[Investigation of chronic arsenic poisoning caused by high arsenic coal pollution]

This article reports the results of an investigation on environmental arsenic pollution and chronic arsenic poisoning in a rural area. Exploitation of high arsenic coal caused drinking and irrigating water to be polluted by arsenic and burning of this coal caused severe environmental arsenic pollution including air, food, soil and drinking well water. 1548 villagers in 47 villages suffered from chronic arsenic poisoning who used this coal in daily life. The polluted air and food were mainly responsible, while the polluted drinking water and skin absorption played some part in poisoning. When arsenic level in coal is as high as 100mg/kg, we should consider the possibility of environmental arsenic pollution and chronic arsenic poisoning in exposed population. The high arsenic coal's distribution is very uneven. When controlling the disease, it is important to remember monitoring the quantity of arsenic coal outside the arsenic coal mining area.