What to Know About Arsenic in the Environment

Medically Reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD on July 28, 2024
4 min read

Arsenic, a chemical element, is prevalent in the Earth’s crust, though its levels can vary depending on the region and the medium such as air, water, or soil. 

Get to know some of the most common reasons for arsenic contamination, how it can affect your health, and the methods to prevent arsenic poisoning.

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is found in several places in the environment such, as volcanoes, soil, groundwater, and plants. Although it’s usually found as a part of other chemical compounds, it can sometimes be found in its elemental form as a steel-gray metal.

Arsenic is present in two forms – inorganic and organic. Inorganic arsenic compounds contain a combination of arsenic along with other elements and are generally a byproduct of industries, products used in construction (such as pressure-treated wood), or water that’s been contaminated with arsenic.

Research shows that the harmful health effects and toxicity levels are higher in compounds that contain inorganic arsenic. Organic compounds refer to those that contain arsenic combined with carbon and similar elements.

You can come in contact with arsenic in the environment sourced from agricultural and industrial sources.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the contamination of groundwater by arsenic is something critical that the world needs to tackle. It’s estimated that there are more than 50 countries around the world that have been drinking water containing harmful levels of arsenic. Over 140 million people live in these countries. 

Since arsenic is present in the soil as well, it can also be found in food items such as rice and some types of fish, mushrooms, and poultry. As arsenic is a naturally occurring element, it’s not possible to eliminate it completely from the environment or from food.

Other forms of poisoning include inhalation of polluted air containing arsenic.

Arsenic poisoning may lead to acute or chronic symptoms depending on how long you’ve been in contact with it. These symptoms usually lead to a gradual deterioration in your health.

Symptoms of arsenic also depend on how you’ve come in contact with it. For instance, if you’ve swallowed arsenic, visible symptoms can be evident within just 30 minutes. Some of the symptoms of acute poisoning include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Pain in your abdomen
  • Severe headache and vomiting (sometimes, your vomit can also contain blood)
  • Having a peculiar metallic taste or one that is similar to garlic

If these symptoms are not treated, it may lead to failure of your cardiovascular and central nervous systems, which could eventually be fatal.

Some of the most common symptoms of chronic exposure to arsenic over a sustained period are:

  • Thickening of the skin on your torso, the soles of your feet, or palms
  • Discoloration of the skin
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Partial paralysis
  • Numbness in your hands or feet
  • Drowsiness or nausea 
  • Blindness
  • Seizures

Studies have shown that coming in contact with arsenic has both short-term and long-term effects. Even low levels of arsenic have been known to harm the endocrine functions that are critical for the normal growth and development of your body.

Inorganic arsenic is one of the most widely recognized causes of several types of cancer including lung, bladder, kidney, liver, and skin cancer. These types of cancers are usually due to the contamination of drinking water.

Research has also shown that children who come in contact with abnormal levels of arsenic are at higher risk of major health conditions during the later stages of their lives.

One such study at the University of California found higher incidences of lung and bladder cancer in adults who came in contact with arsenic early on in their life. These symptoms were visible decades after they stopped coming in contact with arsenic.

Many studies have found a relation between the presence of arsenic and the incidences of metabolic conditions such as diabetes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set the maximum arsenic levels in drinking water at 10 parts per billion, but some regions in the U.S. have stricter standards.

Arsenic is a tasteless, odorless, and colorless element that cannot be detected without running chemical tests. This is one of the primary reasons that it’s difficult to detect arsenic poisoning in the early stages, especially when the contaminated water is drawn from personal wells. 

Statistics show that around 7% of the wells in the U.S. have higher arsenic levels than those recommended by the EPA.

The Southwest, Northeast, and Midwest regions in the U.S. typically have higher arsenic levels. 

There have been reports of arsenic levels above 3,000 parts per billion in countries like Bangladesh.

Symptoms of arsenic poisoning vary. Doctors usually run some of the following medical tests to determine arsenic levels.

  • Urine tests
  • Blood tests
  • Fingernail analysis
  • Hair analysis

While there’s no effective treatment for arsenic poisoning, experts around the world recommend educating people about its harmful effects in combination with regular testing of drinking water in areas that see more incidents of arsenic poisoning.

There is some evidence that chelation therapy (putting a chemical agent in your body to remove arsenic) may help in certain cases, but there have been reports of side effects as well.

A study carried out in Bangladesh found that the intake of 400 micrograms of folic acid every day lowered the blood arsenic levels in people with chronic exposure to arsenic by 14%.

Keep in mind that your household water filter is not equipped to remove arsenic. Instead, you can prevent coming into contact with arsenic by following some of the following methods:

  • If you depend on private sources for your water, make sure that they’re regularly tested for arsenic and other pollutants.
  • Check the arsenic levels in your local drinking water source.
  • At your workplace, ask about the safety precautions that are in place to prevent arsenic poisoning.