Long-term exposure to arsenic can cause more severe symptoms. You should seek emergency help if you experience any of the following after a suspected arsenic exposure:. According to the World Health Organization , long-term symptoms tend to occur in the skin first, and can show up within five years of exposure.
Cases of extreme poisoning may lead to death. Contaminated groundwater is the most common cause of arsenic poisoning. Arsenic is already present in the earth and can seep into groundwater. Also, groundwater can contain runoff from industrial plants. Drinking arsenic-laden water over a long period of time can lead to poisoning.
Arsenic poisoning must be diagnosed by a doctor. This will not only help you get the proper treatment, but your doctor can also help you figure out the underlying cause so you can limit future exposure. Urine tests are most commonly used in cases of acute exposure that has happened within a few days.
According to the U. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , all other tests measure long-term exposure of at least six months. The downside to any of these tests is that they can measure high amounts of arsenic in the body only.
Still, knowing whether you have high levels of arsenic in the body can help you make changes to your lifestyle, if needed. The best way to treat the condition is to eliminate arsenic exposure.
Full recovery may not happen for weeks or months. The severity of your symptoms can also play a role. Vitamin E and selenium supplements have been used as alternative remedies to limit the effects of arsenic exposure. At a very high, single dose arsenic can cause severe shock, general paralysis, delirium and then death within a few hours. At a somewhat lower dose the primary symptoms are nausea, headache, intense gastrointestinal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. This can be followed by extensive gastrointestinal bleeding, loss of blood pressure and a decrease in brain function followed by death.
These effects are rare except in cases of intentional poisoning or suicides. Workers and others who have been exposed to arsenic over long periods of time, principally by breathing it or ingesting it, can exhibit symptoms that include melanosis, a change in pigmentation of the skin similar to freckling; hyperkeratosis, an extensive thickening of the skin, especially the palms of the hands and soles of the feet; damage to heart and blood vessels; a decrease in both red and white blood cell production; and severe inflammation of the liver.
These symptoms are also seen in people who live in regions where drinking water contains between and 1, parts per billion of arsenic. Drinking-water arsenic at these levels is also associated with an increased risk of diabetes mellitis type 2 or adult-onset diabetes , with damage to heart and blood vessels and, in some areas of the world, a condition called blackfoot disease.
Arsenic is cleared from the body quickly, so the most important remedy for arsenic poisoning is eliminating exposure. The most serious effects of arsenic, such as cancer and diabetes, are believed to require long, continuous exposures perhaps lasting 20 years or more.
In cases of extreme poisoning, chemical compounds called chelating agents can be used as an antidote. Medical tests can detect arsenic in the human body, but these tests are not part of a routine physical.
They may be ordered when there is reason to suspect a person has received a harmful dose of arsenic. The body routinely excretes arsenic in urine, so a urine test may show whether a person is taking in harmful amounts of arsenic. But since the body metabolizes and eliminates arsenic quickly, a urine test is not useful in telling if someone has taken in arsenic in the past. Hair, fingernails and toenails are made primarily of keratin — a stable protein that contains sulfur — so they provide a good means of detecting arsenic exposure in people.
Hair and nails grow slowly over time, leaving a record of arsenic exposure for six months to a year. Toenail arsenic is considered the most accurate measure of exposure information because, unlike hair and fingernails, they are less susceptible to contamination from arsenic in soaps, shampoos, air pollution and other sources in the environment.
One way the EPA controls the safety of public water supplies is by setting and enforcing a safety standard, or Maximum Contaminant Level MCL , for drinking water pollutants. The MCL for arsenic of 50 parts per billion was set in , when far less was known about the effects of arsenic on human health.
Most other countries of the western world have a current MCL for arsenic of 10 parts per billion. The EPA asked the National Research Council NRC , an independent committee of scientists from the National Academy of Sciences who evaluate scientific problems to guide policy in the United States, to do a detailed review of the scientific literature on arsenic and to make recommendations regarding a new drinking water standard. In January , after a period of review and comment, the EPA recommended a new standard of 10 parts per billion, which was signed into law by President Clinton.
In March , implementation of this new standard was revoked by the new Bush Administration pending further scientific and policy review. The NRC was asked to update its review, and it issued its revised report in September This report concluded that there is even more compelling evidence from the most recent studies that drinking water arsenic has measurable human health effects at or evens below the current U.
On October 31, , after reviewing the new analysis, EPA once again recommended a standard of 10 part per billion. Once a new standard is put in place, it will be implemented by public water supplies over the next decade. It is important to know that the EPA does not regulate private well owners or by states, so people who draw their drinking water from private supplies are responsible for monitoring its quality and safety themselves.
