ARSENIC

Important Links for Information on ARSENIC

IPCS INCHEM is a means of rapid access to internationally peer reviewed information on chemicals commonly used throughout the world, which may also occur as contaminants in the environment and food. It consolidates information from a number of intergovernmental organizations whose goal it is to assist in the sound management of chemicals.

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - arsenic in drinking water

Arsenic & Arsenic Compounds - collective view of international experts

Arsenic - Safety & Health Risks

Arsine - Human Health Aspects

Dimethylarsenic Acid, Methanearsonic Acid, and Salts - Health & Safety Guide

ToxFAQs for Arsenic This site on arsenic, in a "frequently asked questions" format, was produced by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The mission of the ATSDR is "to prevent exposure and adverse human health effects and diminished quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution present in the environment." The FAQ is one in a series of summaries about hazardous substances and their health effects. Site includes phone contacts for additional information and a listing of related resources.

Arsenic rulemaking: EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water Describes the history of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's rulemaking efforts related to federal standards for arsenic in public drinking water supplies. The revised standard was required by the Safe Drinking Water Act. Includes fact sheets on arsenic, news releases from the EPA and links to support documents including scientific reviews by the independent expert panels convened by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Drinking Water Advisory Council and the EPA Science Advisory on the politics of arsenic regulation. Good reading for informed citizens. Requires Adobe Acrobat to view PDF files.

Arsenic in Drinking Water FAQ A brief summary on arsenic and its health effects produced by the National Resource Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group. It includes a FAQ on arsenic, including advice on filters that can be used in the home, and links to related pages on drinking water quality, water pollution and a broad spectrum of environmental issues including exposure to toxic chemicals.

Arsenic in Ground Water of the US A site detailing the occurrence of arsenic in ground water in the United States maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), an agency under the US Department of the Interior. The USGS researches conditions involving the country's natural resources. The major feature of the site is a map showing the location and extent of arsenic in ground water across the country, along with related reports and analyses and a fact sheet on interpreting the information. The site also includes basic information on arsenic and an extensive set of arsenic links.

Harvard Arsenic Project Maintained by Harvard University's Richard Wilson, this comprehensive site focuses on the public health aspect of acute arsenic poisoning from drinking water, with an emphasis on the catastrophic problem of arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh. Includes numerous links to online articles, scientific and technical papers, an extensive bibliography, information on instruments for measuring and speciation of arsenic, a photo gallery, lists of conferences and a multi-national viewpoint on the problem.

WebElements Periodic Table: Arsenic Includes extensive information on the chemical properties of arsenic, from the simple to the complex. Designed for students and for curious, somewhat science-savvy citizens. Includes geology, bond enthalpies, and uses, and details properties, compounds, and interdisciplinary value.

USGS Arsenic Studies Group The site, produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, is intended to increase communication among scientists working on arsenic and to make the work of USGS scientists more widely available to others working on arsenic studies. The site includes descriptions of ongoing studies with contact information, a bibliography on arsenic research, and a list of symposia sites with arsenic research abstracts and papers somewhat technical information.

Arsenic Case Study — Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) This ATSDR case study, while written for primary care providers and therefore full of medical terminology, provides comprehensive information on risk, exposure, fate, effects, and treatment of arsenic. Set in the Northwest, the case study follows the diagnosis and treatment of a carpenter exposed to arsenic via a variety of pathways. Some of the terminology may impede understanding for those without a medical degree, but most of the information is simple and direct. Providers may use this site as continuing education credit, authorized by AMA, AAFP, ACEP, and AOA.

West Bengal and Bangladesh Arsenic Crisis Information Centre The Arsenic Crisis Information Centre, or ACIC, contains several valuable resources — a monthly newsletter, presentations, news articles, international conference information, and a rather good links page. Also set up are three discussion groups over Yahoo Servers. Several international groups comprise the ACIC, although the site is unclear about how they are organized.

