Risk-based assessment of arsenic-affected aquacultural water in blackfoot disease hyperendemic areas

摘要

This work explored a risk-based arsenic (As) regulation in farmed pond water by ingesting tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) in blackfoot disease hyperendemic areas and discussed a rational As regulation in pond water. Monte Carlo analysis was used to propagate the parameter uncertainty and to assess probabilistically regulation risks. A dynamic scheme of groundwater management was proposed that curves of utilization ratios against As concentrations in groundwater were established based on the risk-based regulation. The 5th to 95th per-centiles of risks range from 3.5 × 10~(-7) to 6.0 × 10~(-5) via ingesting the farmed tilapia under the current As regulation in fanned pond water in Taiwan, 50 μg/L. To compare to inorganic As regulation in drinking water, the current As regulation in farmed pond water does not pose a great threat to human health, but it is unsafe. Therefore, this study suggests that the regulation of As in farmed pond water is revised to be 25 μg/L.