Genotoxicity in humans exposed to arsenic, lithium, and boron in drinking water in the Bolivian Andes-A cross sectional study.

Elevated concentrations of arsenic, lithium and boron in drinking water have already been reported in Bolivia. Arsenic is known to cause genotoxicity but that caused by lithium and boron is less well known. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate potential genotoxic effects of exposure to arsenic, while considering exposure to lithium and boron and genetic susceptibility.

Human adaptation to arsenic in Bolivians living in the Andes.

Humans living in the Andes Mountains have been historically exposed to arsenic from natural sources, including drinking water. Enzymatic methylation of arsenic allows it to be excreted more efficiently by the human body. Adaptation to high-arsenic environments via enhanced methylation and excretion of arsenic was first reported in indigenous women in the Argentinean Andes, but whether adaptation to arsenic is a general phenomenon across native populations from the Andes Mountains remains unclear.

Arsenic Exposure and Cancer-Related Proteins in Urine of Indigenous Bolivian Women.

Indigenous people living in the Bolivian Andes are exposed through their drinking water to inorganic arsenic, a potent carcinogen. However, the health consequences of arsenic exposure in this region are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between arsenic exposure and changes in cancer-related proteins in indigenous women ( = 176) from communities around the Andean Lake Poopó, Bolivia.

Elevated arsenic exposure and efficient arsenic metabolism in indigenous women around Lake Poopó, Bolivia.

Elevated concentrations of inorganic arsenic, one of the most potent environmental toxicants and carcinogens, have been detected in well water around Lake Poopó, Bolivia. This study aimed to assess human exposure to arsenic in villages around Lake Poopó, and also to elucidate whether the metabolism and detoxification of arsenic in this population is as efficient as previously indicated in other Andean areas. We recruited 201 women from 10 villages around Lake Poopó.