Arsenic News and Research

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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.

Microban Receives Esteemed Green Sustainability Contribution Award at International Green Zero-Carbon Festival

Microban International – the global leader in antimicrobial technology, odor control and surface disinfection solutions – has been honored with the prestigious 2023 Green Sustainability Contribution Award at the 2nd International Green Zero-Carbon Festival and 2023 ESG Leadership Summit.

20 Jun 2023

eTesting cannabis for impurities and contaminants

In this interview, Shianna Hines, the Senior Field Application Scientist for cannabis and hemp-related items at PerkinElmer, talks to AZoLifeSciences about testing cannabis for impurities and contaminants.

From PerkinElmer 11 May 2022

Researchers propose the use of root exudates to rejuvenate arsenic-contaminated soil

Soil pollution with extremely toxic arsenic is a global crisis posing significant risks to human health and the environment.

25 Aug 2021

Xylem filters from native trees help purify drinking water

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. Xylem conduits are interconnected via thin membranes that act as natural sieves, filtering out bubbles from water and sap.

From Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 26 Mar 2021

Researchers discover rice plant variant that resists arsenic

The agricultural cultivation of the staple food of rice harbors the risk of possible contamination with arsenic that can reach the grains following uptake by the roots.

3 Mar 2021

Study identifies new mode of male endocrine disruption due to environmental arsenic exposure

Arsenic exists ubiquitously in an organic or inorganic state in the environment. General populations are commonly exposed to arsenic by digestion.

21 Jan 2021

Researchers test effects of weedkiller on wildlife

Prolonged exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of the weedkiller Roundup causes significant harm to keystone species according to new research at the University of Birmingham.

16 Dec 2020

Researchers design living plant-based sensor to track arsenic levels

For the first time, researchers from SMART have engineered a living plant-based sensor for the detection of arsenic in the belowground environment

3 Dec 2020

Traditional approaches to urban soil pollution monitoring ignore actual risks

A team of soil scientists from RUDN University confirmed that traditional approaches to urban soil pollution monitoring ignore actual risks for urban residents because they don't take into consideration the barrier function of the soil.

8 Oct 2020

Lifeforms likely used arsenic before oxygen was present on planet Earth

Much of life on planet Earth today relies on oxygen to exist, but before oxygen was present on our blue planet, lifeforms likely used arsenic instead.

23 Sep 2020

Human genetics: New insights into our own biology

Who are we? Where did we come from? How did we get here? Throughout the ages, humans have sought answers to these questions, pursuing wisdom through religion, philosophy, and eventually science.

21 Sep 2020

New research suggests pollution is also a cause for antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic resistance is an increasing health problem, but new research suggests it is not only caused by the overuse of antibiotics. It's also caused by pollution.

From University of Georgia 14 Aug 2020

Consumption of inorganic arsenic bearing rice linked to elevated cardiovascular mortality

Rice is the most widely consumed staple food source for a large part of the world's population. It has now been confirmed that rice can contribute to prolonged low-level arsenic exposure leading to thousands of avoidable premature deaths per year.

From The University of Manchester 5 Aug 2020

Novel method can examine dangerous levels of heavy metals in food and water

Finding out if the food and water we consume are safe from toxic and carcinogenic metals can now be much faster and simpler.

5 Aug 2020

DOE announces funding for power-plant energy storage, wastewater analysis projects

The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced the funding of two projects with Lehigh University's Energy Research Center.

From Lehigh University 30 Jul 2020

Researchers explore the reproduction of adenoviruses in cells

An adenovirus infection can be potentially life-threatening, especially for children after a stem cell transplant.

14 Jul 2020

Using organic electrochemical transistor to measure extracellular electron transfer in bacteria

Scientists at Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Linköping University, have developed an organic electrochemical transistor that they can use to measure and study in fine detail a phenomenon known as extracellular electron transfer in which bacteria release electrons.

18 Jun 2020

Half Of UK Rice Breaches Limits On Arsenic For Children

Scientists have called for labeling to warn the public about levels of arsenic in rice after research found rice varieties studied exceeded maximum limits.

4 May 2020

Risk assessments of mushroom consumption should factor in cooking and digestion

Mushrooms are a protein- and mineral-rich food source, but they can also accumulate high levels of toxic metals and metalloids.

7 Feb 2020