Title: Drinking Water Contaminant – Arsenic – Drinking Water and Human Health
Headings: Drinking Water Contaminant – Arsenic
Drinking Water Contaminant – Arsenic
Contents
Sources of arsenic in drinking water
Potential health impacts of arsenic in drinking water
Testing for arsenic in drinking water
Options for arsenic in drinking water

Content: Chronic poisoning can occur when moderate or small amounts of arsenic are ingested over long periods. Chronic arsenic exposure may increase the risk of cancer and mimic the symptoms of diabetes. Because arsenic is readily excreted in the urine, testing for chronic arsenic exposure is done by measuring the concentration of arsenic retained in the hair and/or fingernails. Research has shown that arsenic’s effects on human health tend to be variable, depending on gender, with some ethnic populations exhibiting greater tolerance. Factors such as genetics, age, metabolism, diet and overall health also may impact health risks associated with arsenic exposure because they potentially affect one’s ability to remove arsenic from the body. Individuals with chronic Hepatitis B infection, protein deficiency or malnutrition may be more sensitive to the effects of arsenic. Children and older adults may be other groups at special risk. Testing for arsenic in drinking water
The quality of water supplied by public water systems is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Three expert panel reports on the science, cost of compliance, and benefits analysis on arsenic in drinking water were released in October 2001. With this new information, the EPA revised the arsenic drinking water standard and established a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for arsenic of 0.010 milligrams per liter (mg/L), which also can be expressed as 0.010 parts per million (ppm).