CHEMICAL WARFARE - MUSTARD GAS - Mustard gas proved to be a very nasty poison for it could penetrate all protective material at the time. It could penetrate clothing and masks and only recently, with the discovery of urethane, can protective material resist mustard gas. Mustard gas is insoluble in water and therefore proved difficult to remove. If troops survived the inhalation of mustard gas, exposure would surely cause cancer later in life. For this reason mustard gas was a feared poison. - Mustard gas or dichlorodiethyl sulfide, causes severe burns to the eyes, skin and lungs. Its full effects are sometimes felt days later and cause severe incapacitation. Mustard gas was an important development in chemical warfare, believed to have first been used near Ypres 12th July 1917. Its chemical formula is Cl-CH2-CH2-S-CH2-CH2-Cl, as pictured on the right. Mustard gas proved to be a very nasty poison for it could penetrate all protective material at the time. It could penetrate clothing and masks and only recently, with the discovery of urethane, can protective material resist mustard gas. Mustard gas is insoluble in water and therefore proved difficult to remove. If troops survived the inhalation of mustard gas, exposure would surely cause cancer later in life. For this reason mustard gas was a feared poison. If inhaled it causes blistering of the lining of the lungs causing great distress and in severe cases death.

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Chemical warfare

Mustard gas

If troops survived the inhalation of mustard gas, exposure would surely cause cancer later in life. For this reason mustard gas was a feared poison.

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Mustard gas proved to be a very nasty poison for it could penetrate all protective material at the time. It could penetrate clothing and masks and only recently, with the discovery of urethane, can protective material resist mustard gas. Mustard gas is insoluble in water and therefore proved difficult to remove. 

Science of Conflict

dynamicscience.com.au

 

Mustard gas or dichlorodiethyl sulfide, causes severe burns to the eyes, skin and lungs.

Its full effects are sometimes felt days later and cause severe incapacitation.

Mustard gas was an important development in chemical warfare, believed to have first been used near Ypres 12th July 1917.  

Its chemical formula is Cl-CH2-CH2-S-CH2-CH2-Cl, as pictured on the right.

Mustard gas proved to be a very nasty poison for it could penetrate all protective material at the time.

It could penetrate clothing and masks and only recently, with the discovery of urethane, can protective material resist mustard gas.

Mustard gas is insoluble in water and therefore proved difficult to remove.

If troops survived the inhalation of mustard gas, exposure would surely cause cancer later in life.

For this reason mustard gas was a feared poison. If inhaled it causes blistering of the lining of the lungs causing great distress and in severe cases death.

Exposure to high concentration of mustard gas causes damage to the cornea of the eye and eventual blindness.    

Mustard gas is a persistent chemical which remains in the environment for days and continues to cause poisoning.

If a soldier's clothing and equipment became contaminated with mustard gas then other soldiers, he came into contact with, would also be contaminated.

1) What is a blistering agent?

2) As mustard gas reacts with water it splits into highly toxic chemicals. One of these chemicals is known as hydrochloric acid. Describe the effects of hydrochloric acid on skin.

3) Why are the lungs so susceptible to mustard gas?

4) Why was mustard gas such a feared poison?

5) Was it effective as a lethal weapon?

6) Describe the impact of a mustard gas attack on enemy troops. Discuss with reference to the demand placed on medical resources, psychological impact.

7) Why was mustard gas not widely used during WW2?

http://www.dynamicscience.com.au/tester/solutions1/war/mustargas.htm

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HYDROGEN CYANIDE - The deadly compound that is notorious for its quick acting and poisonous properties - Some varieties of Cassava, which is a staple food of 500 million people, contain enough cyanide to kill six people per kilogram of the crop. Fortunately though, the methods used to cook Cassava ensure that, if done properly, a person eating a kilogram of Cassava will receive only one-fifth the lethal dose of cyanide. The white roots must be soaked or boiled in water, or fermented to remove the cyanide. This processing is often done industrially to produce safe foodstuffs like cassava flour and tapioca. Hydrogen cyanide is a very small, linear molecule. It is simply H-C-N. The carbon atom is connected to the nitrogen by a strong triple bond, whereas the hydrogen is much more weakly attached. Plucking off the hydrogen atom leaves the negatively charged and highly reactive cyanide ion, CN-. Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) poison molecule. Cyanide is known to form strong bonds with metals, and this property is exploited in purifying gold from its ore. Gold ore is stirred in vats that contain a solution of sodium cyanide to form soluble gold cyanide complexes. Although very large amounts of this highly poisonous material are used, there is nothing to fear because almost all of it is recycled. Nevertheless, the technique remains controversial because of the risk of accidentally releasing large amounts of highly toxic cyanide compounds into the environment.

