title: Health importance of arsenic in drinking water and food.
abstract: Arsenic is a toxic metalloid of global concern. It usually originates geogenically but can be intensified by human activities such as applications of pesticides and wood preservatives, mining and smelting operations, and coal combustion. Arsenic-contaminated food is a widespread problem worldwide. Data derived from population-based studies, clinical case series, and case reports relating to ingestion of inorganic arsenic in drinking water, medications, or contaminated food or beverages show the capacity of arsenate and arsenite to adversely affect multiple organ systems. Chronic arsenic poisoning can cause serious health effects including cancers, melanosis (hyperpigmentation or dark spots, and hypopigmentation or white spots), hyperkeratosis (hardened skin), restrictive lung disease, peripheral vascular disease (blackfoot disease), gangrene, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Engineering, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. semih.otles@ege.edu.tr
authors.forename: Semih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Otleş
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cağindi
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; D001151:Arsenic
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