How does arsenic affect the body?
Soluble inorganic arsenic can have immediate toxic effects. Ingestion of large amounts can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms such as severe vomiting, disturbances of the blood and circulation, damage to the nervous system, and eventually death.
Is arsenic harmful to humans?
Exposure to high enough amounts of arsenic can be fatal. Exposure to lower levels of arsenic over longer periods of time can cause skin changes, liver and kidney damage, and a shortage of red and white blood cells, which can lead to fatigue and an increased risk of infections.
What are the 3 types of arsenic?
From both the biological and the toxicological points of view, arsenic compounds can be classified into three major groups: inorganic arsenic compounds; organic arsenic compounds; and arsine gas.
Is arsenic good or bad for you?
Arsenic is highly toxic in its inorganic form. Contaminated water used for drinking, food preparation and irrigation of food crops poses the greatest threat to public health from arsenic. Long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking-water and food can cause cancer and skin lesions.
What does arsenic do to your brain?
Arsenic appears to have toxic effects on neurotransmitters involved in cell-to-cell signaling within the brain. A study of rats demonstrated that arsenic induced regional increases in levels of dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites and also induced a decrease in norepinephrine levels in discrete brain regions.
Is arsenic in rat poison?
While Arsenic is famous for being in rat poison, that is actually a very rare cause of Arsenic poisoning because very rarely is rat poisoning ingested. Instead, Arsenic toxicity is most commonly due to drinking groundwater contaminated with Arsenic.
Which form of arsenic is toxic?
Arsine gas is the most toxic form of arsenic. Inhalation of over 10 ppm is lethal and at concentrations higher than 25 ppm are reported to be lethal in less than an hour after exposure., while over 250ppm is reported to be instantaneously lethal.
What level of arsenic is safe?
In the U.S., to reduce health risks associated with arsenic exposure from drinking water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of arsenic in public drinking water at 10 parts per billion (ppb), and the FDA adopted this level for bottled water as well.
Where does arsenic come from in the world?
Arsenic Factsheet. Arsenic, a naturally occurring element, can combine with either inorganic or organic substances to form many different compounds. Inorganic arsenic compounds are in soils, sediments, and groundwater. These compounds occur either naturally, or as a result of mining, ore smelting, or when using arsenic for industrial purposes.
Are there any real medical uses for arsenic?
Arsenic is also used for asthma, cough, pain, swelling ( inflammation ), and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. Using arsenic can also be unsafe. How does it work? Arsenic is a trace element that occurs naturally in very small amounts in the diet.
Which is more harmful inorganic arsenic or organic arsenic?
Inorganic arsenic is a confirmed carcinogen and is the most significant chemical contaminant in drinking-water globally. Arsenic can also occur in an organic form. Inorganic arsenic compounds (such as those found in water) are highly toxic while organic arsenic compounds (such as those found in seafood) are less harmful to health.
What are the side effects of arsenic in water?
Other forms of arsenic (inorganic arsenic) are LIKELY UNSAFE for children when taken by mouth, especially when used long-term or in high doses. Over time, drinking water contaminated with inorganic arsenic may lead to high blood pressure and problems with memory, attention, and intelligence in children.