Title: 
Headings: ARSENIC
ARSENIC

CAS
 
#
 
7440-38-2

What
 
is
 
arsenic?

What
 
happens
 
to
 
arsenic
 
when
 
it
 
enters
 
the
environment?

How
 
might
 
I
 
be
 
exposed
 
to
 
arsenic?

How
 
can
 
arsenic
 
affect
 
my
 
health?

U.S.
 
DEPARTMENT
 
OF
 
HEALTH
 
AND
 
HUMAN
 
SERVICES,
 
Public
 
Health
 
Service

How
 
likely
 
is
 
arsenic
 
to
 
cause
 
cancer?

How
 
can
 
arsenic
 
affect
 
children?

How
 
can
 
families
 
reduce
 
the
 
risks
 
of
 
exposure
 
to
arsenic?

Is
 
there
 
a
 
medical
 
test
 
to
 
determine
 
whether
 
I’ve
been
 
exposed
 
to
 
arsenic?

Has
 
the
 
federal
 
government
 
made
 
recommendations
to
 
protect
 
human
 
health?

References


Content: Ingesting
 
very
 
high
 
levels
 
of
 
arsenic
 
can
 
result
 
in
 
death. Exposure
 
to
 
lower
 
levels
 
can
 
cause
 
nausea
 
and
 
vomiting,
decreased
 
production
 
of
 
red
 
and
 
white
 
blood
 
cells,
 
abnormal
heart
 
rhythm,
 
damage
 
to
 
blood
 
vessels,
 
and
 
a
 
sensation
 
of
“pins
 
and
 
needles”
 
in
 
hands
 
and
 
feet. Ingesting
 
or
 
breathing
 
low
 
levels
 
of
 
inorganic
 
arsenic
 
for
 
a
long
 
time
 
can
 
cause
 
a
 
darkening
 
of
 
the
 
skin
 
and
 
the
appearance
 
of
 
small
 
“corns”
 
or
 
“warts”
 
on
 
the
 
palms,
 
soles,
and
 
torso. Skin
 
contact
 
with
 
inorganic
 
arsenic
 
may
 
cause
 
redness
 
and
swelling. U.S.
 
DEPARTMENT
 
OF
 
HEALTH
 
AND
 
HUMAN
 
SERVICES,
 
Public
 
Health
 
Service
Agency
 
for
 
Toxic
 
Substances
 
and
 
Disease
 
Registry
Page
 
2
ARSENIC
CAS
 
#
 
7440-38-2
ToxFAQsTM
 
Internet
 
address
 
is
 
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html
Almost
 
nothing
 
is
 
known
 
regarding
 
health
 
effects
 
of
 
organic
arsenic
 
compounds
 
in
 
humans. Studies
 
in
 
animals
 
show
 
that
some
 
simple
 
organic
 
arsenic
 
compounds
 
are
 
less
 
toxic
 
than
inorganic
 
forms. Ingestion
 
of
 
methyl
 
and
 
dimethyl
compounds
 
can
 
cause
 
diarrhea
 
and
 
damage
 
to
 
the
 
kidneys
How
 
likely
 
is
 
arsenic
 
to
 
cause
 
cancer? Several
 
studies
 
have
 
shown
 
that
 
ingestion
 
of
 
inorganic
arsenic
 
can
 
increase
 
the
 
risk
 
of
 
skin
 
cancer
 
and
 
cancer
 
in
 
the
liver,
 
bladder,
 
and
 
lungs. Inhalation
 
of
 
inorganic
 
arsenic
 
can
cause
 
increased
 
risk
 
of
 
lung
 
cancer. The
 
Department
 
of
Health
 
and
 
Human
 
Services
 
(DHHS)
 
and
 
the
 
EPA
 
have
determined
 
that
 
inorganic
 
arsenic
 
is
 
a
 
known
 
human
carcinogen.