Investigation of arsenic concentration in drinking water of Urmia County villages and its biological monitoring in the hair of their residents in 2019

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-1853598/v1

Drinking water is one of the most important sources of arsenic entering the human body. Due to the location of Urmia County in the volcanic belt of Urmia-Dokhtar, the presence of arsenic in the drinking water of the villages of Urmia city is probable. The concentration of arsenic in the drinking water of the villages varied from undetectable amounts to 92 µg/L.

In 7 out of 80 villages, the concentration of arsenic was higher than the drinking water standards of WHO. There is no statistically significant difference between the concentration of arsenic in the drinking water of the villages of Urmia County in different seasons. There is a significant relationship between the concentration of arsenic in drinking water and its concentration in the hair of people living in villages (r=0.88, P-value=0.046). There is a strong and significant correlation between age and the average concentration of arsenic in the hair of the age groups of the population. Also, smoking creates a statistically significant difference between the concentration of arsenic in the hair of smoking men and non-smoking men. The reason for the existence of a significant difference in the amount of arsenic in the hair of the residents of the case and control villages, and the presence of a high concentration of arsenic in the bottom sediments of Lake Urmia, can be concluded that the possibility the entry of arsenic from the geological formations of the region into the drinking water of the villages is very high.

arsenic

biomonitoring

hair

drinking water

Urmia

Arsenic is one of the most dangerous contaminants in water. Due to the complexity of its removal methods, the possibility of purifying it from drinking water in villages mainly faces many problems(Eisler, 1994). The concentration of arsenic in the groundwater under natural conditions is from 0.5 to 5000 µg/L(Eisler, 1994). According to studies, the concentration of arsenic in large groundwater aquifers has been reported to be above 50 µg/L(Nriagu, 1994). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 200 million people worldwide may use higher arsenic-containing drinking water. Asia ranks first in the world in terms of pollution, with about 100 million people exposed to high concentrations of arsenic in drinking water. Therefore, the study of arsenic in Iranian drinking water resources seems necessary(Uppal et al., 2019).

Arsenic can be effective in causing problems such as disruption of DNA and RNA synthesis and the nervous system, anemia, genetic disorders, congenital disabilities, hypertension, and cancer, especially skin cancer. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the maximum allowable concentration of arsenic in drinking water is less than 10 µg/L(Council, 1999). Studies show that arsenic mainly enters water sources through geological formations, especially volcanic ones. Due to the location of Urmia County in the Urmia-Dokhtar volcanic belt, the high concentration of arsenic in the drinking water of the villages of Urmia County is probable. Therefore, it is necessary to study the concentration of arsenic in drinking water sources in the villages of Urmia County.

Human biomonitoring (HBM) is recommended to determine the extent of arsenic exposure and the risks imposed on individuals in the community(Council, 2006). In studies related to human biomonitoring, the desired environmental pollutants and their metabolites in the human body are measured by analysis of saliva, urine, blood, milk, nails, hair, and body tissues(Council, 2006). It is very appropriate to use biomarkers such as blood, hair, nails, and urine to determine the amount of arsenic and its metabolites. Recently, hair, nail, and urine biomarkers have been widely used. However, it is better to use hair samples to evaluate the long-term bioaccumulation of arsenic.

Existing scientific texts show that no study has been done on arsenic in the drinking water of villages in Urmia County and its biomonitoring in their residents. Therefore, due to the location of Urmia County in the Urmia-Dokhtar volcanic belt, this study aims to investigate the concentration of arsenic in drinking water in the villages of Urmia County and its biological monitoring in the hair of their inhabitants in 2019.

General information on Urmia County

Urmia County, with an average rainfall of 338.9 mm/y, with an area of about 10548 Km², is located in northwestern the Islamic Republic of Iran (37° 33′ 0″ N, 45° 0′ 0″ E). According to the 2016 census, Urmia County has a population of 1040565 people, of which about 289805 live in 618 villages. Urmia County is located on the volcanic belts of Urmia – Dokhtar, and Sanandaj – Sirjan in Iran, as shown in Fig. 1(Iran, 2016; lak, 2012).

