Arsenic compounds, toxicity

EA Epps, MB Sturgis. Arsenic compounds toxic to rice. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 4 ... 

Arsenic Peroxides. Arsenic peroxides have not been isolated however, elemental arsenic, and a great variety of arsenic compounds, have been found to be effective catalysts ia the epoxidation of olefins by aqueous hydrogen peroxide. Transient peroxoarsenic compounds are beheved to be iavolved ia these systems. Compounds that act as effective epoxidation catalysts iaclude arsenic trioxide, arsenic pentoxide, arsenious acid, arsenic acid, arsenic trichloride, arsenic oxychloride, triphenyl arsiae, phenylarsonic acid, and the arsenates of sodium, ammonium, and bismuth (56). To avoid having to dispose of the toxic residues of these reactions, the arsenic can be immobi1i2ed on a polystyrene resia (57). 

The toxicity of arsenic ranges from very low to extremely high depending on the chemical state. Metallic arsenic and arsenious sulfide [1303-33-9] AS2S2, have low toxicity. Arsine is extremely toxic. The toxicity of other organic and inorganic arsenic compounds varies (28). 

Arsenic compounds must be considered extremely poisonous. Dust or fumes irritate mucous membranes and lead to arsenical poisoning. When swallowed they irritate the stomach and affect the heart, Hver, and kidneys. Nervousness, thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, cyanosis, and coUapse are among the symptoms of arsenical poisoning (3). In spite of the toxicity of arsenic compounds, there is evidence that arsenic is an essential nutrient for several animal species (4). 

Trimethyl arsine [593-88-4] C H As, has been identified as the toxic volatile arsenical, once known as "Gosio gas," produced by the reaction of certain molds that grow on wallpaper paste and react with inorganic arsenic compounds present in the paper. A number of microorganisms can methylate arsenic trioxide and other arsenic-containing compounds to yield trimethylarsine. These microorganisms include Scopulariopsis brevicaulis Candida humicola and Gliocladium roseum (72). 

Caution Because tellurium compounds have toxic effects similar to those of arsenic compounds care should be taken not to bring tellurium tetrachloride and its reaction products into contact with the skin. Avoid breathing fumes and dust of tellurium compounds. In addition, hydrogen chloride is evolved in Step A, and pyrophoric Raney nickel is used in Step B. Therefore all manipulations described in this procedure must be carried out in an efficient fume hood. 

Toxic Effects on the Blood-Forming Tissues Reduced formation of erythrocytes and other elements of blood is an indication of damage to the bone marrow. Chemical compounds toxic to the bone marrow may cause pancytopenia, in which the levels of all elements of blood are reduced. Ionizing radiation, benzene, lindane, chlordane, arsenic, chloramphenicol, trinitrotoluene, gold salts, and phenylbutazone all induce pancytopenia. If the damage to the bone marrow is so severe that the production of blood elements is totally inhibited, the disease state is termed aplastic anemia. In the occupational environment, high concentrations of benzene can cause aplastic anemia. 

Melarsoprol, a trivalent organic melaminophenyl arsenic compound, kills intracerebral parasites of both T. brucei gambiense and T. brucei rhodesiense. Melarsoprol accumulates via an adenosine/adenine transporter in trypanosomes and is believed to inhibit glycolytic enzymes. Melarsoprol leads to a rapid lysis of trypanosomes. Melarsoprol is highly toxic to humans. 

Transmethylation is important not only in the biosynthesis of cellular components but also in detoxification. Although the resulting metabolites are less toxic to the cell, they are often more lipophilic and may have serious adverse effects on other biota. Toxic volatile arsenic compounds... 

Arsenazo (III) to produce a colored complex, which can be determined with standard colorimetric methods. Arsenic compounds are highly toxic. 

Arsenic compounds can be very effective corrosion inhibitors but their toxicity, ineffectiveness in hydrochloric acids above 17% active and in the presence of H S, and their ability to poison refinery catalysts has limited their use (148). Epoxy resins have been coated onto metal surfaces and cured with a polyamine to reduce corrosion (149). 

Caution. The arsenic compounds used here are extremely toxic and must be handled only in an efficient hood. Dimethyl-arsine is particularly dangerous because of its volatility (b.p. 36°/760 mm.) and its spontaneous flammability. 

