Module 3: Toxicology - Section 10: Other Heavy Metals
TOX 10.3: Arsenic

ARSENIC:

Uses and high risk exposures:

Metabolism:

a) Absorption:

b) Distribution:

c) Excretion:

Health effects:

INORGANIC ARSENIC (ARSENIC TRIOXIDE):

a) Acute effects:
b) Chronic effects:

1. Skin: most common:

  1. Eczematous dermatitis:

  2. Follicular dermatitis:

  3. Patchy hyperpigmentation pronounced around the eyelids, neck, armpits and groin.

  4. Hyperkeratosis (thickening) of palms and soles of feet.

  5. Transverse white lines (Mees' lines) on the nails.

  6. Skin cancer: Bowen's disease, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

2. Eyes:

Conjunctivitis (red, itchy and painful eyes).

3. Nose:

4. Peripheral Nerves:

5. Liver:

6. Lung:

ARSINE (ASH3):

Risk management:

a) Limiting exposure:
b) Industrial hygiene monitoring:

The occupational exposure limit (OEL) according to the Regulations for Hazardous Chemical Substances:

ACGIH:

c) Biological monitoring:
d) Medical surveillance:
e) Treatment:
f) Compensation:

Any disease or pathological manifestation due to arsenic is compensable under COIDA as it is listed as one of the substances in schedule 3 of the Act.

g) Notify the case to the Chief Inspector in DOL:

EXERCISES AND INTERACTIVE EXAMPLES ABOUT TOXIC METALS

Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3



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Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health (DOH) - Modules 3: Occupational Medicine & Toxicology (Basic) by Profs Mohamed Jeebhay and Rodney Ehrlich, Health Sciences UCT is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 South Africa License. Major contributors: Mohamed Jeebhay, Rodney Ehrlich, Jonny Myers, Leslie London, Sophie Kisting, Rajen Naidoo, Saloshni Naidoo. Source available from here. For any updates to the material, or more permissions beyond the scope of this license, please email healthoer@uct.ac.za or visit www.healthedu.uct.ac.za. Last updated Jan 2007.
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