From Envirowiki

Arsenic is a semi-metal element, and is odourless and tasteless. It occurs naturally, but has also been used in pesticide, pigments, and poisons. Arsenic is used in arms manufacture to create harder bullets^[1] and in small quantities in semi-conductor manufacture. It is a common by-product of copper smelting.

[edit] standards

American EPA Standards set safe levels of arsenic in drinking water at 10ppb^[2]. Arsenic bioaccumulates in fish^[3]

The ASEAN standard for marine waters is ~50mg/kg (or 50ppm), Australian, New Zealand, and north american levels are at 42mg/kg^[4]

[edit] Toxicity

According to the Pesticide Action Network^[5], arsenic is a carcinogen, a developmental or reproductive toxin, and a suspected endocrine disruptor.

There was an arsenic leak in the port of melbourne between 2000-2005 with The Age claiming levels far exceeding safe levels for fishing^[6], however, the EPA claimed no problems^[7]

[edit] references

1. ↑ http://www.metrokc.gov/Health/tsp/arsenic.htm#uses
2. ↑ http://www.epa.gov/safewater/arsenic/regulations.html
3. ↑ http://www.fishinglink.org/toxin.edu/Arsenic.html
4. ↑ http://www.walhi.or.id/eng/buyat_team_summary/
5. ↑ http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_ChemUse.jsp?Rec_Id=PC35165
6. ↑ Arsenic Leaked into River, the Age, 2005 august 21.
7. ↑ http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/water/rivers/fish_sampling.asp