ABSTRACT
The ubiquity of arsenic in the environment is associated with geological and anthropogenic sources. Drinking water is the main route of arsenic exposure. The population of arsenic-rich areas is among the most affected by chronic health disorders related to arsenic. For this reason, the Bangladeshi and Indian governments have established national regulations for arsenic in drinking water (50 µg L-1) (Bhattacharya et al. 2007), and the WHO and US-EPA have established a recommended value of 10 µg L-1, and a maximum permissible arsenic value of 50 µg L-1 in drinking water (WHO 2001; Smedley and Kinniburgh 2002; Mandal and Suzuki 2002). In areas without natural or anthropogenic arsenic contamination, food is the main route of arsenic exposure for humans, with seafood being the main contributor to this metalloid intake (Devesa et al. 2008).
