What Are the Symptoms of Arsenic Poisoning?

It depends on how much and for how long, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. It says ingesting very high levels of arsenic can result in death, and that exposure to lower levels can cause nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels, and a sensation of pins and needles in the hands and feet. Breathing high levels of inorganic arsenic can give you a sore throat or irritated lungs.

Long-term exposure shows on the skin. ATSDR says ingesting or breathing low levels of inorganic arsenic for a long time can cause a darkening of the skin and the appearance of small corns or warts on the palms, soles and torso, and that skin contact with inorganic arsenic may cause redness and swelling. Several studies have shown that ingesting inorganic arsenic can increase the risk of skin cancer and cancer in the liver, bladder and lungs. The US Department of Health and Human Services and the EPA have determined that inorganic arsenic is a known human carcinogen, and IARC has determined it is carcinogenic to humans.

ATSDR says people are exposed by ingesting small amounts in food and water or breathing air containing arsenic, breathing sawdust or smoke from arsenic-treated wood, living in areas with unusually high natural levels in rock, or working in jobs such as copper or lead smelting, wood treating or pesticide application. It says a urine test is the most reliable test for exposure within the last few days, and hair and fingernail tests can measure high exposure over the past 6 to 12 months, but the tests cannot predict whether the arsenic levels in your body will affect your health. The EPA limit for arsenic in drinking water is 0.01 parts per million.