Arsenic, Adverse Effects

Details

• Personal Author:
  Goldman RH
• Description:
  Acute arsenic poisoning can occur after the ingestion of arsenic trioxide or lead arsenate, or after the inhalation of the toxic arsine gas (AsH3) . Acute symptoms can begin minutes to hours following ingestion of contaminated food or drink, and include vomiting, abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea, sometimes gastric hemorrhage. These initial symptoms can then lead to dehydration and leg cramps, followed by irregular pulse, cardiac toxicity, shock, and, in extreme cases, death. If those poisoned survive the initial illness, they usually develop hepatitis and pancytopenia within 1 week, and may also experience peripheral neuropathy 1-3 weeks after the exposure. The blood changes are usually reversible once exposure ceases. Arsine gas is highly toxic. It has been reported that one half-hour of exposure to 25-50 ppm can be lethal. A patient may present initially with dizziness, headache, abdominal pain, hemolysis, hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice, and kidney failure. Engineering controls can be used to control fumes in smelting and manufacturing. Personal protective equipment and clothing should be worn when performing maintenance work. Environmental exposures can be controlled by regulations/ and or guidelines that limit the amount of arsenic in air and water. Since some forms of arsenic are carcinogens, there is no totally safe level. In 1993, WHO adopted a provisional guideline value of 10 ug/L as a realistic limit, given measurement capabilities. In 2001, EPA lowered the maximum level of arsenic permitted in drinking water to 10 ug/L. The current acceptable levels for reducing adverse health effects due to air exposures are the ACGIH TLV of 0.01 mg/m3, the OSHA PEL of 0.01 mg/m3 TWA, and the NIOSH REL of 2 ug/m3 (ceiling limit for 15 minutes). [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Arsenic Blood Carcinogens Cardiovascular System Communicable Diseases Engineering Environmental Exposure Hazardous Substances Inorganic Chemicals Lead Mortality Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Poisoning Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety

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• Keywords:
  Air Contamination Arsenic Compounds Arsenic Trioxide Arsine Cardiac Function Contaminated Food Engineering Controls Environmental Exposure Exposure Levels Fatalities Fumes Gases Guidelines Health Effects Hepatitis Peripheral Nervous System Personal Protection Personal Protective Equipment Poison Gases Poisons PPE Protective Materials Protective Measures Regulations Risk Factors Toxins

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• ISBN:
  9780875530437
• Publisher:
  American Public Health Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Book
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  88-93
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060250
• Citation:
  Preventing occupational disease and injury, second edition. Levy BS, Wagner GR, Rest KM, Weeks JL, eds. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 2005 Jan; :88-93
• CAS Registry Number:
  Arsenic (CAS RN 7440-38-2) ; Arsenic trioxide (CAS RN 1327-53-3) ; Lead arsenate (PbHAsO4) (CAS RN 7784-40-9)
• Editor(s):
  Levy BS; Wagner GR; Rest KM; Weeks JL
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2005
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20030701
• Source Full Name:
  Preventing occupational disease and injury, second edition
• End Date:
  20050630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2d836570b24269c23ba7ba2162eda5faf6f4bf89957983e7220c9574ad11d39374da336f3bd1fb4cba7dadba2a025c096a0f81d2f9c66319fc1007a6bd2db086
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/224208/cdc_224208_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 765.38 KB ]