Method

Selection of villages for drinking water sampling:

Since no study has been done in the villages of Urmia County so far, a preliminary study was conducted in the villages. The area of Urmia County was zoned with equal distances, 95 villages were selected, and their drinking water was sampled to detect the concentration of arsenic in 75 villages. The number of village samples was calculated to be 64 using Eq. 1. To be confident in this study’s results, the number of selected villages was increased to 80(Mosaferi et al., 2005; Rehman et al., 2020).

$$n=\frac{pq{z}^{2}}{{d}^{2}}=\frac{0.79\times 0.21\times {1.96}^{2}}{{0.1}^{2}} \left(1\right)$$

In this equation: n- Number of samples required for study, p- the prevalence of the studied variable (75 ÷ 95 = 0.79), q- the probability of non-existence of the studied variable (1-0.79 = 0.21), d- Estimation error (10%), z- Accuracy coefficient (1.96).

To select 80 villages, the map of Urmia County with equal distances was divided into 80 equal parts, and a village was selected within each zone. Due to the possible effects of weather conditions and seasonal changes in the concentration of arsenic in drinking water, sampling of drinking water in selected villages in four seasons of the year and the middle months of each season (May, August, November, and February) and during four the mid-day of the months (from the 13th to the 16th of each month) took place.

Selection Of Hair Sample Size From Residents Of Selected Villages

Previous studies were used to determine the sample size required to investigate the relationship between the concentration of arsenic in drinking water and the hair of residents of selected villages. Based on the available literature, the sample size selected to investigate the relationship between the concentration of arsenic in drinking water and hair ranged from 39 to 261(Molina-Villalba et al., 2015; Mosaferi et al., 2005).To investigate the relationship between the concentration of arsenic in drinking water and the hair of village residents, human samples were performed based on a preliminary study and the concentration of arsenic in drinking water (in the range of non-detectable amount, 1–10, 10–10, 25–50 and above 50 µg/L) and age of the residents of the villages (in the ranges of 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–40, 40–50, 50–60 and over 60 years) were sampled. Therefore, six levels in terms of arsenic concentration in drinking water (5 case villages with different concentrations of arsenic and one control village out of Urmia County), seven levels in terms of age of the residents of the villages, and two levels in terms of gender, and two levels in terms of smoking (from male level only and over the age of 20 years), were sampled. So, the number of selected human samples was (6 × 7 × 2 × 3) 252. Due to the non-smoking in the two age groups of 0–10 and 10–20 years, two women non-smokers in the age range of fewer than 20 years decreased. Therefore, by reducing four people from each village, the final volume of the human sample was finally set at (252 − 24) 228 people. Conditions for selecting individuals for hair sampling for human biomonitoring include no use of dye and henna, continuous residence in the village, permanent water consumption of the village public network, and age condition close to the average age range (average age range ± 1.5 years).

Considering the similar living conditions of V₈₁ village with the villages of Urmia County and its location outside Urmia County, this village was selected as a control sample. Similar to the five selected villages, the hair of the residents should be sampled.

Arsenic analysis in water and hair samples

Sampling from drinking water resources of selected villages was done in the middle four days of May, August, November, and February as the median months of the four seasons. A diluted solution (1: 1) of nitric acid (65%) with Merck brand in the amount of 1 ml to 50 ml of the sample was used to stabilize the concentration of arsenic in water samples. In this condition, the pH of the water sample will reach less than 2. Water sample containers were made of polyethylene with a volume of 50 ml and, after each sampling step, were washed with nitric acid (0.2%).

