Inorganic Arsenic (iAs) contamination of groundwater had been a major health hazard. In West-Bengal, many areas had been found to have high level of iAs in groundwater. Chronic exposure to iAs may lead to the generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS). This results in DNA damage, inflammation, impairment of repair activity, thereby culminating in carcinogenesis. Higher telomerase activity may be another manifestation of iAs exposure. This is a pilot study involving 15 subjects residing in an arsenic endemic area of West-Bengal. Accumulation of iAs was tested in the nail, hair and blood samples of these individuals. | Assessment of susceptibility towards iAs induced carcinogenesis in West Bengal, India
