Arsenic is an element found in nature, in minerals, in rocks and which can enter the air, water and soil.
The presence of arsenic in mineral waters has been regulated, over the years, by many legislative provisions.
Arsenic is considered a human carcinogen and a natural contaminant of groundwater.
For this reason it was established that (1):
- water is not a commercial product like any other but, rather, a heritage which must be protected, defended and treated as such
- arsenic (and its compounds) it is one of the main water pollutants
In particular, as regards the natural mineral waters in its state at source, they may undergo treatments for the removal of arsenic by separation with ozone-enriched air (2).
USA. The federal limit for arsenic in bottled water is 10 parts per billion. The methods are those published in the latest edition of the American Public Health Association's "Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater". However in the United States, up to 14% of the population depends on private wells as a primary source of drinking water. The US government does not regulate contaminants in private wells (5).
EUROPE. The maximum limit of the concentration of arsenic present in mineral waters, set by the European Community regulation, is 10 micrograms/liter (3). Exceeding this maximum limit may present a health risk.
The most recent studies
Epidemiological studies have shown that intake of drinking water with high levels of arsenic (>100μg/L) is associated with risk for cardiovascular diseases (5).
Based on the relevant epidemiological studies with individual-level data, a threshold level for inorganic arsenic in the drinking water for these cancers is estimated to be around 100µg/L, with strong evidence that it is between 50 and 150µg/L, consistent with the value calculated based on mechanistic, in vitro and in vivo investigations (6).
Older people between the ages of 75 and 80 have been particularly vulnerable to the risk of cancer caused by arsenic (7).