Hair samples from residents of five villages of V₁₅ (the arsenic concentration above 50 µg/L), V₂₉ village (25–25 µg/L), V₅₅ village (10–25 µg/L), V₇₄ village (1–10 µg/L), V₁₈ village (< 1 µg/L) and V₈₁ village as a control village outside the Urmia County. Male and female hairdressers did samples from the hair of people living in villages. More than one gram of hair samples was taken from the back of the people's heads and packed and coded in plastic bags. To remove external contamination of hair with arsenic, they were first rinsed with a 0.1% solution of Triton X for 10 min and then twice with distilled water. Then keep in the oven at 50°C for 24 h until the hair is completely dry. one ml of diluted nitric acid (1: 4) and one ml of diluted hydrochloric acid (1: 1) were added to the ash prepared from each sample and kept at room temperature for 48 h. Finally, heat at 70–80°C to reach a quarter of the sample volume. After washing and drying, 0.2 g of each person's hair was placed at a temperature of 150 ̊C for at least 3 h, and the hair became half-burnt. Then it was placed at a temperature of 550 ̊ C for 5 h until the hair turned ashes. Samples were filtered from a 2µ Whatman filter and reached 10 mL with deionized water. The concentration of arsenic in the prepared water and hair samples was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry (Elmer Perkin brand, Pin AA clerk 900H model) and the graphite furnace method. During the sample injection, the furnace temperature was 20°C and increased in five stages. The furnace temperature program for detecting arsenic in drinking water and hair samples is given in Table 1 (Abbas, 2016; Chen & Wang, 1990; Mosaferi et al., 2005; Pazirandeh et al., 1998).

Tab.1. Furnace temperature method for arsenic analysis in water and hair samples

Sample type	stage	Temperatur )ºC(	Slope time (s)	Retention time (s)	Internal flow	Gas type
Water	1	110	1	20	250	Argon
	2	130	15	35	250	Argon
	3	900	5	25	250	Argon
	4	2300	2	3	0	Argon
	5	2600	1	5	250	Argon
Hair	1	110	1	20	250	Argon
	2	130	15	35	250	Argon
	3	1300	25	10	250	Argon
	4	2700	0	5	0	Argon
	5	2700	1	7	250	Argon

Methods

The zoning map of arsenic concentration in Urmia County was prepared based on the seasonal average and annual average arsenic concentration with GIS (ArcView 10.4.1). Linear regression was used to investigate the significant relationship between the concentration of arsenic in water and the amount of arsenic in the hair of village residents and the relationship between age and the concentration of arsenic in the hair of rural residents. The independent t-test was used to determine the significant difference between the amount of arsenic in residents' hair in terms of gender (male and female) and smoking in men. Also, to determine the significant difference between the amount of arsenic in the hair of the residents of V₁₅ as the village with the highest average annual concentration of arsenic in water and V₁₈ village as the village with the lowest yearly average concentration, and V₈₁ village as the control village outside Urmia County, the independent t-test was used(Abbas, 2016; Mosaferi et al., 2005; Valaei et al., 2019).

The zoning of arsenic concentration in the drinking water of the Urmia County villages in four seasons of the year is shown in Fig. 3. As seen in Fig. 3, the concentration of arsenic in the drinking water of villages located in the southeast of Urmia County and around Lake of Urmia has the highest amount. Also, areas with high concentrations of arsenic in spring are more than in other seasons, followed by summer, winter, and autumn, respectively. The one-way analysis of variance was used to investigate the difference in arsenic concentration in drinking water in selected villages during different seasons, and the concentration of arsenic in different seasons was not significantly different (P-value = 0.644). However, the maximum, mean, and standard deviation of arsenic concentration in the drinking water of selected villages in different seasons of the year are shown in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 3, the average concentration of arsenic in the drinking water of selected villages was highest in spring and lowest in autumn. A review of previous studies shows that in the study conducted in Hamedan (Iran), no significant difference between arsenic concentration in the two seasons was seen, which is consistent with this study's results(Sobhanardakani, 2016). However, in a survey conducted in West Bengal, India, the concentration of arsenic in groundwater in summer (0.42 mg/L) was reported to be higher than in winter (0.35 mg/L). This issue can be justified by the region's high air temperature and water evaporation(Kumar et al., 2021). Therefore, in some studies, the difference in arsenic concentration in different seasons was significant, and some were not reported to be significant.

