Arsenic



1.**WHAT IS ARSENIC?** Arsenic is a chemical and a semi-metal element. Its unscented and flavorless.It is widely distributed in the Earths crust. Elemental arsenic is a steel grey metal-like material.

2. **HOW AND WHY ARE THEY USED?** It is used as a poisonous metalliod including many forms. But its also found in medicine. During the 18th, 19th, and 20th century the number of it was found in arsphenamine and arsenic trioxide. Today it is used in about 90% of wood preservative. Another use is commercial products. Like for paints and pigments, and cattle and sheep dips. Another use is industrial processes, microwave devices, lasers.

3. **HOW DOES IT ENTER THE ENVIRONMENT?** Arsenic can be released into the environment from metal smelting and coal burning.

4. **HOW CAN HUMANS BE EXPOSED TO ARSENIC?** Humans can be exposed to the chemical by eating good, drinking water, or even inhaled in air. Arsenic is listed as a hazardous air pollutant because its a substance that may increase mortality or serious illness in humans after significant exposure. Also at one point ants poison containing sodium arsenate were band because it harmed small children.

5. **HOW DOES IT AFFECT HUMAN HEALTH?** When breathed into the lungs 80-90% is absorbed Children and young adults can be exposed by ingesting soil.Depending on the amount of dose in humans can be 2 to 20 mg/kg body weight per day. High doses can lead to stomach and intestines.

6. **HOW LIKELY IS IT TO CAUSE CANCER?** Studies show that arsenic concentration found in drinking water increase skin, bladder, liver, kidney, and lung cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stated inorganic arsenic as human carcinogen.The number of death among workers exposed by inhalation of this chemical increases with the duration and intensity of exposure.

7. **IS THERE A MEDICAL TEST TO SHOW WHETHER SOMEONE HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO ARSENIC?** There are tests to show the portions in your hair, blood, urine, and fingernails. The exams verify exposure to levels of arsenic,but cannot predict whether the arsenic levels in your body will affect your health.There is also urinery excretion, but because urinary levels of arsenic may drop rapidly in the first 24 to 48 hours after short term exposure, the laboratory needs to obtain a urine specimen for arsenic analysis promptly. Depending on the patients clinical state, test may include the following: urinalysis, chest radiograph,ECG, liver function test and many more.

8.**WHAT KIND OF RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE BY THE FEDERAL GOV'T TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH?** There was a case in 2006 where many people in Bangladesh suffered from drinking water that contained arsenic. It was reffered to as "The Devils Water". Many people were infected with arsenicosis. They thought the water they drank was safe. It was a disaster, but the worse part was that the situation went out of control because the government tried to hide it.The government took a geological survey and it cost millions of dollars, which said that the water was safe. It took about eight years for the government to finally state that arsenic was infact inthe waters of Bangladesh. The problem was never completely resolved. People are continuing to suffer but its not stated what is exactly being done to try and resolve this problem.

9. **ANY CASE STUDIES?** A fair-skinned, 35-year-old male is referred to the clinic for evaluation. In the past 3 weeks, it is painful, burning, and he has weakness when gripping. On laboratory evaluation, the complete blood count shows macrocytic anemia with hematocrit 35% and mean corpuscular value 111 femtoliters. White blood cell count is 4.3 × 103/mm3 the differential reveals moderate elevation of eosinophils at 9%. Occasional basophilic stippling is noted on the peripheral smear. Liver transaminases are slightly elevated. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and urinalysis are normal.

10. **WHAT IS ATSDR? HSEES? ATSDR-** Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ATSDR serves the public by using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health information to prevent harmful exposures and diseases related to toxic substances.
 * HSEES-**Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance system was established by ATSDR. It was established to find out more about hazardous substances that are being released that harms humans health. The goal of this system is to reduce injury and death rate that results from hazardous sustances events.There are states like Florida, Iowa and many more who use the HSEES system.

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