Jan. 12, 2009
More cases of high levels of arsenic have been found in Blackville residents but they don't pose a health risk, says an official with the Department of Health.
Regional medical officer Dr. Denis Allard was busy answering questions Friday as he spoke to Blackville village council in a conference call and later held one with the media to address concerns over the recent cases of elevated arsenic levels.
During the call with the media, Allard said tests were done before Christmas and although they are still waiting for all of the results, three more people show higher than normal levels of arsenic in their systems.
"Some of the results are starting to trickle in."
The latest test results bring the number of people in Blackville who have tested positive for elevated arsenic levels since May to seven, with the first four living in the Digby Street/Shaeffer Lane.
Allard could not confirm if the latest cases were also in the same area.
During the call, Allard said only one person tested so far in Blackville has shown symptoms related to arsenic and investigators usually look at symptoms before they make a link to toxicity.
"It's just preliminary results."
Arsenic can be classified as either organic or inorganic, with the inorganic form considered to be the most toxic.
Organic arsenic is sometimes found in food, most often in seafood or shellfish, and Health Canada does not consider it to be of concern to human health, but it is an issue they have addressed in the past.
Last March, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Loblaws issued a recall of two brands of pear juice found to have higher than normal levels of organic arsenic.
Health Canada told the public they consider short-term exposure as a period of several weeks to several months. They consider long-term exposure to be several years or decades.
Allard said investigators are looking at possible food sources of the arsenic, but Blackville residents have tested with high levels of the organic form and people shouldn't worry about it because the body is able to excrete organic arsenic quickly, unlike the inorganic form.
"If it's food it would be organic and we would not expect to see any symptoms of it."
With the three new cases, however, investigators have only confirmed one had elevated levels of organic arsenic because they jut have a total level which doesn't differentiate between the forms, he said.
"The two other cases we just have a total on the urine so we're still waiting for the lab to provide us with the differentiation."
Allard didn't know what effect prolonged exposure to organic arsenic would have and said he can only go by Health Canada's guidelines.
"I feel if it was a concern they wouldn't put this sort of statement on their website."
Although there are many possible food sources, the investigation's focus is on seafood, which has been known for a long time to contain arsenic, he said.
"That's all I know."
Allard said they will keep testing to try to find a source of the arsenic, even if it isn't a health concern and he hasn't heard when they will stop the investigation.
"I cannot say right now when we're gonna stop."
Blackville councillor Jake Stewart attended the conference call held with the village and said it shouldn't take so long for people to get answers about the arsenic cases.
"It should be a priority."
During the call, council was told they will get more information next week, but people want answers now, Stewart said.
"The whole thing is really grey right now."
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