Question

What are the causes of acute arsenic poisoning?
A. Thirst, vomiting, respiratory problem
B. Heart attack, vomiting
C. Breathing problem, fatigue
D. Vomiting, Heart attack

Answer 1

Ingestion/Inhalation of large amounts of arsenic leads to Arsenicosis or arsenic poisoning. It is extremely dangerous and can be consumed unknowingly as it has no taste or smell.

Complete answer:
Arsenic is available in organic (seafood is a rich source) and inorganic forms and it finds its use in mining, agriculture and manufacturing. In areas of industrialisation and constructional activities arsenic levels are very high. Arsenic is mostly found in groundwater and thus groundwater contamination is the major cause of arsenic poisoning. Short term exposure to arsenic may lead to – abdominal pain, vomiting, redness, muscle cramps, abnormal heart beat, tingling sensations in fingers and toes. Long term exposure may lead to – digestive issues, sore throat, dark skin. It also affects about 200 enzymes in our body which are involved in the synthesis and repair of DNA and other cellular pathways.
Acute arsenic toxicity leads to persistent multisystem disorders. Main site of arsenic absorption is in the small intestine because of which digestive disorders are frequent. When arsenic is absorbed in small amounts then it undergoes hepatic biomethylation and converts to dimethylarsinic acid and monomethylarsonic acid. Dimethylarsinic acid and monomethylarsonic acid are less toxic and are removed from the body via urine within 3-4 days. In case of acute poisoning, arsenic accumulates in liver, kidney, lungs, heart and muscles.
So the answer for this question is – Option A- Acute arsenic poisoning causes thirst, vomiting and respiratory issues but it also includes digestive problems.

Hence, the correct answer is option (A).

Additional information:
Lethal dose of arsenic is about 100-300 mg. small amounts like less than 5 mg can be easily removed from the body within 12 hours by vomiting and diarrhoea.
According to the World Health Organisation the amount of arsenic in water should not be more than 0.1 mg/L.
Two oxidation states of arsenic are found:
1. As III trivalent form also known as arsenite or $As_2O_3$.
2. As V pentavalent form also known as arsenate $As_2O_5$
Arsenite is 60 times more toxic than arsenate.
Signs of arsenic poisoning appear on the skin first as lesions.

Note: In India West Bengal has the highest arsenic contamination in the groundwater. Other states like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Punjab, Haryana, and Jharkhand also show groundwater contamination by arsenic.