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A Small Dose of Arsenic
- An Introduction into the Health Effects of Arsenic
Arsenic Dossier
Name: Arsenic
- Use: wood preservative, pesticides, semiconductor manufacturing
- Source: coal combustion, drinking water, environment, medical drug, seafood
- Recommended daily intake: none (not essential)
- Absorption: inhalation, intestine - inorganic high, organic low, skin
- Sensitive individuals: children
- Toxicity/symptoms: peripheral nervous system (tingling in hands in feet), skin cancer (ingestion), lung cancer (inhalation); hyperpigmentation (keratosis) of palms and soles; vascular complications
- Regulatory facts: EPA - Drinking water 10 µg/L (0.01 ppm, 10 ppb)
- EPA - RfD - 0.3 µg/kg/day
- OSHA - Workplace air 10 µg/m3
- ATSDR - MRL - 0.3 µg/kg/day
- General facts: long history of use as medicine and poison
- Environmental: global environmental contaminant, bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish (mostly in a form that is not harmful)
- Recommendations: avoid, do not use arsenic-treated lumber, test drinking water
Arsenic Chapter
PowerPoint Presentation
More Information and References
European, Asian, and International Agencies
- World Health Organization. Arsenic in Drinking Water Fact Sheet.
North American Agencies
- Health Canada. Arsenic in Drinking Water. Health Canada provides information on the health effects of arsenic in drinking water.
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Arsenic Compounds. EPA site has general information and research on arsenic.
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Integrated Risk Information System: Inorganic Arsenic. Site contains EPA's risk assessment evaluation of inorganic arsenic.
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program. Site has information on arsenic release in the US.
- US Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry. Toxicology Profile Series: Arsenic.
- US National Research Council. Arsenic in Drinking Water: 2001 Update. The NRC report on arsenic can be accessed from the their website.
- US Geological Services (USGS). Arsenic in Groundwater. Site contains a map of United States showing arsenic in water.
Non-Government Organizations
- SOS Arsenic Poisoning In Bangladesh/India. Information in English, German, Spanish, and French on arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh and India.
References
- "Environmentally healthy homes and communities. Children's special vulnerabilities." Am Nurse, 33, 6 (2001): 26-38; quiz 39-40.
- Hall, A. H. "Chronic arsenic poisoning". Toxicol Lett, 128, 1-3 (2002): 69-72.
- Jiang, J. Q. "Removing arsenic from groundwater for the developing world—a review". Water Sci Technol, 44, 6 (2001): 89-98.
- Liu, J., et al. (2002). "Chronic arsenic poisoning from burning high-arseniccontaining coal in Guizhou, China". Environ Health Perspect, 110, 2 (2002): 119- 122.
- Pott, W. A., Benjamin, S. A., and R. S. Yang. "Pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and carcinogenicity of arsenic". Rev Environ Contam Toxicol, 169, (2001): 165-214.
- Rahman, M. M., et al. "Chronic arsenic toxicity in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India--a review and commentary". J Toxicol Clin Toxicol, 39, 7 (2001): 683-700.
- Smith, A. H., Lingas, E. O., and M. Rahman. "Contamination of drinking-water by arsenic in Bangladesh: a public health emergency". Bull World Health Organ, 78, 9 (2000): 1093-1103.
- WHO. "Towards an Assessment of Socioeconomic Impact of Arsenic Poisoning in Bangladesh". World Health Organization, Sustainable Development and Healthy Environments, WHO/SDE/WSH/00.4, (2000): 1-42.
- Yu, H. S., et al. "Environmental and occupational skin diseases in Taiwan". J Dermatol, 28, 11 (2001): 628-631.
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