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Hydrogen cyanide

The deadly compound that is notorious for its quick acting and poisonous properties

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Some varieties of Cassava, which is a staple food of 500 million people, contain enough cyanide to kill six people per kilogram of the crop. Fortunately though, the methods used to cook Cassava ensure that, if done properly, a person eating a kilogram of Cassava will receive only one-fifth the lethal dose of cyanide. The white roots must be soaked or boiled in water, or fermented to remove the cyanide. This processing is often done industrially to produce safe foodstuffs like cassava flour and tapioca.

BY AKSHAT RATHI

 

Hydrogen cyanide is a very small, linear molecule. It is simply H-C-N.

The carbon atom is connected to the nitrogen by a strong triple bond, whereas the hydrogen is much more weakly attached.

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) poison molecule

Plucking off the hydrogen atom leaves the negatively charged and highly reactive cyanide ion, CN-.

Cyanide is known to form strong bonds with metals, and this property is exploited in purifying gold from its ore.

Gold ore is stirred in vats that contain a solution of sodium cyanide to form soluble gold cyanide complexes.

Although very large amounts of this highly poisonous material are used, there is nothing to fear because almost all of it is recycled.

Nevertheless, the technique remains controversial because of the risk of accidentally releasing large amounts of highly toxic cyanide compounds into the environment.

Cyanide is one of the quickest acting poisons, hence it is famously referred to many times in thriller stories, as a murder weapon or in the form of a suicide pill given to secret agents in case they are captured.

Its toxicity arises from the affinity of the cyanide ion to iron atoms.

When cyanide ions are present in the human body, they quickly bind to iron atoms inside cells.

In doing so, they inhibit an important enzyme - cytochrome C oxidase, which occurs inside the energy-producing mitochondria of a cell.

The enzyme is essential to life because it catalyses the final stage of glucose oxidation.

When it is blocked, the source of energy within the body quickly dries up, immediately affecting the central nervous system and the heart.

Binding of cyanide to the iron atom is irreversible in the sense that it can only be removed by chemical attack.

On cyanide consumption, within minutes the victim becomes unconscious although continues breathing, and slowly the heart gives out, causing death.

Hydrogen cyanide's action as poison is not just restricted to the movies, though.

Some varieties of Cassava, which is a staple food of 500 million people, contain enough cyanide to kill six people per kilogram of the crop.

Fortunately though, the methods used to cook Cassava ensure that, if done properly, a person eating a kilogram of Cassava will receive only one-fifth the lethal dose of cyanide.

The white roots must be soaked or boiled in water, or fermented to remove the cyanide.

This processing is often done industrially to produce safe foodstuffs like cassava flour and tapioca.

Despite the availability of techniques that allow for safe consumption, cyanide poisoning by Cassava became a common problem in the 1980s, especially in the drought afflicted areas of Africa where people were not willing to take the right measures to prepare Cassava before consuming it.

Seeds of fruits like apples, cherries and almonds also contain HCN, but in such small amounts that they pose no health risks.

But as bad as cyanide poisoning seems, a number of antidotes have been developed and their mechanism of action enables the cyanide ion to latch on to another molecule instead of binding to the iron atom in cytochrome oxidase.

One such sacrificial molecule which is available in the human body is haemoglobin.

But to enable the iron atom in haemoglobin to pick up the cyanide ion, it is necessary to oxidise Fe(II) to Fe(III).

This can be achieved by injecting either sodium nitrite or 4-dimethylaminophenol.

