Arsenic
Can Sometimes Be Found In Water, Food and Wood
Arsenic, a natural element
that acts as a metal, is commonly related to James Bond spy movies
or villainous terrorists. Rarely is the substance thought of as
something humans touch on a daily basis, but people come in contact
with arsenic more often than they would think.
Arsenic is widely distributed along the earth’s crust and
can be found in our water and food. When minerals and ores dissolve,
arsenic is introduced into the water; your water can be especially
susceptible to contamination if you live near an industrial plant.
Arsenic is even used commercially for things like alloying agents
and wood preservatives. Still, when it comes to arsenic, drinking
water is the biggest threat.
People can develop chronic arsenic poisoning if they have been drinking
water infected with arsenic over a long period of time. This long
term exposure can lead to skin cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer,
and thickening of the skin. Some estimate that as many as 270,000
people will die of cancer in Bangladesh alone from drinking water
laced with arsenic. If you have been exposed to arsenic over time,
symptoms will begin to appear on your skin. Your pigmentation changes,
followed by thickening of the skin; cancer usually develops within
10 years.
If you have been exposed to a large amount of arsenic in a short
period of time you will likely experience vomiting, abdominal pain,
and bloody diarrhea. Chelation therapy is commonly used for those
with this level of contamination, but shouldn’t be used for
those with chronic arsenic poisoning. Preventing long- term exposure
to arsenic is usually more complicated in rural areas that obtain
their water from sources like wells and hand-pumps. The water can
be used safely to wash laundry and for bathing, but should be avoided
for cooking and drinking.
|
