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Arsenic Contamination of Drinking Water
Bangladesh is the
World's Most Vulnerable Country

Arsenicosis:

Toxic Effects of Arsenic in Humans

Arsenic is a poison and its lethal dose for human is 125 milligram.
It is 4 times as poisonous as mercury.
Toxicity depends on the amount of arsenic intake, which is classified into acute, sub-acute and chronic toxicity respectively. Drinking water contamination causes the last variety of toxicity.
Most of the ingested arsenic is excreted from the body through urine, stool, skin, hair, nail and breath. In excessive intake, some amount of arsenic is deposited in tissues and inhibits cellular enzyme activities.
Almost all organs are affected; but clinical symptoms appear insidiously after 6 months to 2 years or more depending upon the amount of arsenic intake.
Chronic toxicity of arsenic is best discussed in terms of organ systems affected, viz. skin, liver, nervous system, cardiovascular system and respiratory system.

Table-3. Arsenic Toxicity in different Organ Systems reported from different countries

Organ System	Problems
Skin	Symmetric hyperkeratosis (Figure-1: See below) of palms and soles, melanosis (Figure-2: See below) or depigmentation, bowen's disease, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Liver	Enlargement, Jaundice, cirrhosis, non-cirrhotic portal hypertension
Nervous System	Peripheral neuropathy, hearing loss
Cardiovascular System	Acrocyanosis and Raynaud's Phenomenon
Hemopoietic System	Megalobastosis
Respiratory System	Lung Cancer
Endocrine System	Diabetes mellitus and goiter

Figure-1: Hyperkeratosis on the palm of hand of a young adult

Figure-2: Melanosis on the neck and chest of a middle aged female