Other sacrificial molecules that can be introduced into the human body are hydroxycobalamin, a relative of vitamin B12 - or kelocyanor, which both employ cobalt to mop up cyanide ions.

Bearing this in mind, it could come as a surprise that chemical industries around the world produce enough hydrogen cyanide every month to kill every living person on Earth.

But of course, most of it is used to produce a wide variety of organic compounds.

For example, adiponitrile - made by adding HCN across the two double bonds of butadiene - is a precursor to the polymer Nylon, which is used for a variety of applications from making composite materials to being used as sutures after surgery.

It is also used to synthesise the essential-to-life amino acids for commercial use.

The ability to easily form a plethora of organic compounds, with many reagents and under a variety of conditions, has made researchers think about hydrogen cyanide's role in the origin of life - leading to an ongoing debate.

Those supporting the argument claim that hydrogen cyanide could have well been formed by lightning discharges in the prehistoric atmosphere of our planet.

The presence of other chemicals at the time may have enabled the synthesis of the amino acids that form the basis of our life.

Whichever way the debate goes, hydrogen cyanide is a fascinating molecule - maybe the giver, sometimes the taker, and in many ways today also the supporter of life.

Akshat Rathi is a London-based reporter for Bloomberg News. He has a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Oxford, and a BTech in chemical engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai.

He tells stories of the people and their ideas tackling the biggest problem facing humanity: climate change. He has edited a book of essays from young climate leaders and he is currently working on a book about scaling up climate solutions.

Previously, Akshat was a senior reporter at Quartz and a science editor at The Conversation. He has also worked for The Economist and the Royal Society of Chemistry. His writings have also been published in Nature, The Hindu, The Guardian, Ars Technica, and Chemistry World, among others.

In 2020, Akshat was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award by the Institute of Chemical Technology and his Bloomberg Green newsletter Net Zero was a finalist for an EPPY award. In 2019, he was shortlisted by the British Journalism Awards for the best science journalism category. In 2018, Akshat won Journalist of the Year at the Drum’s Online Media Awards ceremony, he was a finalist for the John B. Oakes award for distinguished environmental journalism, and he was shortlisted for British Science Writer of the Year by the Association of British Science Writers.

https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/hydrogen-cyanide/3005803.article

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OLEANDRIN A POSSIBLE TREATMENT FOR COVID-19 - What is oleandrin, the compound touted as a possible COVID-19 treatment? Scientists warn that the botanical natural product is unproven and could have lethal side effects. Recent news that US President Donald J. Trump has expressed interest in researchers investigating oleandrin as a possible COVID-19 treatment has scientists raising alarms that the compound is unproven and has dangerous, potentially lethal side effects. So what is oleandrin and what do we know about it? Oleandrin is a sugar-containing compound found in Nerium oleander, a shrub that’s popular for landscaping in the southern US and elsewhere. The plant is poisonous, causing nausea, vomiting, irregular heartbeat, and in some cases death when consumed. Oleandrin accounts for much of N. oleander’s toxicity, and it’s in every part of the plant from root to flower. Animals and people have died from eating the plant. Reports of poisonings resulting from the use of twigs from the plants to roast food date back to the 1800s. Oleandrin inhibits the action of sodium and potassium pumps in heart tissue, which are involved in the electrical signaling responsible for heart-muscle contractions. Sodium and potassium pumps also control the water balance in cells, which is why people with oleandrin poisoning experience nausea and diarrhea, adds Justin Brower, a forensic toxicologist.

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Oleandrin a possible treatment for COVID-19

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What is oleandrin, the compound touted as a possible COVID-19 treatment?

Scientists warn that the botanical natural product is unproven and could have lethal side effects

by Bethany Halford

Recent news that US President Donald J. Trump has expressed interest in researchers investigating oleandrin as a possible COVID-19 treatment has scientists raising alarms that the compound is unproven and has dangerous, potentially lethal side effects.

So what is oleandrin and what do we know about it?

Oleandrin is a sugar-containing compound found in Nerium oleander, a shrub that’s popular for landscaping in the southern US and elsewhere.

