ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Using DPSEEA Framework to Investigate
the Relation between Arsenic Concentration
Values in Waters and Cancer Rates
in AP Vojvodina (North Serbia)
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1
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Geography, Studentski trg 3/3, Serbia
2
University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management,
Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, Serbia
3
Military Geographical Institute, Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, Mije Kovačevića 5, Serbia
Submission date: 2021-08-31
Final revision date: 2021-11-07
Acceptance date: 2021-11-13
Online publication date: 2022-02-24
Publication date: 2022-04-06
Corresponding author
Emina Kričković
Department of Geospatial and Environmental Protection, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Geography, Studentski trg 3/3, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(3):2117-2129
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ABSTRACT
Naturally high arsenic concentrations are characteristic for the ground water of the Pannonian
Basin which covers parts of Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovakia. The aim of this study
is to empirically test the relation between arsenic concentration values in water and cancer rates (lung
and bladder cancer) using the well-established cause-effect framework (model) of Driving
force–Pressure–State–Exposure–Effect–Action (DPSEEA) and systematically collected data
in the AP Vojvodina (Northern Serbia). Two models were tested in this study. The first one
was the Three-Element Model used for analysing the linkage between the state element (arsenic
concentration values), the exposure element (water access), and the effect element (cancer rates).
The second model was the Effect-Action Model for the analysis of the association between the effect
element (cancer rates) and the action element (monitoring intensity). Both models confirm the intrinsic
validity of the four elements of the DPSEEA framework. A linear function tested in the second
model suggests that the association is not a simple, linear relationship between the four elements,
but rather a more complex interaction. Research in this field may find a wider application in improving
the health care management in Serbia.