Arsenic is a naturally occurring element widely distributed in the earth’s crust. In the environment, arsenic is combined with oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur to form inorganic arsenic compounds. Arsenic in animals and plants combines with carbon and hydrogen to form organic arsenic compounds.
Breathing high levels of inorganic arsenic can give you a sore throat or irritated lungs.
Ingesting very high levels of arsenic can result in death. Exposure to lower levels can cause nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels, and a sensation of “pins and needles” in hands and feet.
Ingesting or breathing low levels of inorganic arsenic for a long time can cause a darkening of the skin and the appearance of small “corns” or “warts” on the palms, soles, and torso.
A new study reveals that breast milk is often contaminated by environmental pollutants.
In the largest epidemiologic study of arsenic and birth outcomes to date, researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago and collaborating institutions estimated arsenic levels in U.S. private well water sources by county and compared estimates to documented birth outcomes.
Eating higher levels of fish, including tuna and non-fried fish, appears to be associated with a greater risk of malignant melanoma, suggests a large study of US adults published in Cancer Causes & Control.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas made when fossil fuels burn incompletely. It's also a silent killer.
Premature babies who develop abnormalities like autism and cerebral palsy as teenagers have subtle differences in brain structure that can be detected on quantitative MRI (qMRI), according to a new study in the journal Radiology.
A range of work and home-related factors, such as not having a work locker or a place to launder work clothes, can impact the level of toxic metal concentrations that workers track from their worksites to their home.
An estimated 370,000 Californians rely on drinking water that may contain high levels of the chemicals arsenic, nitrate or hexavalent chromium, and contaminated drinking water disproportionately impacts communities of color in the state, according to a new analysis led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles.
Environmental exposure to low-levels of the toxic metals arsenic, cadmium and titanium appears to increase the risk of plaque buildup in arteries in the neck, heart and legs, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (ATVB).
A clinical trial has found that the combination of all-trans retinoic acid, which is a metabolite of vitamin A, and arsenic trioxide is highly effective in children with standard- and high-risk acute promyelocytic leukemia, or APL.
Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering\ of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University and Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University have developed a ferritin (Fn)-based nanomedicine for targeted delivery of arsenic (As) and efficient therapy against diverse leukemia types.
Almost two million people worldwide die of work-related causes, according to joint estimates by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization, which cite long working hours, pollution and poor conditions as major factors.
In this interview, Peter Awram is an expert from the Worker Bee Honey Company, the largest apiary in British Columbia, Canada, and Gillian Wade, an expert in consumer class action litigation, discuss the issues facing honey producers.
A University of Arizona Health Sciences study has identified the biological mechanism linking long-term arsenic exposure to diseases such as cancer and Type 2 diabetes.
The risk of prostate cancer was 24% higher among 9/11 rescue and recovery workers after the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, with the highest risk among the earliest responders, finds research published online in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine.
Mining involves moving a lot of rock, so some mess is expected. However, mining operations can continue to affect ecosystems long after activity has ended. Heavy metals and corrosive substances leach into the environment, preventing wildlife and vegetation from returning to the area.
A new report that examined soil, water, and produce from urban farms and gardens in Baltimore City found low levels of lead and other metals that pose no reason for concern at the majority of growing sites.
Protecting one of our most vulnerable populations, babies and young children, is among the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's highest priorities.
A new U.S. Geological Survey study provides an updated, statewide estimate of high levels of naturally occurring arsenic and uranium in private well water across Connecticut.
An estimated 6 million Americans may suffer from peanut allergies. Tiny amounts of peanut protein can lead to hives, itching, tingling in the mouth, shortness of breath or nausea within minutes.
The interiors of nonflowering trees such as pine and ginkgo contain sapwood lined with straw-like conduits known as xylem, which draw water up through a tree's trunk and branches.