Arsenic Toxicity and Arsenic Poisoning:  Arsenic is absorbed from drinking and eating food cooked in contaminated water and through the skin.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) potential side effects of low dose long term exposure to Arsenic include: [1] [2]  

Long term arsenic toxicity and arsenic poisoning increases the risk of several cancers including: 

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the EPA have determined that inorganic arsenic toxicity is a known human carcinogen.

High dose, short term, exposure to Arsenic will cause death. 

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element widely distributed in the earth’s crust. It is odorless and tasteless. It enters drinking water supplies from natural deposits in the earth or from agricultural (runoff from orchards)  and industrial practices (runoff from glass & electronic production wastes ).  Arsenic was used in pressure treated chromated copper arsenate (CCA) wood prior to December 31, 2003.  Arsenic is absorbed from drinking and eating food cooked in contaminated water and through the skin. 

There is some evidence that inhaled or ingested arsenic can injure pregnant women or their unborn babies, although the studies are not definitive. Studies in animals show that large doses of arsenic that cause illness in pregnant females, can also cause low birth weight, fetal malformations, and even fetal death. Arsenic can cross the placenta and has been found in fetal tissues. Arsenic is found at low levels in breast milk.  

There is some evidence that long-term exposure to arsenic in children may result in lower IQ scores. There is also some evidence that exposure to arsenic in the womb and early childhood may increase mortality in young adults.  

The urine is the most reliable test for arsenic exposure within the last few days. Tests on hair and fingernails can measure exposure to high levels of arsenic onver the past 6-12 months. Arsenic may have an affinity for hair. Thus hair samples may give falsely elevated results. These tests can determine if you hae been exposed to above-average levels of arsenic. They cannot predict whether the arsenic levels in your body will affect your health.  

EPA has set the arsenic standard for drinking water at .010 parts per million (10 parts per billion) to protect consumers served by public water systems from the effects of long-term, chronic exposure to arsenic. Arsenic toxicity in the body can increase with time and exposure. The rate of arsenic intake can exceed the rate of elimination from the body. [3] 

Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Chronic arsenic poisoning may be persistent and/or irreversible. Arsenic induced cardiovascular disease may result from the interaction among genetic, environment and nutritional factors. [4] [5] 

Chronic arsenic poisoning through ingestion of arsenic-contaminated water is associated with various cardiovascular diseases including:

World Health Organization Statements 

·          Increased risks of lung and bladder cancer and of arsenic-associated skin lesions have been observed at drinking-water arsenic concentrations of less than 0.05 mg/L. 

·          Immediate symptoms on an acute poisoning typically include vomiting, esophagus and abdominal pain, and bloody "rice water" diarrhea. 

·          The symptoms and signs that arsenic causes appear to differ between individuals, population groups and geographic areas. Thus, there is no universal definition of the disease caused by arsenic. 

·          Following long-term exposure, the first changes are usually observed in the skin: pigmentation changes, and then hyperkeratosis. Cancer is a late phenomenon, and usually takes more than 10 years to develop. [6] 

Skin Absorption
Dermal absorption during showering and hand washing can be an important exposure route if the water contains more than 100 mcg/L As(III) or As(V). Cell changes, cell death associated with disruption of the cell membrane, and inhibition of DNA and protein syntheses occur at As(III) exposure doses as low as 10 mcg/L. [7] One to  6.4% of arsenic applied to the skin or during bathing is absorbed and eliminated through the kidneys. [8]

EPA standards for Arsenic Levels in Water 
Health-based, non-enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCGL) of 0.0.
Enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) 0f 0.01 mg/ml (10ug/L) (10mcg/L) (10ppb).

How to test your body for Arsenic Toxicity: Comprehensive Urine Element Profile

How to test water for Arsenic Toxicity:

• Arsenic Quick Test 
• WaterCheck Test

Recommended Arsenic Toxicity Water Treatment: [9]

• Reverse Osmosis
• Distillation
• Activated Aluminum Absorption

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