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Chapter4: Toxicology and Epidemiology of Arsenic and its Compounds
Citation:
HUGHES, M. F., D. J. THOMAS, AND E. M. KENYON. Chapter4: Toxicology and Epidemiology of Arsenic and its Compounds. Chapter 4, Arsenic - Environmental Chemistry, Health Effects and Waste Treatment. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, NJ, 4:237-235, (2009).
Impact/Purpose:
This book chapter describes the sources of arsenic exposure, its toxicology in humans, its disposition and its epidemiology
Description:
Arsenic poses numerous environmental challenges, especially in the groundwater of Bangladesh and other developing nations. As a metalloid, arsenic has the properties of both a metal and a nonmetal. In organisms, metabolism of arsenic consists ofcomplex and multiple reduction and oxidative methylation steps. Accumulating evidence indicates that metabolism is an important component for both the toxicity and carcinogenicity associated with arsenic exposure. Arsenic is also unique in both the diversity and magnitude of toxic effects that it is known to cause in human populations, including both cancer (e.g., skin, lung, and bladder) and non-cancer (e.g., cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease, diabetes) health effects. Additional studies are need to investigate whether there are individuals that are susceptible to the toxic effects of arsenic, perhaps from either genetic polymorphisms in methylating enzymes or a genetic pre-disposition for an effect as well as a definitive mechanism of action(s) for its effects. Further research on arsenic can assist in the design of interventions to potentially mitigate the severe health consequences in populations throughout the world exposed to arsenic in drinking water. Italicized words in the text of this chapter are defined in the glossary in Appendix B.