Considering the location of Urmia County in the volcanic belts of Urmia-Dokhtar and Sanandaj-Sirjan, and increasing the concentration of arsenic in water in spring as a season with high rainfall, it seems that the source of arsenic is the geological formation of the region. The concentration of arsenic in the drinking water of the selected villages has a good and inverse correlation with the monthly average rainfall (Arsenic concentration = -0.0388× monthly average rainfall + 5.317, R² = 0.7711) in the sampling month. Therefore, with the increase in rainfall, the concentration of arsenic in drinking water sources has decreased due to dilution. Mineralogical and geochemical study of the area around V₃₄ and V₂₉ villages, as villages with a high arsenic concentration in drinking water, indicates the presence of iron ore reserves with minerals such as magnetite, goethite, and quartz. Therefore, the presence of iron ore mines indicates the geological source of arsenic pollution (lak, 2012). Studies on Urmia Lake also confirm the high concentration of arsenic in the sediments of the bottom of Urmia Lake, and there is a possibility of saline water intrusion into the groundwater sources of this area from Lake Urmia (Iran, 2016; lak, 2012). Concluded that increased rainfall in spring and further dissolution of geological compounds containing arsenic, as well as rising water levels of Urmia Lake and as a result of the intrusion of saline water into the groundwater around the lake, have increased the concentration of arsenic in water sources(Nakhai et al., 2015).

The arsenic concentration in the selected villages' drinking water varied from undetectable amounts to 92.5 µg/L. The annual average concentration of arsenic in 73 selected villages (more than 91%) is lower than the maximum allowed amount of drinking water standards by WHO. However, in 7 villages (less than 9%), arsenic concentration is higher than drinking water standards. Also, as can be seen in the zoning maps of the villages of Urmia County, V₁₅ and V₃₄ villages are red with an arsenic concentration above 50 µg/L, V₂₉ village is brown with an arsenic concentration of 25–50 µg/L, and V₁₂, V₅₅, V₁₀, and V₅₀ villages are marked with yellow color and with a concentration of 10–25 µg/L. The remaining villages are marked with light and dark green colors and have an arsenic concentration in drinking water of fewer than 10 µg/L. The review of previous studies shows that the concentration of arsenic in some villages of Iran is higher than the values of this study. For example, the concentration of arsenic has been reported in Takab at 3753 µg/L(Rahimsouri et al., 2012), in Bijar in the range of 0–455 µg/L(Mosaferi et al., 2005), in Khoi at 986 µg/L (Hooshangi et al., 2015), and in Bahar in the range of 5-79.5 µg/L(Touzandejani et al., 2017).

Relationship Between Arsenic Concentration In Water And Hair Of Village Residents

The linear regression test was used to evaluate the correlation between the concentration of arsenic in drinking water and its amount in the hair of all samples of residents of the studied villages, men, women, and non-smoking men grope. The statistical analysis of linear regression results between the annual average concentration of arsenic in drinking water and the amount of arsenic in the hair of the sampled villages showed a strong and significant positive correlation between them (r = 0.884, P_value=0.046). Therefore, with the increasing concentration of arsenic in the drinking water of villages, its biological accumulation in hair has increased significantly. These results are in complete agreement with the previous study conducted in the villages of Bijar (Iran) and five countries of America, Canada, China, Bangladesh, and Nepal, and they have reported a significant relationship between the concentration of arsenic in the water and hair of the residents(Mosaferi et al., 2005; Wilk & Wiszniewska, 2020). Studies conducted in Vietnam in 2014, in Iraq (Karbala) in 2016, and in Pakistan and America in 2019 also show that with the increase in the concentration of arsenic in water, its bioaccumulation in hair has increased, threatening people with Chronic diseases and cancer (Agusa et al., 2014; Baker et al., 2016; Katz, 2019; Rehman et al., 2020).