The mobility of arsenic compounds in soils is affected by sorp-tion/desorption on/from soil components or co-precipitation with metal ions. The importance of oxides (mainly Fe-oxides) in controlling the mobility and concentration of arsenic in natural environments has been studied for a long time (Livesey and Huang 1981 Frankenberger 2002 and references there in Smedley and Kinniburgh 2002). Because the elements which correlate best with arsenic in soils and sediments are iron, aluminum and manganese, the use of Fe salts (as well as Al and Mn salts) is a common practice in water treatment for the removal of arsenic. The coprecipitation of arsenic with ferric or aluminum hydroxide has been a practical and effective technique to remove this toxic element from polluted waters... 

There are no structure-activity relationships applicable to estimating acute exposure limits for arsine. The nature and rapidity of its toxicity are notably different from other inorganic arsenic compounds. 

Although the vesicant properties of arsenical agents can be eliminated during decontamination, arsenic is an element and cannot be destroyed. Residual arsenical compounds may still possess significant toxicity if they enter the body through ingestion, or broken, abraded, or lacerated skin (e.g., penetration of skin by debris). 

BAL is the standard treatment for poisoning by arsenic compounds and will alleviate some effects from exposure to arsenic vesicants. It may also decrease the severity of skin and eye lesions if applied topically within minutes after decontamination is complete (i.e., within 2-5 minutes postexposure). Additional chelating agents for the treatment of systemic arsenic toxicity include meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and 2,3-dimercapto-l-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS). 

Marine algae transform arsenate into nonvolatile methylated arsenic compounds such as methanearsonic and dimethylarsinic acids (Tamaki and Frankenberger 1992). Freshwater algae and macrophytes, like marine algae, synthesize lipid-soluble arsenic compounds and do not produce volatile methylarsines. Terrestrial plants preferentially accumulate arsenate over arsenite by a factor of about 4. Phosphate inhibits arsenate uptake by plants, but not the reverse. The mode of toxicity of arsenate in plants is to partially block protein synthesis and interfere with protein phosphorylation — a process that is prevented by phosphate (Tamaki and Frankenberger 1992). 

Inorganic arsenic compounds are more toxic than organic arsenic compounds, and trivalent species are more toxic than pentavalent species. 

Kaise, T. and S. Fukui. 1992. The chemical form and acute toxicity of arsenic compounds in marine organisms. Appl. Organometall. Chem. 6 155-160. 

Spehar, R.L., J.T. Fiandt, R.L. Anderson, and D.L. DeFoe. 1980. Comparative toxicity of arsenic compounds and their accumulation in invertebrates and fish. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 9 53-63. 

It has been shown that all doses of arsenic trioxide are characterized by different toxicokinetics parameters. Arsenic compounds have long half-times and the tendency to accumulate in the body. The excretion rate decreased with decreasing blood concentration. The present study confirms the ability of toxicokinetic models to improve the study of various toxic substances and to estimate the Biological Threshold Limit Values. 

In the environment, metals are common as a chemical species, and as usual the metal-organic species are more toxic. For example, the inorganic lead and mercury species are less toxic for living organisms than the organic ones (methyl mercury, tetraethyl lead). However inorganic arsenic compounds are more toxic than organic... 

Most of the compounds of arsenic are toxic when in contact with the skin, when inhaled, or when ingested. As with arsenics cousin phosphorus above it in group 15 of the periodic table, care must be taken when using arsenic. The compound arsenic trioxide (As O ), an excellent weed-killer, is also carcinogenic. Copper acetoarsenite, known as Paris green, is used to spray cotton for boll weevils. A poisonous dose of arsenic as small as 60 miUigrams can be detected within the body by using the Marsh test. 

Arsenic causes both skin and lung cancer. Skin cancer was observed over 100 years ago in patients treated with arsenical compounds, and lung cancer was seen in smelter workers who chronically inhaled arsenic dust. Although arsenic is an established human carcinogen, it has been difficult to confirm and study in animal models. Arsenic readily crosses the placenta, but there appears to be increased methylation of arsenic to its organic form, which reduces its toxicity to the fetus. 

The solid or aqueous solution is highly toxic. Toxic symptoms are similar to other soluble arsenic compounds. See Arsenic. 

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