An Introduction To The Health Effects of Arsenic.ppt

Advancing Science. Improving Life. A Small Dose of Toxicology - Overview An Introduction To The Health Effects of Arsenic As Quote / History Henry Adams ….he found himself invariably taking for granted, as a political instinct, with out waiting further experiment,—as he took for granted that arsenic poisoned,—the rule that a friend in power is a friend lost. Henry Adams 1838–1918 . The Education of Henry Adams. 1918 Quote / History They put arsenic in his meat And stared aghast to watch him eat; They poured strychnine in his cup And shook to see him drink it up ? A.E. Alfred Edward Housman 1859–1936 Inorganic Arsenic Organic Arsenic Exposure Drinking water Burning arsenic treated wood Handling treated wood ?Reference - USGS – US Geological Services Map of US – arsenic in water - /trace/arsenic/ ? Reference – Arsenic in West Bengal Bangladesh – Arsenic Crisis Information Center Access: /acic/ A Small Dose of Arsenic – 3/14/04 A Small Dose of Toxicology A Small Dose of Arsenic – 3/14/04 A Small Dose of ? Arsenic A Therapeutic Agent and A Poison 2400 Years Ago In Greece and Rome Ancient Awareness For many years used to treat syphilis and amebic dysentery But caused skin cancer in patients treated with arsenicals Historical Awareness By product of smelting for cooper, lead, zinc Last smelter in Tacoma Washington closed in 1985 – still dealing with pollution issues Annual use 20,000 tons imported ? Production Use is dropping because of toxicity 90% used as wood preservative although this too is being phased out Silicon based computer chips Feed additive poultry and swine Cotton fields Chemotherapeutic Current Use Average 20 μg/day from food and water Background air is less than 0.1 μg/m3 Drinking water usually less that 5 μg/L Food is usually less that 10 μg/day assume 2000 mL/day average water consumption at 5 μg/L arsenic Human Exposure Trivalent As3+ arsenic trioxide, sodium arsenite arsenic trichloride Pentavalent As5+ arsenic pentoxi