Major toxic metals: Arsenic

In this video, Prof. Liao will introduce major toxic metals, including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. He starts with arsenic.

Arsenic in drinking water is a global health issue, and exposure to arsenic via drinking water has been reported to cause a severe peripheral vascular disease known as black foot disease.

According to a WHO report, it is now recognized that at least 140 million people in 50 countries have been drinking water containing arsenic at levels above the WHO provisional guideline value of 10 μg/L.

Arsenic additive to animal feed, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc. into soil and transfer to crops, therefore found in many foods including grains like rice, fruits, and vegetables. These may contribute significantly to daily arsenic intake.

The health effects of arsenic have been found to cause lungs, urinary bladder, and skin cancers after long-term exposure at low doses, particularly in populations of areas with contaminated drinking water.

If you want to learn more on the hazard of heavy metal exposure, please check on WHO information on arsenic.