**1. Introduction**

#### **1.1. Food and water security: an era of sustainable development**

With the demographic growth, the lack of a culture of water care and the overexploitation of aquifers, the problems of higher levels of arsenic in water for human consumption have

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

increased, and if there is no solution, the problem will be exacerbated and with its impacts on health. Before continuing with the main approach of this chapter, I will integrate an issue that should be mentioned: lack of food security in the people. The food security is the cornerstone for mitigating the effects that arsenic on people's health and to consider the era of sustainable development.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (2015–2013) have been established, leaving behind the millennium development goals, derived from ever more prevailing needs and facing the challenges of the health complexities faced by the population. These are derived from investigations that generate solutions to the great problems of humanity, such as achieving the right to health. Health is a human right, but for this to be achieved, governments must establish the conditions of access to basic services and one of them is access to water and food, among others. The SDGs, which began in 2015, were promoted at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 2012, with the purpose of creating a set of global objectives related to global environmental, economical, political, and social challenges [1].

The SDG are the pillars for the countries promote in their agenda, actions, and strategies to end poverty, to act for the benefit of the environment and the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The 17 SDGs begin with the objective "Eradicating poverty is the pillar and basis of the 2030 Agenda," which is, therefore, the goal number 1 [2]. All the SDGs are interrelated and are conducive to the complexity that is experienced, such as having solutions for the fight against poverty. More than 800 million people still live in poverty, with only 1.25 dollars a day; they have food shortages, as well as water and public services. This increase will generate the need to obtain an income through a work to obtain food, water, health services, and housing [1].Goal #6 corresponds to "Clean water and sanitation" [3], where more than 40% of the population does not have access to potable water, and it is estimated that by 2050, one in four people will not have access to water, which impacts in infectious and diarrheal diseases; and finally, goal #3 "health and well-being" [4] would be integrated, where the figures for diseases derived from the lack of drinking water, food safety, and vaccination, require further research. The line of research that leads the name "*Environmental Nutrition and Food Security,*" whose origin and foundation can be reviewed [5].

The line integrates a model with the interdisciplinary approach and integrating topics that have been fragmented over time, to understand the conditions of environmental impacts such as food safety and water safety in people. Food security is achieved when people always have constant access to adequate food, without creating health risks, and being constant and permanent. It is studied from the pillars of stability, availability, access, and biological incorporation [6]. In this case, studying food safety without considering water safety, would be walking and moving blindly or as if this complexity could be analyzed and understood from a single methodological paradigm or study design type.

impact or manifestations (less risk of developing or manifest an outcome) than populations

**Table 1.** A proposal for an agenda in research based on the 17 SDGs with the research line of "Environmental Nutrition

Partnerships for the goals Institutional links and synergies in actions that lead to address social problems in common, with less cost, inputs and time.

**SDGs Example of the central theme "Arsenic in drinking water in the population"** No poverty Access to public services and water sanitation as well as healthy, local and fresh

Good health and well-being Access to drinking water for the prevention of foodborne diseases, infectious diseases and diarrheal diseases.

Quality education Teaching techniques for the purification of water, the culture of water, as well as occupational risks, to achieve a prevention education.

Gender equality Opportunity for all, considering that women provide water and food in most

Clean water and sanitation Compliance with the law, through the monitoring and supervision of water

Reduced inequalities Opportunities for all, with quality education, gender inclusion and access to public

Occupational health and risk reduction in work areas. Decent Salary.

Sustainable production programs, water treatment plants, rainwater harvesting in

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Construction of recreational spaces, social security. Design and promotion of green

Green industry, use of additives and ingredients that do not cause harm to the

foods.

Cero Hunger Access to drinking water permanently for food preparation.

homes in the world.

quality in homes Affordable and clean energy Harvest of rainwater, use of solar energy to heat water.

companies

services.

spaces

Life below water Care and protection of marine life.

consumer. Climate action Sustainable feeding, care of water and environment.

Life of land Protection of ecosystems and protected areas

Actions to reduce violence.

Decent work and economic

Industry, innovation and

Sustainable cities and communities

Peace, justice and strong

*With permission: Monroy-Torres R.*

Food Safety" and the topic water.

Responsable consumption and

growth

infrastructure

production

institutions

Given this introduction and justification, I share the studies we have done with my research team since 2005 in the State of Guanajuato, Mexico. The difficulties to achieve impact even with the scientific evidence, as well as the proposals and strategies that we have had to raise for this constant search to solve problems with the investigations carried out. While there are many pollutants as conditioning factors to which people are currently exposed, the actions

or people with a poor nutritional status (obesity, low weight, etc.) [7].

The issue of water safety, would carry the following indicators for the 17 sustainable development objectives (**Table 1**) [1], based on the hypothesis that if a person has a good nutritional status derived from food security, environmental stressors (water contaminated with lead, arsenic, for example), respiratory exposures, viruses or bacteria in food would have less


increased, and if there is no solution, the problem will be exacerbated and with its impacts on health. Before continuing with the main approach of this chapter, I will integrate an issue that should be mentioned: lack of food security in the people. The food security is the cornerstone for mitigating the effects that arsenic on people's health and to consider the era of sustainable

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (2015–2013) have been established, leaving behind the millennium development goals, derived from ever more prevailing needs and facing the challenges of the health complexities faced by the population. These are derived from investigations that generate solutions to the great problems of humanity, such as achieving the right to health. Health is a human right, but for this to be achieved, governments must establish the conditions of access to basic services and one of them is access to water and food, among others. The SDGs, which began in 2015, were promoted at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 2012, with the purpose of creating a set of global objectives related to global environmental, economical, political, and