The plant is poisonous, causing nausea, vomiting, irregular heartbeat, and in some cases death when consumed.

“Most people who have grown up around this plant have been told since childhood, ‘Don’t eat this plant. It will kill you,’” says Cassandra L. Quave, a medical ethnobotanist at Emory University.

Oleandrin accounts for much of N. oleander’s toxicity, and it’s in every part of the plant from root to flower.

Animals and people have died from eating the plant.

Reports of poisonings resulting from the use of twigs from the plants to roast food date back to the 1800s, although more recent tales about deadly feasts of hot dogs roasted on oleander twigs have been debunked.

A case report from 2006 details how two people suffered oleandrin poisoning after dining on homemade snail stew (J. Anal. Toxicol. 2006, DOI: 10.1093/jat/30.9.683).

The snails had been found near N. oleander plants in their garden and analysis of the frozen leftover snails revealed they contained oleandrin, which the snails probably took in when their slime mingled with the plant’s juices.

Oleandrin inhibits the action of sodium and potassium pumps in heart tissue, which are involved in the electrical signaling responsible for heart-muscle contractions.

Sodium and potassium pumps also control the water balance in cells, which is why people with oleandrin poisoning experience nausea and diarrhea, adds Justin Brower, a forensic toxicologist who writes the Nature’s Poisons blog about toxic natural products and is working on a book by the same name.

Quave and Brower point out that oleandrin is structurally similar to digoxin, a cardiac glycoside used to treat various cardiac conditions.

But they note that digoxin has a narrow therapeutic window — the dose required for it to be an effective treatment is close to the dose that makes it toxic.

The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved oleandrin or experimental N. oleander extracts, such as Anvirzel or PBI-05204, for the treatment of any disease.

Oleandrin and N. oleander extracts have been studied as potential treatments for cancer and as antivirals.

In July, a preprint published on bioRxiv claimed that oleandrin can stop SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from replicating in cells in a test tube (2020, DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.15.203489).

The paper has not yet been vetted by other scientists.

Robert Harrod, a virologist at Southern Methodist University, has studied oleandrin’s ability to block human T-cell leukemia virus, type 1, a retrovirus that causes a fatal blood cancer, from spreading to other cells in test tubes (J. Antivir. Antiretrovir. 2019, DOI: 10.35248/1948-5964.19.11.184).

He says oleandrin probably does this by blocking cells from binding to the virus’s glycoprotein spike — a process he says could be general for envelope viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.

He notes that there’s a lot more research needed to go from the preprint to giving oleandrin to people, including tests in human cells, animal models, and early clinical trials.

“Even if it does make it into treatment of coronavirus as a therapeutic, this is going to have to be monitored very closely by doctors,” Harrod says.

“It is a very dangerous compound.”

Even so, he’s not willing to dismiss the idea.

“We should wait and look at the data before making a decision,” he says.

Because of the recent hype around oleandrin, Emory’s Quave worries that people might try to self-treat with N. oleander.

“Don’t consume or smoke this plant or consume any oleandrin,” she warns.

Bethany Halford, Senior Correspondent

Bethany Halford

Phone: 202-579-4133

E-Mail: b_halford@acs.org

Twitter: @beth_halford

Areas of coverage: Chemistry in general, particularly organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, nanotechnology, and materials science. Also, as Newscripts editor, loves a quirky science story.

Once upon a time Bethany was a synthetic organic chemist, churning out new molecules. She used to tell people she was a sculptor on a very small scale. Now she sculpts stories. She works in her office and various coffee shops in the Boston area.

https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/natural-products/oleandrin-compound-touted-possible-COVID/98/web/2020/08