The London Arsenic Group This group of British geologists and mineralogists focuses on the source, fate, and transport of arsenic in the environment. This page contains good general information on arsenic, as well as specifics relevant to the Bangladeshi crisis. Publications from the popular press as well as papers, posters, and conference presentations from the group members are all located here. Of interest is the “Layperson’s guide to the way groundwater in Bangladesh has become polluted by arsenic,” located on the main page.

Fifth International Conference on Arsenic Exposure and Health Effects The most interesting segment of this web site for the July, 2002 conference is the 4th Conference proceedings and abstracts/posters. The 5th Conference web site has not yet been updated with the posters and papers presented there — however, it serves as a directory to find posters and abstracts from many other conferences. These papers deal with arsenic exposure, bioavailability, toxicokinetics, dose-response relationships, health effects, EPA's arsenic risk assessment and MCL, abatement and control strategies.

Health Effects and Geochemistry of Arsenic and Lead — Columbia University’s NIEHS Superfund Basic Research Program. Columbia University’s Superfund Program focuses on health problems arising from arsenic and lead in soil and drinking water. Consisting of four biomedical projects and three geological projects, this research takes place in four Superfund sites and has connections to the ongoing problems in Bangladesh. The web site outlines all these projects and their related cores, as well as presenting all the publications from the group.

Arsenic and Human Health — National Library of Medicine. A very comprehensive links page. Divisions include Government Information, Current Interest, and some directly from the National Library. The latter are probably the most informative, as they are directly from MedLine. The Current Concerns section includes CCA-pressure treated wood and munitions cleanup along with groundwater arsenic.

Arsenic, King of Poisons — Dr. Anil Aggrawal’s Forensic Articles Dr. Aggrawal writes the series "Poison Sleuths for the Science Reporter," a monthly science magazine published by the National Institute of Science Communication in New Delhi. This article, published in February 1997, gives a good, simple overview of arsenic poisoning and how it is diagnosed, in a conversational format between a forensic pathologist and a visitor to his lab. Because this site is located on tripod.com, it does have a number of extra popup windows, so be advised. (There is a computerized version of “Did you ever know that you’re my hero” playing continuously as well.)

Arsenic in Pressure-treated Wood — Environmental Working Group The EWG is a Washington, DC-based environmental advocacy group that produces reports, original analysis and critiques of government data and other studies. This page contains three reports on pressure-treated wood developed by the EWG as well as an arsenic-test kit ordering link.

Asia Arsenic Network A group founded in 1994 to help people suffering from the widespread arsenic poisoning in Asia publishes this web site. Each major site is listed and a description given, along with research aimed at a better understanding of arsenic and its remediation.

Wisconsin’s Arsenic in Drinking Water and Ground Water — Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The aquifer supplying water to much of Wisconsin is embedded in a natural sandstone, which happens to contain arsenic. This Wisconsin Arsenic page, therefore, has maps of potentially high arsenic sites, test kits and laboratory information, and a hefty supply of recommendations, articles, and studies, to keep citizens well-informed.

Arsenic Health Effects Research Program — University of California at Berkeley This page showcases the broad epidemiological studies of the UC-Berkeley research team, specifically studying the relationship of arsenic exposure to cancer. Much of their research has taken place in Argentina and Chile, although recent work in the South-western United States is published here as well.

Arsenic in Drinking Water 2001 Update — National Academies Press This is an open-book formatted publication from the National Academies Press. While it cannot be downloaded in its entirety (only page by page), it is possible to read the entire update on screen. The most important feature of the online format is the impressive search capability. Related books are accessible and quite interesting as well.

Metals in Health and Disease — University of Edinburgh This site was produced by a group of students from the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland as a class assignment. Well researched, it gives information on metals in nutrition, in medical diagnosis, and as drugs and toxins.

Center for Air Toxic Metals — Energy and Environmental Research Center, University of North DakotaThe United States Environmental Protection Agency designated the Energy and Environmental Research Center of the University of North Dakota as the Center for Air Toxic Metals, in order to develop sufficient information to devise effective regulations for the Clean Air Act. By amassing international and multidisciplinary data and technologies, the CATM has become a world leader in air pollution control, mainly from energy and incendiary sources. Available on the site are all issues of the CATM newsletter, as well as the entire downloadable database.