Effects of toxic trace elements on arsenic poisoning caused by coal-burning

Objective To investigate the effects of toxic trace elements such as aluminum, lead, cadmium, mercury, and lithium on a rsenic poisoning caused by coal-burning.Methods The exposed group included 139 arsenic exposed residents who were diagnosed with or without arsenism in an area polluted by arsenic coal-burning in Xingren county of Guizhou province.Control group included 34 residents who lived in an area 13 kilometers from the polluted area.Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry was used to determine the toxic element contents in coal, soil, rice, corn, chilli, hair, urine, and blood.Results Arsenic contents in coal, soil, corn, and chilli from the polluted area were 4.894, 146.551, 0.522, and 1.440m g/kg and the contents of aluminum, cadmium, and lithium in soil were 4.510, 8.895, and 65.778mg/kg, respectively, and significantly higher than those in control area(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The contents of arsenic, a luminum, lead, cadmium, and lithium in the hair and urine arsenic level of exposed group were 1.985, 63.201, 3.323, 0.115, and 0.201 μg/g and 149.593 μg/g Cr, which were significantly higher than those in the control group and positively correlated with the progression of arsenism (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The urine lead level(44.039 μg/g Cr) in exposed group was significantly lower and negatively corre lated with the progression of arsenism (P<0.01).The levels of a luminum, lead, and cadmium in the hair were positively correlated with hair arsenic level(P<0.01).Conclusion High soil a luminum, cadmium, and lithium exist simultaneously in a rsenic polluted area.The changes of the elements in exposed subjects conforme to the changes of a rsenic in pollution area and are associated with the progression of arsenism caused by coal burning.Lead accumulation in exposed group may be partly attributed to lead excretion inhibition caused by arsenic exposure.