Earth:Arsenic cycle

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The arsenic (As) cycle is the biogeochemical cycle of natural and anthropogenic exchanges of arsenic with the environment.[1] The cycle is of interest because arsenic is detrimental to human health. The World Health Organization recognizes that inorganic arsenic is extremely toxic for humans (U.S. EPA maximum of 10 ppb in water) and detrimental to aquatic life.[2] Arsenic toxicity can harm nearly every organ system within the human body, as well as causing lung and skin cancer.[3][4][5] While treatment for arsenic toxicity is possible, prevention or water treatment tends to be the safest solution.[6]

Reservoirs and fluxes

Arsenic biogeochemical cycle with fluxes in kg/yr and reservoirs in kg. Fluxes are depicted with black arrows, while anthropogenic fluxes are red. Fluxes are between the lithosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.[5]

Although many arsenic-containing minerals have been identified,[7] only a few are of economic significance, mainly arsenopyrite (FeAsS) and tennantite. The principal problematic mineral-sourced arsenic comes from smelting of ores that contain traces of arsenic.[8] Sedimentary rocks bearing coal and shale may also contain high As.[9] Major fluxes of As from the lithosphere to the atmosphere are volcanic emissions.[5]

Freshwater and groundwaters commonly contain <1 ppb of As.[5] The concentration of As is pH dependent; acidic conditions mobilize As at pH <5.[5] Oxic seawater contains As(III) as arsenate (average of 1.7 ppb).[10] Major sinks include sedimentation and subduction.[5]

Anthropogenic arsenic sources

Arsenic is a component of a few man-made materials: wood preservatives, animal feed supplements, and some specialty alloys.

It is also emitted from coal-based power plants and smelting, and refining operations.[5][11] As is also present in many industrial and agricultural sources such as herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides.[12] Some As is emitted from steel and glass production, and forest and grassland burning.[5] Major locations that contribute significantly to As pollution are South Asia, West-central Africa, Western Europe, and Latin America.[12]

Arsenic toxicity

The toxicity of As is well known.[13]

  • Arsenopyrite (AsFeS) is the most abundant As mineral
    Arsenopyrite (AsFeS) is the most abundant As mineral
  • Signs of arsenic poisoning include changes in skin pigmentation. This person experienced As poisoning due to contaminated water.
    Signs of arsenic poisoning include changes in skin pigmentation. This person experienced As poisoning due to contaminated water.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cullen, William R.; Reimer, Kenneth J. (1989). "Arsenic speciation in the environment". Chemical Reviews 89 (4): 713–764. doi:10.1021/cr00094a002. 
  2. ↑ Humans, IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to (2012) (in en). ARSENIC AND ARSENIC COMPOUNDS. International Agency for Research on Cancer. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304380/. 
  3. ↑ "Arsenic Toxicity: What are the Physiologic Effects of Arsenic Exposure? | Environmental Medicine | ATSDR" (in en-us). 2023-05-25. https://archive.cdc.gov/www_atsdr_cdc_gov/csem/arsenic/physiologic_effects.html. 
  4. ↑ Masuda, Harue (2018). "Arsenic cycling in the Earth's crust and hydrosphere: interaction between naturally occurring arsenic and human activities" (in en). Progress in Earth and Planetary Science 5 (1). doi:10.1186/s40645-018-0224-3. ISSN 2197-4284. Bibcode: 2018PEPS....5...68M. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Matschullat, Jörg (2000). "Arsenic in the geosphere — a review" (in en). Science of the Total Environment 249 (1–3): 297–312. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(99)00524-0. PMID 10813460. Bibcode: 2000ScTEn.249..297M. 
  6. ↑ "Treatment Options and Technologies - Arsenic - University of Maine" (in en-US). https://umaine.edu/arsenic/treatment-options-and-technologies/. 
  7. ↑ Mandal, B (2002-08-16). "Arsenic round the world: a review". Talanta 58 (1): 201–235. doi:10.1016/s0039-9140(02)00268-0. ISSN 0039-9140. 
  8. ↑ WHO Arsenic Compounds, Environmental Health Criteria 224. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2001. 
  9. ↑ Smedley, P.L; Kinniburgh, D.G (2002-05-01). "A review of the source, behaviour and distribution of arsenic in natural waters" (in en). Applied Geochemistry 17 (5): 517–568. doi:10.1016/S0883-2927(02)00018-5. ISSN 0883-2927. Bibcode: 2002ApGC...17..517S. http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/12311/1/Abstract.pdf. 
  10. ↑ Bruland, KW (1983). Trace elements in sea water In Riley JP, Chester R. editors. London: Academic Press. pp. 157–220. 
  11. ↑ Schlesinger, William H.; Klein, Emily M.; Vengosh, Avner (2022-11-17). "The Global Biogeochemical Cycle of Arsenic" (in en). Global Biogeochemical Cycles 36 (11). doi:10.1029/2022GB007515. ISSN 0886-6236. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022GB007515. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Sevak, Pooja; Pushkar, Bhupendra (2024-01-01). "Arsenic pollution cycle, toxicity and sustainable remediation technologies: A comprehensive review and bibliometric analysis". Journal of Environmental Management 349. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119504. ISSN 0301-4797. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479723022922. 
  13. ↑ Michael., Kosnett (1990). Arsenic toxicity. U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. OCLC 25527050. 



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