Arsenicosis or arsenic poisoning happens whenever a person has taken in a dangerous amount of arsenic. Arsenic is a natural chemical found in groundwater in any part of the world.
Intake can be through absorbing, swallowing, or inhaling arsenic.
If it is not treated immediately, arsenic poisoning can lead to major health issues and even death. Thus, there should be precautions to prevent those who are at risk.
Arsenic is frequently associated with deliberate poisoning methods. But any person can be exposed to arsenic. It could be via contaminated groundwater, arsenic-preserved wood, rock, infected rock, or soil. Arsenic in the environment is not dangerous, per se. It is rare to find toxic amounts of arsenic in the environment.
There are reports that arsenic was found in some bottled water. This article will explain arsenic poisoning and its effects on health. It will also discuss cases of arsenic in bottled water and how to prevent it from affecting our health.
Facts About Arsenic Poisoning
Arsenic is a natural chemical that can be present in groundwater. Arsenic ingestion can only pose health issues when a dangerous quantity of arsenic has entered the body. After that, poisoning can lead to liver disease, cancer, coma, or even death.
Various treatments for arsenic poisoning exist, including bowel irrigation and chelation therapy. Although it is unusual to find dangerous amounts of arsenic in the environment, the government issues areas with high levels of arsenic and regulations about handling and preventing the risk of poisoning.
Know whether your area has high levels of arsenic. If so, you should contact the authorities immediately for more information.
Arsenic
Arsenic is a metalloid component in our planet’s crust, which is naturally occurring. Small quantities of arsenic can be in air, rock, water, and soil. A metalloid is a natural substance that is not metal. Yet, it shares the same qualities with metals.
The concentration of arsenic in some geographical regions is higher. This can be due to various human activities, such as using pesticides, mining, or natural conditions.
Arsenic and Other Elements From Toxic Chemicals
Arsenic can stick together with other elements and different chemical compounds. Its organic forms can contain carbon. However, inorganic forms do not. Moreover, take note that you cannot dissolve arsenic in the water.
Research shows that inorganic arsenic compounds are more harmful to the body than organic ones. They can react with the cells in the body, changing their function and even displacing certain elements found in the cells.
For example, cells use phosphate for signaling and energy generation. However, arsenate, a form of arsenic, can replace and imitate the phosphate found in the cell. This will impair the ability of the cell to communicate with other cells and create energy.
This ability to alter cells can be useful in treating cancer. Some studies show it can send cancer to remission and thin the blood. Chemotherapy uses arsenic like arsenic trioxide in some patients with cancer.
Symptoms of Arsenic Poisoning
Arsenic poisoning symptoms can be severe, acute, immediate, or chronic. The damage can last for a longer period. Indeed, the method of exposure will determine the period.
If you have swallowed arsenic, you may experience signs and symptoms within 30 minutes. These are headaches, confusion, drowsiness, and severe diarrhea.
If you have inhaled arsenic or if you have ingested a less concentrated amount, the symptoms might take longer to develop. As it progresses, you can experience convulsions. The pigmentation of your fingernail will now begin to change.
In more severe cases of arsenic poisoning, the signs and symptoms are as follows:
- Excess saliva
- A metallic taste
- Halitosis
- Problems swallowing
- Hair loss
- Cramping muscles
- Stomach cramps
- Convulsions
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Excessive sweating
Arsenic poisoning can affect your skin, kidneys, lungs, and liver. The complications are linked to long-term consumption. This includes liver disease, cancer, diabetes, digestive difficulties, and nervous system complications.
In its final stage, you can experience shock and seizures, leading to coma or even death.
Causes of Arsenic Poisoning
The consumption of a toxic amount of arsenic mainly causes arsenic poisoning. If you accidentally consume it in large amounts, it can kill you in an instant. Meanwhile, there are cases when one consumes it in smaller amounts but over a long period. This time, it can lead to serious health problems or death.
This is the main reason for arsenic poisoning in some parts of the world. This is due to the high toxins in the contaminated groundwater. The water underground becomes contaminated because of the rocks that release the arsenic.
According to the World Health Organization, around 200 million people worldwide are exposed to contaminated water with high levels of arsenic.
People who smoke tobacco are also at risk of inorganic arsenic exposure. This is because tobacco plants can have natural arsenic in the ground.
Moreover, in the past, there was a potentially elevated risk of arsenic exposure. This risk was greater in tobacco plants, which use the insecticide arsenite.
The Magnitude of the Problem
Indeed, there is widespread contamination of arsenic in the groundwater. There are various regions contaminated with arsenic, and the numbers are significant. According to studies, at least 140 million people in more than 50 countries worldwide have been consuming water contaminated with arsenic.
Arsenic Found in the Workplace
The workplace should take proper safety measures against arsenic exposure. Otherwise, the workers may face the risk of toxicity with arsenic. These industries are smelting, glass production, wood treatment, and the company that produces pesticides.
