Introduction Arsenic (As) is a known carcinogen commonly found in drinking water. An emerging body of evidence suggests that exposure to inorganic arsenic may be associated with non-malignant respiratory disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is an association between As exposure at levels seen among workers in the United States and prevalence of asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and respiratory symptoms.

Methods Urinary As was collected from 5365 participants from the combined 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cohorts. Two methods to adjust for organic As component were incorporated into the statistical model. Linear and logistic regression models compared urinary As adjusted for organic As with diagnoses of obstructive pulmonary disease and respiratory symptoms.

Results Geometric mean concentration of urinary As were not significantly different between participants with and those without asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Odds of having asthma was 0.71 for participants with the highest quintile of urinary As (≥17.23 µg/dl) when compared to the lowest quintile (≤3.52 µg/dl). A significant association was found between increasing urinary As concentration and decreasing age, male gender, and non-’white’ race.

Conclusion A significant association between urinary As and obstructive pulmonary disease and symptoms was not demonstrated in the U.S. working population