Based on the linear regression test conducted between the annual average concentration of arsenic in water and hair of female residents of selected villages, it was found that there is a strong and significant positive correlation between them (r = 0.92, P value = 0.023). Therefore, with the increase in the concentration of arsenic in village water, its bioaccumulation in women's hair has increased significantly. However, there is a strong positive correlation between the amount of arsenic in the hair of non-smoking men in selected villages and the concentration of arsenic in water which is not significant (r = 0.81, P-value = 0.09). Therefore, with the increase in the concentration of arsenic in the village’s drinking water, its bioaccumulation in men's hair has increased, although this correlation is not statistically significant. Due to the different agricultural activities and non-continuous presence of men in the villages, the degree of correlation in men is slightly lower than in women and is insignificant. In a study conducted in Cairo, Egypt, in 1999, there was no significant relationship between the amount of arsenic in the hair of women and men, and it was more in children than in adults. Also, there was no significant relationship with the gender of the children(Molina-Villalba et al., 2015). A study in Iraq (Karbala) in 2016 shows that the concentration of arsenic in men is significantly higher than in women(Baker et al., 2016). Therefore, in some studies, the relationship between the concentration of arsenic in drinking water and its bioaccumulation in consumers' hair has been reported to be significant. Sometimes, it has not been reported to be significant.

According to the linear regression test, there is a positive correlation between the amount of arsenic in the hair of male smokers and the concentration of arsenic in the drinking water of the selected villages, and they do not have a statistically significant correlation (r = 0.76, P-value = 0.133). Therefore, it can be said that using cigarettes as an intervening factor has reduced the correlation and its significance. The result is the highest correlation in women and the lowest correlation in male smokers. A study conducted on the population of Pakistan between 2008–2012 and Iraq (Karbala) in 2016 shows a significant difference between the concentration of arsenic in the hair of smokers and non-smokers(Baker et al., 2016; Rehman et al., 2020).

The relationship between the age of people living in villages and the amount of arsenic in their hair

To investigate the relationship between age and the amount of arsenic in the hair of the residents of selected villages, the average amount of arsenic in the hair of different age groups was calculated and shown in Table 2.

Table 2

The average amount of arsenic in the hair of different age groups
Age range (years)	Average age (years)	The average amount of arsenic (µg/L)
0–10	5	0.239
10–20	15	0.239
20–30	25	0.272
30–40	35	0.289
40–50	45	0.357
50–60	55	0.373
60–70	65	0.327

To determine the effect of the age of the residents of the selected villages on the amount of arsenic in the people's hair, the linear regression test was used. It was found that the correlation between the average amount of arsenic in the age groups and their age in all populations and the population under 60 years old, respectively, is good (r = 0.88, P-value = 0.01) and strong (r = 0.96, P-value = 0.002). Therefore, with increasing age, the amount of arsenic in the residents' hair has increased (the amount of arsenic in the residents' hair = 0.0022× age + 0.2224, R² = 0.77). A study conducted in Iran (Bijar) on women with an average age of 30.5 years reported an increase in the amount of arsenic in hair(Mosaferi et al., 2005). A study conducted in India in 2021 also reported that arsenic in people's hair increased with age(Kumar et al., 2021). Therefore, with increasing age, the amount of arsenic accumulation in the residents' hair increases and is consistent with previous studies' results.

The Effect Of Gender On The Amount Of Arsenic In The Residents' Hair:

