Arsenic — a Review. Part I: Occurrence, Toxicity, Speciation, Mobility

Abstract

In natural waters arsenic concentrations up to a few milligrams per litre were measured. The natural content of arsenic found in soils varies between 0.01 mg/kg and a few hundred milligrams per kilogram. Anthropogenic sources of arsenic in the environment are the smelting of ores, the burning of coal, and the use of arsenic compounds in many products and production processes in the past. A lot of arsenic compounds are toxic and cause acute and chronic poisoning. In aqueous environment the inorganic arsenic species arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)) are the most abundant species. The mobility of these species is influenced by the pH value, the redox potential, and the presence of adsorbents such as oxides and hydroxides of Fe(III), Al(III), Mn(III/IV), humic substances, and clay minerals.

The Problem of Arsenic Contamination of Groundwater

“…Several useful reviews of the techniques for removing arsenic from water supplies have been published [10][11][12][13]. Existing and emerging arsenic removal technologies include:…”

Analysis of Main Arsenic Species in Canned Fish Marketed in the Czech Republic and Austria

“…Over time, it was shown that various arsenic species have different toxicities. Organic arsenic compounds, in particular dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), methylarsonic acid (MA) and arsenobetaine (AB), are less toxic than inorganic compounds containing trivalent (As (III)) or pentavalent arsenic (As(V)) [1][2][3]. Nowadays, more than 100 different organic arsenic compounds are known.…”

"Geological Contamination of Arsenic in Ground Water: A Review"

“…Contamination in groundwater exceeds hazardous limit owing to oxides of iron and Al whose sediment play a significant role. 6,7 The activity of indigenous metal-reducing bacterial coupled with the reductive dissolution and mobility of arsenic has been greatly affected by these Fe and Al oxides. 8 Mining, fossil fuels, fungicides, Herbicides, insecticides and wood preservatives are the principal anthropogenic sources for groundwater pollution.…”