A Broad View of Arsenic

Abstract

In the mind of the general public, the words "arsenic" and "poison" have become almost synonymous. Yet, As is a natural metallic element found in low concentrations in virtually every part of the environment, including foods. Mining and smelting activities are closely associated with As, and the largest occurrence of As contamination in the United States is near the gold mines of northern Nevada. Inhabitants of Bangladesh and surrounding areas have been exposed to water that is naturally and heavily contaminated with As, causing what the World Health Organization has described as the worst mass poisoning in history. Although readily absorbed by humans, most inorganic As (>90%) is rapidly cleared from the blood with a half-life of 1 to 2 h, and 40 to 70% of the As intake is absorbed, metabolized, and excreted within 48 h. Arsenic does not appreciably bioaccumulate, nor does it biomagnify in the food chain. The United States has for some time purchased more As than any other country in the world, but As usage is waning, and further reductions appear likely. Arsenic is used in a wide variety of industrial applications, from computers to fireworks. All feed additives used in US poultry feeds must meet the strict requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine (Rockville, MD) before use. Although some public health investigators have identified poultry products as a potentially significant source of total As exposure for Americans, studies consistently demonstrate that <1% of samples tested are above the 0.5 ppm limit established by the US Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine. Although laboratory studies have demonstrated the possibility that As in poultry litter could pollute ground waters, million of tons of litter have been applied to the land, and no link has been established between litter application and As contamination of ground water. Yet, the fact that <2% of the United States population is involved in production agriculture and the overtones associated with the word "arsenic" could mean the matter becomes a perception issue.

Some leading causes of emerging rural poultry small and medium enterprises failure in South Africa

“…These are fibre/roughage needed by the chickens for constipation prevention. In general, chickens need a balanced diet for their good health (Jones, 2007). Thus, chicken farmers need to ensure these food stuffs when nurturing chickens.…”

Arsenic – Pesticides with an Ambivalent Character

“…Most arsenic is found in conjunction with sulfur in minerals such as arsenopyrite (AsFeS). Because of the association with ore and the stability of As in form like AsFeS, As was used as a " pathfinder element" in geochemical exploration for gold (Jones 2007). Through the centuries Arsenic was a common method of homicide.…”

“…Organic arsenic is non-toxic whereas inorganic arsenic is toxic. The inorganic forms of arsenic are yellow (AS 2 S 3 , orpiment), red (AS 2 S 2 realgar) and grey to silver white (FeAsS, arsenopyrite) (Waxman and Arsenic compounds have no smell or taste, but heat can cause As to sublimate to gas with a distinctive garlic odor (Jones 2007). Arsenic naturally occures in the earth´s surface, mostly in inorganic form (Hine, Pinto, and Nelson 1977).…”

Immunosuppressive effects of arsenic in broiler chicks exposed to Newcastle disease virus

“…Arsenic compounds such as roxarsone (trivalent derivative of phenylarsonic acid: C 6 H 5 As(O)(OH) 2 ) have been extensively used as a growth promoter in the poultry industry (Jones 2007). Under such circumstances, the concentrations of arsenic in biowaste is increased, and this, in turn, leads to contamination of soils and increased levels of the metal in nearby plants and vegetables (Andra et al 2010;Khan et al 2013).…”