Title: The Facts on Arsenic | Dartmouth Toxic Metals
Headings: Dartmouth Toxic Metals
Dartmouth Toxic Metals
The Facts on Arsenic
What is Arsenic?
Why Are we Concerned About Arsenic?
Who is at Risk of Harm from Arsenic Poisoning?
Where is Arsenic Found?
What are the Uses of Arsenic?
How does Arsenic get into Food and Water?
Do we Need Arsenic for Health?
How does Arsenic Harm Living Things?
What makes some Forms of Arsenic more Harmful to Humans?
What Amount of Arsenic is Toxic to Humans?
Can Arsenic Cause Cancer?
What are the Symptoms of Arsenic Poisoning?
How can I tell if I’ve been Exposed?
Who Monitors Arsenic in Drinking Water?
How can I tell if there is Arsenic in my Drinking Water?
Can Arsenic be Removed from Drinking Water?

Content: The World Bank and UNICEF are now providing Bangladesh financial support to develop alternative drinking water supplies from sources such as stored rainwater or treated pond water. The World Bank and UNICEF are now providing Bangladesh financial support to develop alternative drinking water supplies from sources such as stored rainwater or treated pond water. Source: Harvard Arsenic Project
In recent years, exposure to arsenic in drinking water has also been identified as a health concern in regions of the United States where bedrock contains unusually high levels of arsenic, such as areas of New Hampshire, Maine, Michigan and regions in the Southwest and Rockies. Scientific advances including new techniques for accurately measuring small amounts of arsenic in rock and in water are now enabling scientists to detect the presence of arsenic with accuracy and to assess the long-term effects of relatively low levels of arsenic on ecosystems and human health. Who is at Risk of Harm from Arsenic Poisoning? Tobacco itself contained high levels of arsenic until recently, due to the extensive use of arsenic-based pesticides in tobacco farming. In the past, people exposed to arsenic in the workplace were at greatest risk of arsenic poisoning. People involved in the mining, processing or smelting of arsenic ores and people involved in the manufacture or use of arsenic-containing pesticides often inhaled arsenic on the job. Their risk of developing lung cancer was high, and even higher if they also smoked cigarettes.