To determine the effect of gender (male and female) on the amount of arsenic accumulated in the hair of the residents of the villages, an independent t-test was used due to the non-normal distribution of data related to the amount of arsenic in the hair of male and female residents (Kurtosis and skewness coefficients < 2), the logarithm of the data was used in the t-test. Also, the F test was used to compare the data's variance and found a significant difference between the variance of the two groups (F = 0.051 > F = 1.905 Critical one-tail). Therefore, an unequal independent t-test was used, and there was no significant difference between the amount of arsenic in the hair of male and female residents (t stat = 0.46 < t Critical two-tail = 2.01). Therefore, the effect of gender on the amount of arsenic accumulation in the residents' hair is not significant. In a study conducted in Cairo (Egypt) in 1999, it was also reported that there was no significant relationship between the amount of arsenic in the hair of women and men(Saad & Hassanien, 2001). However, in a study conducted in India (Bengal) in 1995, it was reported that the amount of arsenic in women's hair was higher than that of men(Samanta et al., 2004). Also, a study conducted in Spain in 2004 reported that the amount of arsenic in girls' hair was higher than that of boys(Falcó et al., 2006). Therefore, the amount of exposure and consumption of arsenic through water significantly affect the amount of arsenic accumulated in consumers’ hair. It seems that if the activities and amount of water consumption are different in the two genders (male and female), it creates a significant difference in the concentration of arsenic accumulated in the hair of the two genders.

The Effect Of Smoking On The Amount Of Arsenic In The Hair Of Male Residents:

To determine the effect of smoking on the amount of arsenic in the hair of male smokers living in the villages, the independent t-test was used. The amount of arsenic in the hair of male smokers and non-smokers (skewness and Kurtosis coefficients > 2) has a normal distribution. The F test was used to compare the data's variance and found no significant difference between the variances of the two groups (F = 0.188, Critical one-tail = 0.46). Therefore, to determine the effect of smoking on the amount of arsenic in the hair of male smokers living in the villages, an equal independent t-test was used. It was found that there is a significant difference between the amount of arsenic in the hair of male smokers and non-smokers (t Stat = 2.35 < t Critical one-tail = 1.685). In a study conducted in Egypt, it was also reported that there is a significant relationship between smoking and the amount of arsenic in smokers' hair. Also, a study conducted in Iran in 2018 reported that smoking increases the amount of arsenic in hair. Therefore, smoking affects the accumulation of arsenic in the residents' hair(Zazouli et al., 2020).

The effect of the type of geological formations of the region on the concentration of arsenic in the drinking water of villages:

To determine the effect of the region's geological formations on the concentration of arsenic in the drinking water of the villages and its accumulation in the hair of their residents, V₈₁ village was used as a control village located outside the area of the Urmia-Dakhtar volcanic belt. The concentration of arsenic in the hair of its residents was compared with V₁₅ village, a village with a high arsenic concentration in drinking water. The independent t-test was used to compare the amount of arsenic in the hair of residents of V₁₅ and V₈₁villages. The data relating to the amount of arsenic in the hair of residents of V₁₅ and V₈₁ villages (skewness and Kurtosis coefficients < 2) did not have a normal distribution, so the logarithm of their data was used. Also, the F test was used to compare the data's variance and found a significant difference between the variance of the two groups. (F = 1.18 < F Critical one-tail = 2.27). Therefore, the independent t-test was used. It was found that there is a significant difference between the amount of arsenic in the hair of residents of V₁₅ and V₈₁ villages (t stat = 3.92 > t Critical two-tail = 2.03). The study conducted around Urmia Lake in 2012 showed that human intervention in the hydrological and hydrogeological regime of the shores of Lake Urmia had caused the intrusion of salt water into the underground water resources of the shores and its pollution(Iran, 2016; Nakhai et al., 2015). The intrusion and mixing of salt water with fresh underground water and the excessive exploitation of water wells for drinking and agriculture have caused the intrusion of other salts, including arsenic. The intrusion of salty water containing arsenic has caused chemical pollution of the water aquifer(Iran, 2016; Nakhai et al., 2015). Also, the studies conducted on the quality of Urmia Lake sediments indicate high arsenic concentrations in the villages area of V₁₅ (39.1 ppm), V₃₄ (20.4 ppm), and V₅₅ (30.2 ppm). Therefore, it can be concluded that the primary source of arsenic entering drinking water is the region's geological formations and saltwater intrusion from Lake Urmia.