ARSENIC POISONING - Arsenic is a natural chemical that can be found at groundwater in any part of the world. Arsenicosis or arsenic poisoning happens whenever a person has taken in a dangerous amount of arsenic. Intake can be through absorbing, swallowing, or inhaling. If not treated immediately, arsenic poisoning can lead to major health issues and even death. Thus, precautions must be taken to prevent those who are at risk. Arsenic is oftentimes associated with deliberate poisoning methods. But any person can be exposed to arsenic via contaminated groundwater, arsenic-preserved wood, rock, infected rock, or soil. Arsenic in the environment is not dangerous, per se. It is rare to have toxic amounts of arsenic found in the environment. There are reports that arsenic is found in some bottled water in the market. Arsenic ingestion can only pose health issues only if a dangerous quantity of arsenic has entered the body. Thereafter, poisoning can lead to liver disease, cancer, coma, or even death. It is unusual to find arsenic amounts that are dangerous in the environment. Arsenic is a metalloid component in our planet’s crust. Small quantities of arsenic can be found in air, rock, water, and soil. A metalloid is a natural substance that is not totally metal, but shares the same qualities with metals. In some geographical regions, the concentration of arsenic is higher. This can be due to various human activities like the use of pesticides or mining.

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Arsenic 
Poisoning

What Is Arsenic Poisoning?

What Are The Effects Of Arsenic?

The Berkey

Arsenicosis or arsenic poisoning happens whenever a person has taken in a dangerous amount of arsenic.

Arsenic is a natural chemical that can be found at groundwater in any part of the world.

Intake can be through absorbing, swallowing, or inhaling arsenic.

If it is not treated immediately, arsenic poisoning can lead to major health issues and even death. Thus, precautions must be taken to prevent those who are at risk.

Arsenic is oftentimes associated with deliberate poisoning methods.

But any person can be exposed to arsenic via contaminated groundwater, arsenic-preserved wood, rock, infected rock, or soil.

Arsenic in the environment is not dangerous, per se. It is rare to have toxic amounts of arsenic found in the environment.

There are reports that arsenic is found in some bottled water in the market. Thus, in this article, we will understand what arsenic poisoning and its effects on health.

We will also talk about cases of arsenic in bottled water and the things we can do to prevent it from affecting our health.

Things you need to know about Arsenic Poisoning

Arsenic is a natural chemical that can be present in groundwater.

Arsenic ingestion can only pose health issues only if a dangerous quantity of arsenic has entered the body. Thereafter, poisoning can lead to liver disease, cancer, coma, or even death.

There is various treatment for arsenic poisoning, which includes bowel irrigation and chelation therapy.

It is unusual to find arsenic amounts that are dangerous in the environment. The government issues areas with high levels of arsenic.

Authorities issue regulations with regards to handling and preventing the risk of poisoning.

Any person who thinks that their area has high levels of arsenic should contact the authorities immediately for more information.

Arsenic

Arsenic is a metalloid component in our planet’s crust, which is naturally occurring.

Small quantities of arsenic can be found in air, rock, water, and soil.

A metalloid is a natural substance that is not totally metal, but it shares the same qualities with metals.

In some geographical regions, the concentration of arsenic is higher. This can be due to various human activities like the use of pesticides or mining.

Natural conditions can also cause high concentrations of arsenic in the area.

Arsenic can be found together with other elements with different chemical compounds. Its organic forms can contain carbon, however, inorganic forms do not.

Moreover, take note that you cannot dissolve arsenic in the water.

Research provides that inorganic arsenic compounds are harmful to the body versus the organic ones.

They can react with the cells in the body, change its function, and displace certain elements that are found in the cell.

For example, cells use phosphate for signaling and energy generation.

However, arsenate, which is a form of arsenic, can replace and imitate the phosphate found in the cell. This will impair the ability of the cell to communicate with other cells and create energy.

This ability to alter cells can be useful in treating cancer. There are studies that show that it can send cancer to remission and thin the blood.

Chemotherapy, which uses arsenic like arsenic trioxide, is already been used in some patients with cancer.

Symptoms of Arsenic Poisoning

Arsenic poisoning symptoms can be severe, acute, immediate, or chronic, wherein the damage can be experienced for a longer period. Indeed, the method of exposure will determine the period.

If you have swallowed arsenic, then you can experience signs and symptoms within 30 minutes.

These are headaches, confusion, drowsiness, and severe diarrhea.

If you have inhaled arsenic or if you have ingested a less concentrated amount, the symptoms might take longer to develop.

