In Victorian times, arsenic was widely used as a “cure-all” tonic. Some scientists believe that a low level of arsenic is actually an essential element in our diet. However, it is now regarded as a toxic element, which can cause a range of symptoms. Arsenic can be inhaled, ingested or absorbed through contact. A build-up of arsenic generally occurs in the brain, bones and tissue, and can cause severe damage if it is not removed.
Sources
Chemical processing plants, cigarette smoke, drinking water, fungicides, meats and seafood, metal foundries, ore smelting plants, paints, pesticides, polluted air, seafood (esp. oysters, shrimp, muscles), weed killers, wood preservatives.
Physiological Effects
Extremely poisonous as well as colorless and odorless, arsenic can enter the body through the mouth, lungs and skin. Arsenic toxicity seems to affect the skin predominantly, lungs and gastrointestinal system, and may cause nervous disorders, deteriorated motor coordination, respiratory diseases, and kidney damage as well as cancers of the skin, liver, bladder and lungs.
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