Low-dose exposure to arsenic from drinking water in the womb can cause problems in lung development which may increase the risk of chronic respiratory infections in childhood.

Mice exposed to the same levels of arsenic in drinking water as many humans showed abnormal lung development and structural damage significant enough to cause problems later in life.

While tap water in Australia is closely monitored for arsenic, the consumption of untreated bore water in rural and regional areas is a largely unexplored source of arsenic exposure.

Researchers will now try to identify the concentration at which arsenic causes detectable changes in lung growth so they can better inform public health policies on water quality.