Just like cyanide poison, arsenic poison is a deadly poison. Difficult to detect because tidOdor, color, and tasteless when ingested make arsenic poison very dangerous. If the poison enters the body, then a person can experience poisoning.
Arsenic is a chemical compound that occurs naturally in the earth's crust. This substance can be found in water, air and soil naturally. That's why arsenic is also found in several types of food, such as seafood, milk, to meat.
Then, What is Arsenic Poison?
Toxic arsenic is artificial arsenic or also called inorganic arsenic, which is generally used for mining purposes, including coal mining and copper smelting. This compound is also widely used in several industrial sectors, such as glass processing, textiles, paints, wood preservatives, to ammunition. In the agricultural industry sector, this compound is used as a mixture to make fertilizers and pesticides.Now, It is in this industrial area that the toxic levels of arsenic are allegedly higher and dangerous. This is because toxic arsenic waste can pollute the environment in the region.
A person is susceptible to exposure to arsenic poison if:
- Drinking ground water contaminated with arsenic poison.
- Eating food from plants grown in soil or running water contaminated with arsenic poison.
- Smoking, especially cigarettes from tobacco plants that are contaminated with arsenic toxins.
- Work or live in mining areas and factories where arsenic is used as a result of inhaling air contaminated with arsenic poison.
In some criminal cases, artificial arsenic poison is used as a tool to kill or to commit suicide.
Impact of Exposure to Arsenic Poison for Health
Arsenic poison that enters the body will have different effects, depending on the dose and duration of exposure.
Exposure to very low levels of arsenic may not have serious health effects. However, if the exposure is in moderate or large amounts, arsenic poisoning can occur. Here are the symptoms:
- Digestive disorders, such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Muscle cramp.
- Disorders of the brain, such as headaches, seizures, delirium, and coma.
- Hard to breathe.
- Irregular heartbeat.
- Tingling in the fingers and toes.
- Red and swollen skin.
- Dark or black urine.
- Garlic-scented breath and urine.
- Dehydration.
If you don't get help right away, arsenic poisoning can lead to death. In pregnant women, arsenic poisoning can cause the baby to die or be born with disabilities.
A person who is continuously exposed to low to moderate doses of arsenic, over a long period of time, may show symptoms such as:
- The skin becomes red or darker.
- The appearance of a lump on the skin that resembles a wart.
- Swelling of the skin.
- The appearance of white streaks on the fingernails.
- Damage to the heart, liver, kidneys and nerves.
From a number of studies, it is reported that people who are long exposed to moderate doses of arsenic are also at risk for complications, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Although it is known as a very dangerous poison, arsenic turns out to have a positive side, especially its benefits in the medical world. Arsenic in certain doses has been used to treat several diseases, such as psoriasis, syphilis, skin ulcers, and joint disease. Now, this compound can be used to help treat certain types of leukemia.
If you are at risk of exposure to arsenic poison or experience some of the signs and symptoms described above, go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital for medical attention as soon as possible.