Urmia County is located within the limits of two transformation zones, Sanandaj-Sirjan and Urmia-Dokhtar. In the tectonic zone of Sanandaj-Sirjan, metamorphism, magmatism, and tectonic phenomena have existed successively and in harmony with the tectonic phases known in the world and even in the largest amount, and for this reason, this zone is one of the most unstable and at the same time it is the most dynamic tectonic zone of Iran. In this zone, the gold mines of Zarshouran Takab and the iron mine of Gol Gohar Sirjan are located. Therefore, due to the location of the villages in the south of Urmia County in the volcanic belt of Urmia-Dokhtar and Sanandaj-Sirjan, the introduction of arsenic compounds into their drinking water sources in the geological structure of the region can be justified (Kumar et al., 2021).

It was considered that arsenic causes many complications and problems in its consumers by drinking water with high concentrations. In this study, the concentration of arsenic and its biomonitoring was carried out in selected villages of Urmia County in 2019. Based on this, samples were taken from the drinking water of 80 villages around Urmia County and the control village outside of Urmia County. Then from five villages of Urmia County and a control village for biomonitoring, the hair of 38 people from each village in different age conditions was sampled, and the results it shows that:

- The concentration of arsenic in 7 villages was higher than the standard value (10 µg/L).

- There is a good and significant relationship between the annual average arsenic concentration of drinking water and the amount of arsenic in the hair of the residents of the villages.

- There is a good correlation between age and the amount of arsenic in the hair of the residents of the villages.

- The effect of gender on the concentration of arsenic accumulated on the residents' hair is insignificant.

- The effect of smoking on the bioaccumulation of arsenic in the hair of the residents of the villages is significant.

- There is a significant difference between the amount of arsenic in the hair of the residents of the case (V₁₅) and control (V₈₁) villages. Therefore, the main factor of arsenic entering the drinking water sources of the villages and its accumulation in the hair of the residents of the villages is the volcanic geological formations of the region and the intrusion of salt water from Urmia Lake.

The authors whose names are listed immediately below certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Acknowledgment

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial and technical support provided by the Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

All persons who meet authorship criteria are listed as authors, and all authors certify that they have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for the content, including participation in the concept, design, analysis, writing, or revision of the manuscript. Furthermore, each author certifies that this material or similar material has not been and will not be submitted to or published in any other publication before its appearance in the biodegradation. Authorship contributions Please indicate the specific contributions made by each author.

Term	Definition
Conceptualization	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour, Rogaieh bargeshadi, Sima Karimzade, Hassan Khorsandi
Methodology	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour, Rogaieh bargeshadi, Sima Karimzade
Software	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour, Sima Karimzade,
Validation	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour,
Formal analysis	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour
Investigation	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour, Rogaieh bargeshadi, Sima Karimzade, Hassan Khorsandi
Resources	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour, Rogaieh bargeshadi, Sima Karimzade, Hassan Khorsandi
Data Curation	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour, Rogaieh bargeshadi, Sima Karimzade,
Writing - Original Draft	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour, Rogaieh bargeshadi, Sima Karimzade, Hassan Khorsandi
Writing - Review & Editing	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour, Rogaieh bargeshadi, Sima Karimzade, Hassan Khorsandi
Visualization	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour, Rogaieh bargeshadi, Sima Karimzade, Hassan Khorsandi
Supervision	Ali Ahmad Aghapour
Project administration	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour
Funding acquisition	Rostam Tighafkand, Ali Ahmad Aghapour,

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No competing interests reported.

Investigation of arsenic concentration in drinking water of Urmia County villages and its biological monitoring in the hair of their residents in 2019

Status:

Version 1

Abstract

Figures

Introduction

Materials And Methods

General information on Urmia County

Method

Selection of villages for drinking water sampling:

Selection Of Hair Sample Size From Residents Of Selected Villages

Arsenic analysis in water and hair samples

Methods

Results And Discussion

Relationship Between Arsenic Concentration In Water And Hair Of Village Residents

The Effect Of Gender On The Amount Of Arsenic In The Residents' Hair:

The Effect Of Smoking On The Amount Of Arsenic In The Hair Of Male Residents:

Conclusion

Declarations

References

Additional Declarations

Status:

Version 1