1. Arsenic
The Environment, & Your Health
General Information
Arsenic is a naturally occurring compound and is the treatment of leukemia), however, in high doses,
found in the earth’s crust. It is the 20th most abun- arsenic is lethal. Arsenic is used in many industries,
dant element on Earth. About 100 mg of As is including the medical field, copper or lead smelting,
enough to kill a grown person ( about 1/20th of a wood treating, and pesticide application (commonly
teaspoon). Paracelsus once said “poison is in eve- found in rat poison). The application of most con-
rything, and no thing is without poison; the dosage cern to the general public is that of wood which has
makes it either a poison or a remedy.” This is true been treated with chromated copper arsenate
for arsenic; in low dosages, arsenic can have benefi- (CCA) (a form of arsenic).
cial effects (such as the use of arsenic trioxide for
Methods of Exposure Health Effects
Arsenic can be in- The most common Arsenic is a known low birth weight, mal-
gested, inhaled, or sources of exposure carcinogen, and can formations, and death.
absorbed through to arsenic are from increase the risk of
the skin . food, particularly cancer in the skin, Long term arsenic
shellfish, beef, poul- liver, bladder, and exposure can also
Everyone has daily try, grains and dairy lungs. Inhalation of lead to the formation
exposure to arsenic. products as well as inorganic arsenic can of warts and the dark-
When natural or groundwater. increase the risk of ening of the skin.
human activities lung cancer.
have caused greater
than normal amount The presence of arse-
of arsenic to collect nic in pregnant wom-
in the environment, an can have adverse
the risk of develop- affects of the fetus,
ing health problems causing birth defects;
can be increased. the defects rang from
OSHA Standards Treatment
If acute arsenic poisoning is detected, vomit-
“The Occupational Safety and Health Admin-
ing should be induced.
istration (OSHA) has set a permissible expo-
sure limit (PEL) of 10 micrograms of arsenic
For chronic arsenic poisoning, Dimercaprol is
per cubic meter of workplace air (10 µg/m3)
administered intramuscularly at an initial dose
for 8 hour shifts and 40 hour work weeks”
of 3 to 5 mg/kg