title: [Tracing for arsenic exposure--a differentiation of arsenic compounds is essential for the health assessment].
abstract: Arsenic is ubiquitous and harmful to health in occupation and environment. Arsenic exposure is measured through analysis of arsenic compounds in urine. The identification of several arsenic species is necessary to understand the hazardous potential of the arsenic compounds which differ highly in their toxicity. To estimate the extent of an occupational exposure to arsenic, arsenic species were evaluated for the first time by the working group "Setting of Threshold Limit Values in Biological Material" of the DFG Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area and Biologische Arbeitsstoffreferenzwerte (BAR) of 0.5 μg / L urine for arsenic (III), 0.5 μg / L urine for arsenic (V), 2 μg / L urine for monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and 10 μg / L urine for dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) were set. If the reference value for total arsenic is exceeded, a further differentiation of arsenic species now enables to estimate the individual health risks taking into account special influences such as seafood consumption.
authors.forename: Wobbeke
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weistenhöfer
authors.affiliation: Fakultät für Gesundheits- und Pflegewissenschaften.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ochsmann
authors.affiliation: Institut und Poliklinik für Arbeits-, Sozial- und Umweltmedizin.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Drexler
authors.affiliation: Institut und Poliklinik für Arbeits-, Sozial- und Umweltmedizin.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Göen
authors.affiliation: Institut und Poliklinik für Arbeits-, Sozial- und Umweltmedizin.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Klotz
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine*; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000652:urine*; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000592:standards*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005858:Germany; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D001151:Arsenic