How arsenic can enter the body depends on how arsenic is being used in the industry. For example, one can inhale arsenic in the smelting industry. This is because inorganic arsenic is found in the coke emissions. Meanwhile, in the wood treatment industry, you can absorb arsenic through the skin. This happens when a chemical that contains arsenic makes contact with the skin.
There can also be traces of arsenic in the food, just like in fish, meat, and poultry products. Poultry products contain the highest amount of arsenic. This is because of the antibiotics present in the chicken feed. Rice is also known to contain high levels of arsenic versus water.
Arsenic in Bottled Water
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires all bottled water companies to test their water for contaminants, including arsenic.
In a study done on 130 bottled water brands, three brands are positive to contain an excessive amount of arsenic, which can harm the body. These are Jermuk, Penafiel, and Starkey Water. Penafiel or Keurig Dr. Pepper has reported that its production in its Mexico facility has stopped. Meanwhile, 11 bottled water brands contain detectable amounts of arsenic.
The government has set a limit for arsenic in drinking water: ten parts per billion (ppb) from the tap or bottled water source. However, health experts and even Consumer Reports have recommended changing the limit to no more than three parts per billion (ppb). Five bottled water brands reported containing more than three ppb of arsenic.
Companies that exceed the federal standard of 10 ppb for the arsenic level will be subject to disciplinary action. This includes the voluntary destruction of their products or recalls.
Diagnosis of Arsenic Poisoning
To confirm arsenic poisoning, one needs pathological testing. In occupations and areas with a high risk of arsenic poisoning, it is essential to determine the levels of arsenic to people at risk. Assessing hair, blood, urine, and fingernail samples is one way to test this.
After the initial exposure, urine tests should be performed within 1 to 2 days to accurately measure when the poisoning occurred. These tests can also determine the apparent signs of arsenic poisoning.
The tests of fingernails and hair can identify the level of arsenic exposure from 1 to 12 months. The tests done can provide an accurate description of arsenic levels. However, this will not show the effects of arsenic on an individual’s health.
Preventing Arsenic Poisoning
To protect yourself and your family from arsenic poisoning, there are easy steps that you can follow, such as the following:
Removing Arsenic Inside the Home
If unsafe arsenic levels are confirmed in your area, you can purchase systems to treat your drinking water, such as Berkey Products. This can help you reduce arsenic exposure and have some peace of mind. It can also be a long-term solution for your home until the authorities in your area deal with arsenic contamination.
Test the Nearby Sources for Arsenic Traces
Have the water be chemically examined so you can identify the poisonous sources of arsenic. You can ask the government authorities about this.
Be Careful as you Harvest the Rainwater.
If you live in areas with high rainfall, you can prevent arsenic poisoning by ensuring that the collection process does not put your water at risk of developing an infection. Ensure it will not become a breeding ground for mosquitoes as you harvest water.
Consider the Depth of the Water Wells
If you have a deep well, then you will be less likely to experience arsenic poisoning.
Substitute Water Source
You can substitute water sources that are high in arsenic with safe sources. Examples of these are surface water and rainwater. You can use low-arsenic water for cooking, drinking, and irrigation purposes. Meanwhile, high-arsenic water can be used to flush or clean the toilet.
Discriminate High and Low Arsenic Sources
You can test your water source for arsenic levels. For example, you can paint the hand pumps or tube wells with different colors to identify them. This can be a low-cost and effective means to reduce your family’s exposure to arsenic, which can be beneficial in the long run.
Install Arsenic Removal Products
Another tip is to install arsenic removal products like Berkey products. This can be domestic or centralized.
Ensure appropriate disposal of the arsenic. Some technologies for removing arsenic include absorption, oxidation, coagulation-precipitation, membrane techniques, and ion exchange.
Today, there are various effective and low-cost options that you can try to remove arsenic from household supplies. However, there is still limited evidence on the extent of the system when used in the long run.
Treatment
The treatment available for the patients will depend upon the stage of arsenic poisoning experienced. Some methods will remove arsenic poisoning in the body before it leads to further damage. Others can minimize or repair the damage caused by arsenic exposure.
Some treatments available include removing clothes contaminated by arsenic, blood transfusions, thoroughly washing off the affected skin, and observing kidney functions. It is also recommended to take heart medications whenever the heart starts failing. Mineral supplements can also lower the risk of experiencing heart rhythm problems.
Bowel irrigation can also be an option. A special solution passes through the gastrointestinal tract, flushing out all the poison and arsenic. This removes all the traces of arsenic, preventing it from being absorbed into the gut.
Chelation therapy, which requires chemicals like dimercaprol and dimercaptosuccinic acid, can also remove arsenic from blood proteins.
Conclusion
Indeed, arsenic is a harmful chemical in groundwater and a major health concern today. The authorities are doing their best to reduce exposure. They have set values, reviewed evidence, and provided citizens with risk management measures.
Millions of people worldwide are exposed to arsenic and even bottled water. However, health authorities regularly monitor products, and they have destroyed and recalled them.
As consumers, we must limit our exposure to this chemical. Let us share this knowledge with our loved ones.
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