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In vivo and in vitro methods for evaluating soil arsenic bioavailability: relevant to human health risk assessment.

Karen D BradhamGary L DiamondMichele BurgessAlbert JuhaszJulie M KlotzbachMark MaddaloniClay NelsonKirk G ScheckelSophia M SerdaMarc StifelmanDavid J Thomas
Published in: Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part B, Critical reviews (2019)
Arsenic (As) is the most frequently occurring contaminant on the priority list of hazardous substances, which lists substances of greatest public health concern to people living at or near U.S. National Priorities List site. Accurate assessment of human health risks from exposure to As-contaminated soils depends on estimating its bioavailability, defined as the fraction of ingested As absorbed across the gastrointestinal barrier and available for systemic distribution and metabolism. Arsenic bioavailability varies among soils and is influenced by site-specific soil physical and chemical characteristics and internal biological factors. This review describes the state-of-the science that supports our understanding of oral bioavailability of soil As, the methods that are currently being explored for estimating soil As relative bioavailability (RBA), and future research areas that could improve our prediction of the oral RBA of soil As in humans. The following topics are addressed: (1) As soil geochemistry; (2) As toxicology; (3) in vivo models for estimating As RBA; (4) in vitro bioaccessibility methods; and (5) conclusions and research needs.
Keyphrases
  • heavy metals
  • drinking water
  • health risk assessment
  • public health
  • endothelial cells
  • risk assessment
  • plant growth
  • pluripotent stem cells
  • quality improvement
  • human health