Arsenic levels in humans and water sources for human consumption in Peru: A systematic review

Victorio R.L.A.; Chumpitazi K.S.A.; Vargas-Fernández R.; Visconti-Lopez F.J.; Comandé D.; Hernández-Vásquez A. · South sustainability (2026) · DOI: 10.21142/ss-0701-2026-e143

Resumen

In Peru, the high toxicity of arsenic constitutes a public health issue; however, data on its presence in water and human biomarkers is limited. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the evidence regarding reported arsenic levels in humans and drinking water in Peru. A systematic search was conducted on July 19, 2024, across eight databases (PubMed, WOS Core Collection, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, CABI, LILACS and SciELO) using the search terms "Arsenic poisoning", "Arsenicals", "Arsenic" and "Peru". We included studies that contained data on reported arsenic levels in humans and drinking water. Our search identified 967 records, of which 21 were studies: 11 focused on human biomarkers (urine, blood, hair, nails and breast milk); 8 on water samples (groundwater, surface water and potable water), and; 2 studies addressed both scenarios. The highest concentrations of arsenic in humans were reported in Tacna, Junín and Apurímac, whereas the highest concentrations in water samples were observed in Puno, Junín, Lima, Ucayali and Tacna. Human studies reported arsenic concentrations ranging from 5.27 µg/L in urine to levels exceeding 424 µg/L; in blood, values ranged from 0.64 µg/L to 1.43 µg/dL. In water samples, average arsenic concentrations ranged from 12.2 µg/L to 54.5 µg/L, surpassing the established reference limits. These findings indicate high arsenic levels, underscoring the need to strengthen surveillance systems and implement mitigation strategies tailored to the specific conditions of each region. Our systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022375707). © Los autores, 2026.

Instituciones: Universidad Científica del Sur; Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola