Arsenic

Arsenic Aaron Johnson, Dylan Lonergan, Samantha Boyd Copper Stream - B Band

__Abstract:__ Arsenic is treacherous poison that was originally documented in 1250 by Albertus Magnus. The main use of arsenic is as pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides. Even though arsenic is used as a killer, it also treats people. Ever since the 18th century, arsenic has been used as a medication as well. Arsenic trioxide has been used to treat cancer patients for over 500 years while arsphenamine is used to treat the sexually transmitted disease, syphilis. In small doses, arsenic causes very little harm, however in increasingly larger circumstances, it can be fatal.

Arsenic can be found in the natural environment in large quantities in the earth’s crust. It can also be found in rock, air, soil, water, and several minerals. People digging in the ground, such as mining also pays a tribute to the raising amount of arsenic in the air. Arsenic is found in both tap water and seawater but less in seawater. In some areas like Bangladesh there are high levels of arsenic found in the water which contaminates the people and live animals. Plants also tend to absorb arsenic rather easily, which may cause owners of house plants to intake arsenic in their own house. When exposed to a great amount of arsenic, people and animals can have difficulty reproducing, growing, and breathing on their own. I think arsenic should be tested in doctor’s offices and free clinics more often because people exposed to it could be fatally ill. Arsenic, supposedly isn’t too difficult to treat and it’s simple to get tested. Clinics can test for arsenic in someone’s body by testing blood, hair, or urine.

__Background Information:__ Arsenic is used for a number of things. One of which is to preserve wood. One of the main ingredients in wood furniture cleaners is arsenic. Another way arsenic is used is to terminate and poison insects that have invaded someone’s home. It seems it can be used to poison rodents but also medicate them when added to the right ingredients. Arsenic is used in animal feed that helps prevent diseases. Arsenic was also used during the Vietnam War when the United States used a mixture of arsenic and sodium cacodylate. Since arsenic is in the air, it is quite difficult to give it an exact location. However, it is said that there are exceptionally large amounts of arsenic in Bangladesh but I don’t know why.

__Chemistry**:**__ __Human Health Implications:__ When arsenic is inhaled due to its presence in airborne particles, the amount absorbed into the blood stream depends on two things. the particular form of arsenic is and how small the particles are. This said, most arsenic in the body comes from the diet. In the gut, soluble arsenic compounds present in food are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. Many arsenic compounds are quickly transformed and eliminated from the body via the urine. However, there are differences from one person to another in the ability to get rid of arsenic compounds. The amount of arsenic in the body can be estimated by taking samples of blood, urine, hair, or nails and measuring the arsenic - or arsenic-containing substances - present. Arsenic disappears rapidly from blood, so measurements in blood only tell you about recent high exposures, such as poisonings, or long-term exposures if they are repeated and high. Levels in urine are the best measure of recent exposure, whereas levels in hair and nails can tell you about past exposure. Exposures
 * Arsenic appears in three allotropic forms: yellow, black and grey; the stable form is a silver-gray, brittle crystalline solid. It tarnishes rapidly in air, and at high temperatures burns forming a white cloud of arsenic trioxide. Arsenic is a member of group Va of the periodic table which combines readily with many elements. The metallic form is brittle, tharnishes and when heated it rapidly oxidizes to arsenic trioxide, which has a garlic odor. The non metallic form is less reactive but will dissolve when heated with strong oxidizing acids and alkalis. **

__Environmental and Political Issues:__ Arsenic is a chemical that manifests naturally in the environment. In fact, it is atomic number 33; a metalloid present on the periodic table. That said; arsenic does not harm the environment. What it does effect, however, are animals and other living things in the environment. Its presence in the environment can lead to humans being exposed to arsenic, as well.

Plants tend to absorb large quantities of arsenic rather easily. Depending on where you live, the plant-based foods you are eating might contain a significant amount of arsenic. It’s nothing that would kill you, but it’s most certainly alarming to know that you’re almost constantly eating arsenic. Furthermore, arsenic also occurs naturally in almonds. When you eat almonds, you are eating arsenic.

Arsenic can find its way to the water, and it most certainly affects sea creatures. If arsenic gets into a river, it’ll end up flowing further down, thus scattering arsenic about the river and ultimately the ocean. When arsenic gets into the water, fish and other sea creatures in that body of water will ingest the arsenic. Fish can easily ingest a large amount of arsenic, which means that seafood will most likely have some amount of arsenic present in it.

To make the situation worse, fish are the natural prey of several types of birds. If the water contains arsenic, the fish will have arsenic in their system. If a bird eats a fish with arsenic in its system, the bird will also be ingesting arsenic. Meaning, arsenic has found its way everywhere; the land, the water, and the skies as well.

Arsenic was a weapon of choice during the Middle Ages. It shared symptoms with a natural disease at the time, so most arsenic poisonings went undetected. There are several suspected arsenic poisoning cases throughout history that are now being considered. It is rumored that King George the III and Napoleon Bonaparte were just two of the many famous historical figures that were murdered with arsenic.

Arsenic was once referred to as “inheritance powder.” It gained this nickname because there were several heirs to various fortunes and titles that may have been impatient to get these things. Heirs were often suspected and accused of using arsenic poison to receive their inheritance sooner.

__Summary and Conclusion:__ Arsenic is a rather tricky poison in that, depending on dosage, can either do great harm or great good. Arsenic, while being one of history’s most effective and potent poisons, is also a rather effective chemical present in everyday products such as insecticides. So, total removal of arsenic from existence would be a terrible thing. This is, of course, assuming arsenic eradication is possible. The truth is, it isn’t. Arsenic occurs naturally in nature, so omitting it from existence is impossible.

Arsenic occurs naturally in the environment, and find its way into our food, our water, the skies, and the air we breathe. When you sit down to eat, you’re ingesting arsenic. Some areas more than other are more polluted with arsenic, such as places whose water comes from a well. Well water is the most contaminated with arsenic, so people who drink lots of well water may become sick or even die from arsenic poisoning.

The most people could do is make others more aware that they’re ingesting arsenic. While negative health effects (usually) won’t come from eating food with arsenic like everybody else, it can indeed lead to illness, disease, and perhaps death depending on the region your food comes from. Knowledge is key; letting people know about the dangers of arsenic, as well as which regions contain more arsenic, would benefit everyone. Then we’ll know. And knowing is half the battle.

__Our PSA:__ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IOHE7XQ9ZU

