Oberoi, Shilpi
(2014)
Estimating the global burden of disease caused by arsenic in food.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Background Arsenic is a ubiquitous, naturally occurring metalloid that poses a significant risk for human cancer and non-cancer diseases. While water consumption provides the majority of human exposure to arsenic, millions of individuals worldwide are significantly exposed through naturally occurring levels of arsenic in grains, vegetables, meats and fish, as well as through food processed with water containing arsenic.
Objectives This research estimates the global burdens of disease for bladder, lung and skin cancers as well as coronary heart disease attributable to inorganic arsenic in food.
Methods In order to determine foodborne inorganic arsenic exposures worldwide, this research uses the World Health Organization’s estimates of food consumption in 13 country clusters, in conjunction with the reported measurements of total and inorganic arsenic in different foods. This research estimates slope factors for arsenic related bladder and lung cancers, and adopts the US Environmental Protection Agency skin cancer slope factor to calculate the annual risk of cancer incidence in males and females within each country cluster. Benchmark dose and reference dose for arsenic induced coronary heart disease are derived using US Environmental Protection Agency Benchmark dose modeling software.
Results The research findings show that each year across the world 9,129 to 119,176 additional cases of bladder cancer; 11,844 to 121,442 of lung cancer; and 10,729 to 110,015 of skin cancer are attributable to inorganic arsenic in food. For coronary heart disease, foodborne inorganic arsenic can cause up to 329,750 additional cases annually in USA and even higher rates in GEMS clusters with higher foodborne arsenic exposures. However, in contrast to cancer burden, there is a threshold effect resulting in no increased risk of heart disease at the expected lower bound of arsenic consumption in food.
Conclusions These estimates indicate that foodborne arsenic exposure causes a significant global burden of human disease.
Public Health Impact Estimating the global burden of disease caused by arsenic exposure in food will support policies that reduce exposure to disease promoting environmental hazards.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
27 June 2014 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
24 April 2014 |
| Approval Date: |
27 June 2014 |
| Submission Date: |
25 April 2014 |
| Access Restriction: |
1 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 1 year. |
| Number of Pages: |
188 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Environmental and Occupational Health |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
arsenic, global disease burden, bladder cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, coronary heart disease |
| Date Deposited: |
27 Jun 2014 20:21 |
| Last Modified: |
15 Nov 2016 14:19 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/21479 |
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