate the effects of prevention and control.