After virtually eliminating arsenic as a useful tool for homicide, science now faces challenges in doing the same for natural sources of this fabled old “inheritance powder” that contaminates water supplies and food, threatening more than 35 million people worldwide.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of a popular book documenting arsenic’s horrific history as a poison highlighted that situation at a far-ranging symposium on arsenic here today during the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society. The following topics were among the two dozen presentations at the “Arsenic Contamination in Food and Water” symposium (abstracts appear below):
- Poisoner’s cupboard: The long (and sometimes homicidal) history of arsenic in everyday life.
- Arsenic in rice and rice products.
- Remediation of arsenic contamination of groundwater in Asia and USA.
- Development of a method for assessing perinatal exposures to heavy metals using residual dried blood spots from newborn screening programs.
- Pick your poison? Arsenic in harvested country foods, edible mushrooms and wine from Canada.
- Low, slow and Next Gen impact: Arsenic, human health and cancer risks.
“Because of its sinister, homicidal uses, arsenic — a naturally occurring element found in the Earth’s crust — became world-renowned as the ‘inheritance powder,’” explained Deborah Blum, the plenary speaker for the symposium. “What made arsenic such a good homicidal poison is the same thing that makes it dangerous in environmental exposures — it gives no warning,” said Blum, who is at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “It’s mostly tasteless, it’s odorless, and it’s colorless. The symptoms of arsenic poisoning, especially if given in small doses over a long time, mimic those of natural diseases, so for a long time, people got away with it. Arsenic became one of the great historical poisons in human history.”
Blum described how arsenic remained largely the poisoner’s first choice until the 19th century, when manufacturers started using it in pesticides, candies, jewelry and even in wallpaper to give it a deep green color. It even found uses in patent remedies and as an additive in certain foods. It was all over the place and easy for anyone to get.
“At the start of the 19th century, scientists started realizing that they had to put a stop to this free-wheeling, murderous situation,” she explained. “That’s when the big revolution happened — scientists finally figured out how to detect arsenic in the body. Slowly, people realized they couldn’t easily get away with it anymore, and arsenic became more difficult to obtain — manufacturers stopped adding it to common household products.”
Other speakers in the symposium focused on the ongoing problem of arsenic contamination in the 21st century. Arsenic occurs naturally in elevated concentrations in the soil in certain areas of the world. It sometimes leaches into drinking water supplies and food. Recent reports in the news media have drawn attention to its presence in apple juice and rice, and in groundwater in Bangladesh and Chile.
The Latest Bing News on:
Arsenic contamination in food
- 10 Years Later, Flint Residents Are Still Waiting for Lead Pipes to Be Replacedon April 27, 2024 at 9:26 am
Biden pledged to replace all of the US’s lead pipes, but he’d need billions of dollars more from Congress to do it.
- Arsenic-laced books removed from National Library of Franceon April 25, 2024 at 10:15 am
Four books have been removed from France's national library over concerns their covers may be laced with poisonous arsenic. The 19th century volumes, printed in Britain, all have emerald green covers.
- Across China: Medical experts free villagers from arsenic poisoning in SW Chinaon April 23, 2024 at 7:12 am
Yuzhang is located in Xingren City, Bouyei-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Qianxinan, southwest China's Guizhou Province. It was listed as one of the arsenic poisoning areas caused by coal burning.
- Which foods have the most plastics? The answer may surprise youon April 22, 2024 at 4:29 pm
That advice extends to other foods and drinks packaged in plastic ... (You can reduce plastic contamination by up to 40% by washing rice, researchers said. That also helps reduce arsenic, which can be ...
- Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprisedon April 22, 2024 at 7:53 am
Apples and carrots were the most contaminated fruit and vegetable, respectively, with over 100,000 microplastics per gram. The smallest particles were found in carrots, while the largest pieces of ...
- The Top Most Dangerous Chemicals in the Worldon April 19, 2024 at 6:34 am
While strychnine was an ingredient in many over-the-counter products up until the 1980s, it has since been outlawed. Symptoms of poisoning include skeletal muscle spasms, seizures, and vomiting.
- Majority-Latino city endures years of toxic water in health ‘crisis’on April 18, 2024 at 2:00 am
After repeated violations, the state has stepped in -- but the problems are a reminder that safe water is not available to all Americans ...
- Taking too much of these 4 popular supplements can be dangerous, a toxicologist warnson April 17, 2024 at 9:46 am
A toxicologist shared some of the risks of taking too much of popular supplements, including vitamin D and magnesium.
- Gluten-free mini bagels recalled because they may contain glutenon April 16, 2024 at 8:00 am
Feel Good Foods issued a nationwide voluntary recall for its Gluten-Free Plain and Everything flavored Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Bagels, which may contain gluten due to cross-contamination. Those with ...
- Heavy Metals Are in the FDA’s Crosshairson April 15, 2024 at 1:35 pm
Incidents of the past six months have catalyzed an FDA usually focused on biological contaminants to develop limits for four heavy metals.
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Arsenic contamination in food
[google_news title=”” keyword=”arsenic contamination in food” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”] [/vc_column_text]The Latest Bing News on:
Arsenic contamination in water
- New EPA rules will force fossil fuel power plants to cut pollutionon April 27, 2024 at 4:00 am
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday released a sweeping set of rules aimed at cutting air, water and land pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants. Environmental and clean energy ...
- Around 17 lakh drought-affected people get drinking water in Rajshahi barindon April 27, 2024 at 2:17 am
Maity Saren, 49, wife of Dukhu Saren of Rahi village under Godagri upazila in the district, is now happy with the safe drinking water supply facilities. "We had to face multifarious problems relating ...
- EPA clamps down on water pollution from coal plantson April 25, 2024 at 10:25 am
The new rules targeting coal wastewater and coal ash are part of a suite of regulations expected to reshape the power sector.
- Arsenic-laced books removed from French libraryon April 25, 2024 at 10:15 am
Four books have been removed from France's national library over concerns their covers may be laced with poisonous arsenic. The 19th century volumes, printed in Britain, all have emerald green covers.
- Biden administration finalizes new rules for power plants in one of its most significant climate actions to-dateon April 25, 2024 at 6:29 am
The Biden administration on Thursday finalized a highly anticipated suite of rules to cut planet-warming and hazardous pollution from power plants that generate electricity – one of its most ...
- Biden cracks down on power plants’ climate emissions, pollutionon April 25, 2024 at 2:00 am
The Biden administration on Thursday cracked down on planet-warming emissions and other pollution from power plants, aiming to make these power sources more environmentally friendly. The Environmental ...
- Water at Extension complex deemed safeon April 24, 2024 at 5:51 am
Nitrate naturally occurs in air, water and soil and arsenic can dissolve and be carried to underground aquifers as water flows through rock formations. Jonathan Modie, lead communications officer with ...
- Amid fears of arsenic in private water wells, Texas A&M is offering low-cost tests in Ector and Midland countieson April 19, 2024 at 8:47 am
Officials are worried that there’s arsenic in some of the estimated 13,500 private water wells in Ector and Midland counties.
- County Digs Deep for Drinking-water Safetyon April 19, 2024 at 8:23 am
Groundwater. It’s out of sight and probably out of mind for a good number of Door County’s residents and visitors. A thin layer of soil covering fractured, quickly-draining rock makes most of the ...
- Majority-Latino city endures years of toxic water in health ‘crisis’on April 18, 2024 at 2:00 am
After repeated violations, the state has stepped in -- but the problems are a reminder that safe water is not available to all Americans ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Arsenic contamination in water
[google_news title=”” keyword=”arsenic contamination in water” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]