As it progresses, you can experience convulsions. The pigmentation of your fingernail will now begin to change.

In more severe cases of arsenic poisoning, the signs and symptoms are as follows:

Excess saliva

A metallic taste

Halitosis

Problems swallowing

Hair loss

Cramping muscles

Stomach cramps

Convulsions

Diarrhea

Vomiting

Excessive sweating

Arsenic poisoning can affect your skin, kidney, lungs, and liver.

The complications which are linked to long-term consumption can include liver disease, cancer, diabetes, digestive difficulties, and nervous system complications.

In its final stage, you can experience shock and seizures, which can lead to coma or even death.

Causes of Arsenic Poisoning

Arsenic poisoning is mainly caused by the consumption of the toxic amount of arsenic. If you accidentally consume it in large amounts, it can kill you in an instant.

Meanwhile, it is consumed in smaller amounts, but over a long period, it can lead to serious health problems or death.

In some parts of the world, the main reason for arsenic poisoning is due to high levels of the toxin, which is found in the contaminated groundwater.

The water underground becomes contaminated because of the rocks that release the arsenic.

According to the World Health Organization, there are around 200 million people around the world who are exposed to contaminated water with high levels of arsenic.

People who smoke tobacco can be exposed to inorganic arsenic too. This is because tobacco plants can have natural arsenic in the ground.

Moreover, in the past, there is a potentially elevated risk of arsenic exposure, which is greater in tobacco plants, which were sprayed by insecticides.

Arsenic Found in the Workplace

If the workplace does not take proper safety measures, the workers may face the risk of toxicity with arsenic.

These industries are smelting, glass production, wood treatment, and the company that produces pesticides.

The method of how arsenic can enter the body depends on how arsenic is being used in the industry.

For example, one can inhale arsenic in the smelting industry since there is inorganic arsenic found in the coke emissions.

Meanwhile, in the industry of wood treatment, you can absorb arsenic through the skin, especially if a chemical that contains arsenic will now make contact.

In the food, there can be traces of arsenic too, just like in fish, meat, and poultry products.

Poultry products contain the highest amount of arsenic because of the antibiotics present in the chicken feed.

Rice is also known to contain high levels of arsenic versus water.

Arsenic in Bottled Water

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides that all bottled water companies must conduct tests of their water for contaminants, which include arsenic.

In a study done of 130 bottled water brands, there are three brands that are positive to contain an excessive amount of arsenic, which can be harmful to the body.

These are Jermuk, Penafiel, and Starkey Water. Penafiel or Keurig Dr. Pepper has reported that it has stopped its production in its Mexico facility.

Meanwhile, there are 11 bottled water brands that contain detectable amounts of arsenic.

The government has provided a limit for arsenic in drinking water. It should be at 10 ppb only, whether from the tap or bottled water source.

However, health experts and even Consumer Reports recommended that the limit for arsenic be revised to no more than 3 ppb only.

Five of the bottled water brands have been reported to contain arsenic, which is more than 3 ppb.

Currently, those companies that had exceeded the federal standard of 10 ppb for the arsenic level will have to face disciplinary actions. It includes the voluntary destruction of their products or recalls.

The Magnitude of the Problem

Indeed, there is widespread contamination of arsenic in the groundwater. There are various regions that are contaminated with arsenic, and the numbers are significant.

According to studies, there are at least 140 million people in more than 50 countries around the world who have been consuming water contaminated with arsenic.

Diagnosis of Arsenic Poisoning

To confirm arsenic poisoning, pathological testing is needed.

In occupations and areas with a high risk of arsenic poisoning, it is essential to determine the levels of arsenic to people at risk. This can be done by assessing hair, blood, urine, and fingernail samples.

Urine tests must be done 1 to 2 days after the initial exposure to have an accurate measure when the poisoning occurred. These tests can also determine the apparent signs of arsenic poisoning.

The tests of fingernails and hair can identify the level of arsenic exposure from 1 to 12 months. The tests done can provide an accurate description of arsenic levels.

However, this will not show the effects of arsenic on an individual’s health.

