|
|
Article: Arsenic in Drinking Water.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Journal of Environmental Health
- Article date:
- September 1, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 National Environmental Health Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Sources
Arsenic exposure has a number of sources:
* Arsenic is widely distributed throughout the earth's crust.
* Arsenic is introduced into water through the dissolution of minerals and ores, and concentrations in groundwater in some areas are elevated as a result of erosion from local rocks.
* In some areas, industrial effluents contribute arsenic to water.
* Arsenic is also used commercially (e.g., in alloying agents and wood preservatives).
* Combustion of fossil fuels is a source of arsenic in the environment through dispersed atmospheric deposition.