The immediate symptoms of acute arsenic poisoning include vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. These are followed by numbness and tingling of the extremities, muscle cramping and death, in extreme cases.
Arsenic is very poisonous. Consumed in large amounts, it can cause death very quickly. Lethal doses resulting in death typically occur within one to four days of ingestion. Exposure in smaller amounts over a period of time can still cause serious complications.
If arsenic poisoning occurs over a brief period of time, symptoms may include vomiting, abdominal pain, encephalopathy, and watery diarrhea that contains blood. Long-term exposure can result in thickening of the skin, darker skin, abdominal pain, diarrhea, heart disease, numbness, and cancer.
A small molecule that can easily get into cells, arsenic can cause cell injury and death by multiple mechanisms. Interference with cellular respiration explains the potent toxicity of arsenic. In addition, arsine gas may interact directly with red cell membranes.
Internally red velvet stomach, petechial hemorrhages under the endocardium of the left ventricle, patchy fatty degenerative changes with jaundice in liver, rain drop skin pigmentation and mee's line in nails findings seen in post-mortem.
The immediate symptoms of acute arsenic poisoning include vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. These are followed by numbness and tingling of the extremities, muscle cramping and death, in extreme cases.
The symptoms of arsenic poisoning can be acute, or severe and immediate, or chronic, where damage to health is experienced over a longer period. This will often depend on the method of exposure. A person who has swallowed arsenic may show signs and symptoms within 30 minutes.
Arsenic has no smell or taste, so you cannot tell if it is in your drinking water. The only way to find out if your well water has high levels of arsenic is to have it tested. HOW CAN ARSENIC AFFECT MY HEALTH?
Arsenic undergoes biomethylation in the liver. Approximately 70% of arsenic is excreted, mainly in urine [Rossman 2007]. Arsenic is excreted in the urine; most of a single, low-level dose is excreted within a few days after ingestion.
Arsenical keratosis is a precancerous dermatosis seen in patients with chronic arsenic toxicity (CAT). [1] It is characterized by corn-like, yellowish, hyperkeratotic papules and plaques, primarily affecting the palms and soles.
Thallium is tasteless and odorless and has been used by murderers as a difficult to detect poison. It is found in trace amounts in the earth's crust.
Recovery from chronic arsenic toxicity, particularly from the resulting peripheral neuropathy, may take months and may not be complete.
Conclusion. In simple words, arsenic is detectable in autopsies. However, unless there is suspicion of wrongdoing, most cases go unnoticed and are ruled out as death by natural or undetermined causes.
When asked to name a poison, people may well think of cyanide, arsenic or strychnine. But these are not the most toxic substances known. More poisonous than these, but still not near the top of the tree, is tetrodotoxin, the pufferfish toxin that poisons around 50 Japanese people every year.
Arsine gas is the most toxic form of arsenic. Inhalation of over 10 ppm is lethal and at concentrations higher than 25 ppm are reported to be lethal in less than an hour after exposure., while over 250ppm is reported to be instantaneously lethal.
Initial symptoms of acute arsenic trioxide poisoning (occurring within 30 minutes to several hours) include burning of the lips, pharyngeal constriction, severe abdominal pain, and nausea. A metallic or garlic taste and intense thirst also occur.
You can't see, smell, or taste arsenic. At very high levels, arsenic can cause death or harmful health effects. In the U.S., levels of arsenic in food and water are usually too low to make you sick right away.
At lower doses, people may not know they have been exposed to arsine, because it has no odor.
Ingestion and inhalation are the most common routes of exposure to arsenic, and they are the routes that most commonly lead to illness. Dermal exposure may lead to illness, but to a lesser extent than ingestion or inhalation routes of exposure.
Organic arsenic compounds are found mainly in fish and shellfish. In the past, inorganic forms of arsenic were used in pesticides and paint pigment. They were also used as wood preservatives and as a treatment for a variety of ailments. Today, usage of arsenic-containing pesticides and wood preservatives is restricted.
Arsenic can be harmful to the eyes, skin, liver, kidneys, lungs, and lymphatic system. Exposure to arsenic can also cause cancer. Workers may be harmed from exposure to arsenic. The level of exposure depends upon the dose, duration, and work being done.
If the person is not breathing, call 911.
If the person inhaled poison, get him or her fresh air right away. If the person has poison on the skin, take off any clothing the poison touched. Rinse skin with running water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Not all poisons cause symptoms right away. Sometimes symptoms come on slowly or occur hours after exposure.