It seems that arsenic has a role in the metabolism of the amino acid methionine and in gene silencing (Uthus, 2003). Other work suggests that it has a positive interaction with the more important micronutrient selenium (Zeng et al, 2005).
Why is arsenic important to humans?
It could play a role in the development of diabetes, cancer, vascular disease and lung disease. The Food and Drug Administration says that long-term exposure to high levels of arsenic is associated with higher rates of skin cancer , bladder cancer and lung cancer, as well as heart disease.
What are the uses for arsenic?
Arsenic and arsenic compounds have been produced and used commercially for centuries. Current and historical uses of arsenic include pharmaceuticals, wood preservatives, agricultural chemicals , and applications in the mining, metallurgical, glass-making, and semiconductor industries.
Does arsenic cure anything?
Arsenic is a natural metalloid chemical that may be present in groundwater. Ingestion only poses health problems if a dangerous amount of arsenic enters the body. Then, it can lead to cancer, liver disease, coma, and death. Treatment involves bowel irrigation, medication, and chelation therapy .
Is arsenic good for the environment?
In general, inorganic forms of arsenic are more toxic to the environment than organic forms and, among inorganic forms, arsenite is more toxic than arsenate. ... Arsenic compounds cause short-term and long-term effects in individual plants and animals and in populations and communities of organisms.
What is the most common use of arsenic?
Arsenic is used as a doping agent in semiconductors (gallium arsenide) for solid-state devices. It is also used in bronzing, pyrotechnics and for hardening shot. Arsenic compounds can be used to make special glass and preserve wood.
What are the symptoms of arsenic?
The immediate symptoms of acute arsenic poisoning include vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea . These are followed by numbness and tingling of the extremities, muscle cramping and death, in extreme cases.
What foods are high in arsenic?
The highest levels of arsenic (in all forms) in foods can be found in seafood, rice, rice cereal (and other rice products), mushrooms, and poultry, although many other foods, including some fruit juices, can also contain arsenic.
Does arsenic cause hair loss?
Being slowly poisoned can lead to hair loss. Poisons that can cause hair loss include arsenic, thallium, mercury, and lithium. If you ingest a large amount of warfarin, which is found in rat poisons, it can also cause hair loss. Taking large amounts of vitamin A or selenium is also toxic and can cause hair loss.
What does arsenic taste like?
“ Arsenic has no taste, smell or color . It is in foods and beverages, drinking water, soil, pressure treated wood and cigarettes. Learn about the potential sources of arsenic in your daily life, and make simple changes to keep your arsenic exposure as low as possible to protect your long-term health.”
Does arsenic accumulate in the body?
Arsenic is not absorbed very well through the skin. Arsenic does not usually accumulate (build up) in the body . ... Most of the arsenic absorbed by the body is passed out in urine (pee) Some of the arsenic is deposited inside the hair and nails, and leaves the body as the hair and nails grow.
Does arsenic occur naturally?
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is found in combination with either inorganic or organic substances to form many different compounds. ... Organic arsenic compounds are found mainly in fish and shellfish.
What color is arsenic?
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element. In the pure form, it is a silver-gray, semi-metallic substance that tarnishes in air. However, arsenic is found in nature in various inorganic and organic compounds. Inorganic and organic arsenic compounds are white in color, and have no smell or special taste.
Is arsenic essential for human life?
In fact, if arsenic is essential for humans, its recommended daily intake would be little different from selenium, which is so important that evolution incorporated it into the rare amino acid selenocysteine—the crucial component of the antioxidizing selenoproteins that help to repair other proteins from oxidative ...
How common is arsenic?
Approximately 7 percent of wells in the U.S. are thought to have arsenic levels above the current EPA standard of 10 ppb. Arsenic levels in the U.S. tend to be higher in rural communities in the Southwest, Midwest, and Northeast. The levels of arsenic in countries like Bangladesh have been measured at over 3,000 ppb.
What exactly is arsenic?
Arsenic is a crystalline metalloid found in the Earth’s crust , but in its free form it is quite rare. ... Arsenopyrite (FeAsS), an iron arsenic sulfide, also called mispickel, is the most common mineral from which arsenic is obtained, according to Los Alamos.