The SDG are the pillars for the countries promote in their agenda, actions, and strategies to end poverty, to act for the benefit of the environment and the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The 17 SDGs begin with the objective "Eradicating poverty is the pillar and basis of the 2030 Agenda," which is, therefore, the goal number 1 [2]. All the SDGs are interrelated and are conducive to the complexity that is experienced, such as having solutions for the fight against poverty. More than 800 million people still live in poverty, with only 1.25 dollars a day; they have food shortages, as well as water and public services. This increase will generate the need to obtain an income through a work to obtain food, water, health services, and housing [1].Goal #6 corresponds to "Clean water and sanitation" [3], where more than 40% of the population does not have access to potable water, and it is estimated that by 2050, one in four people will not have access to water, which impacts in infectious and diarrheal diseases; and finally, goal #3 "health and well-being" [4] would be integrated, where the figures for diseases derived from the lack of drinking water, food safety, and vaccination, require further research. The line of research that leads the name "*Environmental Nutrition and Food Security,*" whose origin and foundation can be reviewed [5]. The line integrates a model with the interdisciplinary approach and integrating topics that have been fragmented over time, to understand the conditions of environmental impacts such as food safety and water safety in people. Food security is achieved when people always have constant access to adequate food, without creating health risks, and being constant and permanent. It is studied from the pillars of stability, availability, access, and biological incorporation [6]. In this case, studying food safety without considering water safety, would be walking and moving blindly or as if this complexity could be analyzed and understood from

The issue of water safety, would carry the following indicators for the 17 sustainable development objectives (**Table 1**) [1], based on the hypothesis that if a person has a good nutritional status derived from food security, environmental stressors (water contaminated with lead, arsenic, for example), respiratory exposures, viruses or bacteria in food would have less

a single methodological paradigm or study design type.

development.

42 Arsenic - Analytical and Toxicological Studies

social challenges [1].

**Table 1.** A proposal for an agenda in research based on the 17 SDGs with the research line of "Environmental Nutrition Food Safety" and the topic water.

impact or manifestations (less risk of developing or manifest an outcome) than populations or people with a poor nutritional status (obesity, low weight, etc.) [7].

Given this introduction and justification, I share the studies we have done with my research team since 2005 in the State of Guanajuato, Mexico. The difficulties to achieve impact even with the scientific evidence, as well as the proposals and strategies that we have had to raise for this constant search to solve problems with the investigations carried out. While there are many pollutants as conditioning factors to which people are currently exposed, the actions and approach of arsenic from the approach of environmental nutrition and food security, and water can be triggers for a new and different way of decrease the damage to the health with the different pollutants:

phosphate [13]. In food, the organic form is the most frequent and is most susceptible to elimination, except for some types of fish, crustaceans, and algae, in most foods (fruits, vegetables, cereals, meats, etc.) that have arsenic concentration lower than 0.25 mg/kg [13]. After ingestion, arsenic is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, then passes into the portal circulation

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The metabolism of arsenic depends on various reduction and methylation reactions in which enzymes and compounds such as s-adenosylmethionine (SAM), arsenic methyltransferase (AS3MT), glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) participate. Initially, GSH participates in the reduction of AsV to AsIII, which is pH dependent and is influenced by the presence of other substances that can be reduced or oxidized; subsequently, the AS3MT participates in the transfer of a methyl group of the SAM enzyme to the trivalent inorganic arsenic to generate MMA(V) Ácido monometilarsónico (monomethylarsonic acid), this compound is reduced to MMA(III) Ácido metilarsenioso (monomethylarsonous acid) by the action of a specific reductase and in this reaction participate the AS3MT, the GSH, and the GSSH, between other compounds; MMAIII enters a methylation reaction to generate DMA(V) Ácido dimetilarsínico (dimethylarsinic acid), and finally, DMAV can be reduced to DMA(III) Ácido dimetilarsenioso (dimethylars-

inous acid). These reactions are carried out regardless of the route of absorption [13, 15].

The excretion of As is variable among people; it will depend on the time and dose of exposure to As, as well as the efficiency of the methylation reactions [8]. It is known that the ability to meet arsenic is saturated when the ingestion exceeds 0.5 mg/d [16]. The main metabolites found in urine after acute or chronic exposure to arsenic are inorganic arsenic, MMA and DMA [8, 17], residual As can also be found in keratinized tissues (skin, hair, and nails), where the presence of arsenic in these tissues has a significant association with chronic exposure to metalloid [15]. Although in general, the presence of arsenic in urine is considered an indicator of acute exposure, it has been found that in prolonged exposures arsenic levels in urine are

That is why the presence of arsenic in urine is considered a reliable marker of chronic exposure to As. It is known that the usual consumption of arsenic varies between 5 and 25 μg/d, and the excretion of arsenic in urine is usually less than 25 μg in 24-hour urine. It has been reported that after a consumption of seafood products, the concentration of arsenic in urine can increase to 300 μg in 24 hours, however, this concentration will decrease after 1 day to <25 μg in 24-hour urine [18]. An excretion rate greater than 1000 μg in 24-hour urine is a sign

Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic causes, mainly, skin lesions, cancer of the bladder, kidney, lungs, and liver. Keratosis and changes in skin pigmentation are recognized signs of chronic exposure to arsenic, while melanosis is a sign associated with acute exposure [8, 21]. Cumulative doses in adults of 0.10 mg/kg/d are related to signs of chronic intoxication and usually appear after 2–8 weeks of exposure. It also causes alterations in intestinal

and reaches the liver.

**1.5. Excretion**

maintained and increase [8].

of significant exposure to As [19, 20].

**1.6. Effects of acute and chronic exposure: signs and symptoms**

*"Time to give focus to public health and with it the promotion of food security as a strategy to mitigate the effects and risks to health"*