Treatment

The treatment available for the patients will depend upon the stage of arsenic poisoning experienced.

There are methods that will remove arsenic poisoning in the body before it will lead to further damage. Others will minimize or repair the damage that has been done.

Some of the treatment available will include removing the clothes which are contaminated by arsenic.

It can also include blood transfusions, thoroughly washing off the affected skin, and observing kidney functions.

This will also include taking heart medications whenever the heart starts failing or using mineral supplements that can lower the risk of experiencing heart rhythm problems.

Bowel irrigation can be one option too. A special solution will be passed through the gastrointestinal tract.

Then, all the poison and arsenic contents will be flushed out. It will remove all the traces of arsenic, and it will prevent it from getting absorbed into the gut.

Apart from this, chelation therapy can also be used. This treatment will have to use chemicals like dimercaprol and dimercaptosuccinic acid, which removes arsenic to blood proteins.

Preventing Arsenic Poisoning

To protect yourself and your family from arsenic poisoning, there are easy steps that you can follow, such as the following:

Removing Arsenic Inside the Home

If there are confirmed unsafe arsenic levels in your area, you can purchase systems to treat your drinking water like the Berkey Products.

This can help you reduce arsenic exposure and have some peace of mind. This can be a long-time solution for your home until arsenic contamination is dealt with by the authorities in your area.

Test the Nearby Sources for Arsenic Traces

Have the water be chemically examined so you can identify the poisonous sources of arsenic. You can ask the government authorities for this.

Be Careful as you Harvest the Rainwater

If you are living in areas with high rainfall, you can prevent arsenic poisoning by making sure that the collection process does not put your water at risk of developing an infection.

Make sure that as you harvest water, it will not become a breeding ground for the mosquitoes.

Consider the Depth of the Water Wells

If you have a deep well, then you will be less likely to experience arsenic poisoning.

Substitute Water Source

You can substitute water sources which are high with arsenic with safe sources. Example of these is surface water and rainwater.

You can use low-arsenic water for cooking, drinking, and irrigation purposes. Meanwhile, high-arsenic water can be used for flushing the toilet or cleaning.

Discriminate High and Low Arsenic Sources

You can test your water source for arsenic levels. For example, you can paint the hand pumps or tube wells with different colors to identify them.

This can be a low-cost and effective means to reduce your family’s exposure to arsenic, which can be beneficial in the long run.

Install Arsenic Removal Products

Another tip is to install arsenic removal products like Berkey products. This can be domestic or centralized. See to it that you have appropriate disposal of the arsenic.

Some of the technologies for arsenic removal include absorption, oxidation, coagulation-precipitation, membrane techniques, and ion exchange.

Today, there are various effective and low-cost options that you can try to remove arsenic in household supplies. However, there is still limited evidence on the extent of the system when used in the long run.

Conclusion

Indeed, arsenic is one of the harmful chemicals in groundwater, which is a major health concern today.

The authorities are doing their best to reduce exposure by setting values, reviewing evidence, and providing risk management measures to the citizens.

Millions of people around the world are exposed to arsenic, and even on bottled water. But with regular monitoring of health authorities, products have been destroyed and recalled.

As consumers, we must take steps to limit exposure to this chemical and share the knowledge with our fellow loved ones.

Welcome to The Berkey.
We strive to provide the clean, fresh and pure, healthy drinking water available because next to air, water is the most important element for our lives. The essence of good health starts with clean air and water.
The Berkey water filters consistently outperform all other water filters in its class at a fraction of the price.
This is all possible because we are determined to improve the quality of your day-to-day drinking water for your family.
Our focus is to provide exceptional products and service through integrity, commitment to our customers, teamwork, the most rigorous testing in the industry and continuous quality improvement.

Should you have any question, please feel free to contact us.

https://theberkey.com/blogs/water-filter/what-is-arsenic-poisoning-what-are-the-effects-of-arsenic

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http://puricare.blogspot.com/2017/04/arsenic-in-chicken-according-to-fda.html

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Arsenic (As) 

and water

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http://puricare.blogspot.com/2016/11/presence-of-arsenic-in-water-arsenic.html