ABSTRACT
Arsenic (As) is an ubiquitous element found in the atmosphere, soils and rocks, natural waters and organisms. In groundwater, As has been detected in several regions of the world, with concentration levels exceeding the WHO drinking water guideline value of 10 μg/l, as well as the national regulatory standards; its presence in drinking water is one of the most important health problems in the world. Arsenic pollution affects several countries around the world. One of the most affected countries is Argentina, where As is naturally present in groundwater and soils of the main agriculture production areas. Arsenic can be taken up and bioaccumulated in plants and livestock, which means a potential risk to human health through agri-food. Arsenic contaminated groundwater is often used in the Argentinean Pampean Plain for livestock drinking water and to irrigate crops for human and animal consumption. This fact could potentially lead to As entering in the human food chain. In livestock, total As consumption depends on its concentration in drinking water and in the different foods and the percentage it represents in the diet. Biotransfer factors are used to relate either estimated daily exposure dosage, or chemical content in feed, to concentrations occurring in milk or dairy products. Arsenic transfer to milk is a complex process, the fact that a biotransfer factor (BTF) may be estimated through As water contribution reinforces the importance of dairy cattle drinking water quality not only from a productive point of view but also because of its incidence in the agricultural food chain.
