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arsenic [As]

From the Greek arsenikon meaning yellow orniment (a powdered pigment). Arsenic compounds were mined by the ancient Chinese, Greeks & Egyptians. Arsenic was first isolated by Albertus Magnus, a German alchemist in 1250. Occurrence: 1) occasionally found as a free element 2) mostly found in minerals Characteristics: 1) a trivalent & pentavalent solid poisonous element 2) either yellow or steel-gray 3) crystalline & brittle 4) non-metallic 5) stable in dry air 6) gray form tarnishes & burns in oxygen 7) arsenic salts & arsine gases are poisonous 8) arsenic is carcinogenic & possibly teratogenic Uses: 1) alloys 2) semiconductors 3) pesticides 4) wood preservatives 5) glass 6) bronzing Epidemiology: - inorganic arsenic is the carcinogenic form of arsenic - the FDA has set a limit of 10 parts per billion in for inorganic arsenic in drinking water - low to moderate arsenic levels in drinking water (<100 ug/L) [6] - the FDA has proposed the same limit of 10 parts per billion for inorganic arsenic in apple juice [4] - occasional lots of apple juice may have levels of inorganic arsenic > 10 parts per billion - in 2012, the FDA tested 94 samples of apple juice - all contained < 10 parts per billion of inorganic arsenic - arsenic levels in rice 2.6-7.2 ug/serving safe [5] - levels in brown rice > white rice - rice absorbs ~10 times as much arsenic from the environment as other grains do [7] Pharmacokinetics: - arsenic is readily absorbed throught the lungs (in the form of arsine gas) or through the GI tract in the form of arsenic trioxide or organic arsenicals - absorbtion through the skin occurs slowly - within 24 hours, arsenic is distributed to all body tissues - the major route of excretion is through the kidneys - arsenic crosses the placenta Pathology: - exposure to even moderate amounts of arsenic (urine arsenic > 15 ug/g of creatinine)is a cardiovascular risk factor [6] Laboratory: - arsenic in specimen - rice cereal 85 parts per billion* - other cereals 14 parts per billion [7] * rice absorbs ~10 times as much arsenic from the environment as other grains do [7]

Related

arsenic poisoning arsenic trioxide; As2O3 (Trisenox) As+3 (trivalent arsenic) melarsoprol tryparsamide

General

chemical element

Properties

SIZE: AW = 74.922 atomic number VALUE: 33 VALENCE: AR 3D10 4S2 4P3

References

  1. Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, Miriam- Webster Inc. Springfield, MA 1990
  2. Chemical & Engineering News, Sept 8, 2003
  3. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods, 21st edition, McPherson RA & Pincus MR (es), W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA. 2007, pg 322
  4. FDA News Release: July 12, 2013 FDA proposes "action level" for arsenic in apple juice. Agency testing and analysis confirm overall safety of apple juice. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm360466.htm
  5. FDA Explores Impact of Arsenic in Rice http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm352569.htm
  6. Moon KA et al Association Between Exposure to Low to Moderate Arsenic Levels and Incident Cardiovascular Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study. Ann Intern Med. Published online 24 September 2013 PMID: 24061511 http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1740759
  7. Orciari Herman A. Sofair A, Chavey WE Inorganic Arsenic Still High in Infant Rice Cereals. Physician's First Watch, Dec 8, 2017 David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief Massachusetts Medical Society http://www.jwatch.org - Arsenic in 9 Brands of Infant Cereal http://www.healthybabycereals.org/sites/default/files/2017-12/HBBF_ArsenicInInfantCerealReport_EnglishSummary.pdf