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Arsenic |
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Arsenic exposure in the workplace occurs through inhalation, ingestion, dermal or eye contact. Chronic exposure to arsenic can lead to dermatitis, mild pigmentation keratosis
of the skin, vasospasticity, gross pigmentation with hyperkeratinization of exposed areas, wart formation, decreased nerve conduction velocity, and lung cancer. Acute exposures can cause lung
distress and death. The following references provide information about the hazards and health effects associated with arsenic.
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Report on Carcinogens (RoC). US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Public Health Services, National Toxicology Program (NTP).
Identifies and discusses agents, substances, mixtures, or exposure
circumstances that may pose a hazard to human health by virtue of their
carcinogenicity and includes a table of contents with links to sections of the report.
- Arsenic Compounds, Inorganic. 148 KB PDF, 3 pages. Explains the carcinogenicity, properties, use, production, exposure, and regulations of arsenic.
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Toxicological Profile for Arsenic. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), (2000, September). Provides exposure risks, exposure limits, and health effects for arsenic.
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), (September,
2005). Lists the physical description, synonyms and trade names,
personal protection, first-aid, and exposure limits for many chemicals
including arsenic
- Arsenic (inorganic compounds, as As). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH), (1996, August 16). NIOSH considers inorganic arsenic compounds to be potential occupational carcinogens.
- Hazardous Substance Data Bank (HSDB). National Library of Medicine (NLM), Specialized Information Services (SIS). Provides a cluster of databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, and related areas.
Related Literature
- Hertz-Picciotto I, Arrighi HM, Hu SW. Does arsenic exposure increase the
risk for circulatory disease? American Journal of Epidemiology.
2000 Aug 1;152(3):290-3.
- Jensen GE, Hansen ML. Occupational arsenic exposure and glycosylated haemoglobin. Analyst. 1998 Jan;123(1):77-80.
- Arrighi HM, Hertz-Picciotto I. Controlling the healthy worker survivor
effect, an example of arsenic exposure and respiratory cancer. Occupational Environmental Medicine. 1996 July;53(7):455-62.
- Tollestrup K, Daling JR, Allard J. Mortality in a cohort of orchard
workers exposed to lead arsenate pesticide spray. Archives of Environmental Health. 1995 May-Jun;50(3):221-9.
- Nriagu J. Arsenic in the Environment. Hoboken(NJ): John Wiley and Sons, Ltd;
1994. Provides a two part set of a comprehensive review of arsenic, including health impacts, sources, and analytical methods.
- Hertz-Picciotto I, et al. Synergism between occupational arsenic exposure and
smoking in the induction of lung cancer. Epidemiology. 1992 Jan;3(1):23-31.
- Jaerup L, Pershagen G. Arsenic exposure, smoking, and lung cancer in
smelter workers; a case-control study. American Journal of Epidemiology.
1991 Sep 15;1346:545-51.
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