In many areas of the U. A recent study by Dartmouth researchers found that approximately 40 percent of the residents of New Hampshire use water from a private well, and approximately one-fifth of those wells contain water with arsenic levels above 3 parts per billion. One in ten wells was found to be above the proposed new standard of 10 parts per billion. In some cases, well water contained arsenic at levels considerably higher than the current standard of 50 parts per billion.
It is important for private well owners to have their water tested for arsenic and other contaminants. If arsenic levels are found to be high, homeowners can decide whether to install a system to remove arsenic or to switch to an alternative drinking water source.
Current evidence suggests that other uses of this water bathing, washing clothes, etc. Arsenic dissolved in drinking water cannot be detected by sight, smell or taste, so the only way to tell if arsenic is present is to have the water tested by a laboratory. Public water suppliers are required by federal law to test for arsenic and to take measures to ensure that water does not contain levels of arsenic that exceed federal safety set by the U. Federal drinking water regulations do not require private well owners to test or remediate their water however.
People who use private wells near concentrated sources of arsenic such as waste sites or in regions of the United States where there are geological sources of arsenic should have their drinking water tested by a certified lab.
For a list of certified labs, phone your state environmental services department, or the equivalent state agency. Water treatment devices are currently available and can be installed on a single water faucet point-of-use system or on a plumbing system that serves an entire residence whole-house system.
Another option is to use bottled water for drinking and cooking. A third solution is to connect to a public water supply, or to construct a new well, though the possibility of tapping another arsenic-rich source should be evaluated.
Contact your state department of environmental services for advice on finding water treatment equipment and services. What is Arsenic? Arsenic Fact Sheet In nature arsenic is usually found in sedimentary or igneous rock joined to or mixed with other elements, such as oxygen. Why Are we Concerned About Arsenic?
Source: Harvard Arsenic Project Until recently, arsenic was believed to be a concern primarily for workers who produced or used arsenic-containing products. Source: Harvard Arsenic Project. There are trace amounts of arsenic almost everywhere — in ocean water and in soil, in the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe.
Winchester Hospital was the first community hospital in the state to achieve Magnet designation, recognition for nursing excellence. Learn why. Our tremendous staff gives back to our community by coordinating free health screenings, educational programs, and food drives. Learn more. A leading indicator of our success is the feedback we get from our patients. Arsenic toxicity is exposure to toxic amounts of arsenic.
It has no smell or taste. If you suspect you have been exposed to arsenic, contact your doctor right away. Arsenic occurs naturally in soil and minerals, and may enter the air, water, and soil. It is also used:. Some people are more likely to be exposed to arsenic, but it can occur in anyone. Factors that may increase your chance of arsenic exposure include:.
In addition, children may be more susceptible than adults to the health effects of arsenic. There is some evidence that arsenic exposure may harm pregnant women and their unborn babies. Ingesting high levels of arsenic can result in death. Arsenic has also been linked to increased risks of cancer of the lung , skin , bladder , liver , kidney , and prostate. Symptoms of acute arsenic exposure generally occur within minutes after ingestion.
These may include:. You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. It can be difficult to make a diagnosis of arsenic poisoning because symptoms are so varied. If you have concerns about arsenic causing symptoms in yourself or a family member, talk to your doctor. Arsenic cannot be dissolved in water. Inorganic arsenic compounds are more harmful than organic ones.
For example, cells use phosphate for energy generation and signaling, but one form of arsenic, known as arsenate, can imitate and replace the phosphate in the cell. This impairs the ability of the cell to generate energy and communicate with other cells. This cell-altering ability may be useful in cancer treatment, as some studies have shown it can send the disease into remission and help thin the blood.
Arsenic-based chemotherapy drugs, such as arsenic trioxide, are already in use for some cancers. The symptoms of arsenic poisoning can be acute, or severe and immediate, or chronic, where damage to health is experienced over a longer period. This will often depend on the method of exposure. If arsenic has been inhaled, or a less concentrated amount has been ingested, symptoms may take longer to develop.
As the arsenic poisoning progresses, the patient may start experiencing convulsions, and their fingernail pigmentation may change. Arsenic poisoning typically affects the skin, liver, lungs, and kidneys. In the final stage, symptoms include seizures and shock.
This could lead to a coma or death. Arsenic, consumed in large amounts, can kill a person rapidly. Consumed in smaller amounts over a long period, it can cause serious illness or a prolonged death. The main cause of arsenic poisoning worldwide is the drinking of groundwater that contains high levels of the toxin. The water becomes contaminated underground by rocks that release the arsenic. Daniel E. Transient contact with arsenic-containing rocks will not lead to effect absorption or clinical concerns for arsenic poisoning.
The World Health Organization WHO estimate that more than million people worldwide are exposed to water that contains potentially unsafe levels of arsenic. If proper safety measures are not taken, workers in certain industries may face a higher risk of toxicity.
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