The Devastating Effects Of Arsenic Poisoning And How To Remove The Threat

By Hrushikesh Joshi and Amanda Yoshino, Magna Imperio Systems Corp.

Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring element that can be found at elevated concentrations in groundwater aquifers beneath Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, China, India, Mexico, and the United States, per a 2018 World Health Organization (WHO) report (WHO, 2018). WHO estimates that at least 140 million people in 50 countries have been exposed to drinking water containing arsenic concentrations above the WHO recommended safe limit and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 micrograms per liter (μg/L) (MassDEP, 2019). Above this limit, arsenic can cause significant health problems, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, skin disorders, endocrine disruption, decreased production of red and white blood cells, multiple types of cancer, cardiovascular issues, and neurological effects (Murphy et al., 1981; Federal Register, 2001; MassDEP, 2019).