Abstract

HURTADO-JIMENEZ, Roberto  and  GARDEA-TORRESDEY, Jorge. Evaluation of the exposure to selenium in Los Altos de Jalisco, México. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2007, vol.49, n.4, pp.312-315. ISSN 0036-3634.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the exposure to selenium in drinking water in Los Altos de Jalisco (Jalisco State Heights). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The concentration of selenium was determined in 125 water wells, and the exposure doses to selenium were estimated for babies, children and adults. RESULTS: The estimated values of the exposure doses to selenium and total intake of selenium were in the following ranges, respectively: (a) babies: 1.3-6.7 µg/kg/d and 12.6-67.2 µg/d; (b) children: 0.8-4.5 µg/kg/d and 16.8-89.6 µg/d, (c) adults: 0.6-3.0 µg/kg/d and 33.6-179.2 µg/d. CONCLUSIONS: The estimated exposure levels to selenium were higher than those recommended as optimum by international health organizations, representing a potential health risk. Nevertheless, estimated values are not high enough to produce selenosis.

Keywords : selenium; waterborne diseases; drinking water; Los Altos de Jalisco; Mexico.

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