Bibianny Pernas

Ms.Kaitlin

Chemistry

September 25, 2017

Ahr​-s​uh​-nik, ​Ahrs​-nik

Arsenic, also known as “AS” on the periodic table. Arsenic is a chemical element in our

environment. Which is from both human and natural sources. Origin of the word comes

from the Greek word “ Arsenikon” which means yellow orpiment. The abundance of the

arsenic is 0.0002%. They were compounds that were mined by the Chinese, Greek and

Egyptians. It was also said to be discovered by Albertus Magnus in 1250 B.C. who

collected it by heating soap together with orpiment. Orpiment is also known as arsenic

trisulphide. Arsenic is found is in the Earth’s crust, in natural environments and in small

rocks, soil, water and air. It is given in many different minerals.

Food. Arsenic is generally exposed to the population in food and water. Arsenic

gets to our food by absorption through the water and soil, but different types of foods

have different types of levels of arsenic. Seafood has high levels of less toxic organic

arsenic. But you can be exposed to heart disease, skin, bladder and lung cancer

through long-term consumption of arsenic.

Imagine a world where a HUGE wild fire hits all of California because someone

misuses arsenic and in the east coast everyone starts eating food that contains more

and more arsenic. The air, soil, rocks and water start to contain more arsenic. People
would start to get more heart diseases, skin, bladder, lung cancer. All the lakes, oceans,

rivers would be contaminated. With the wildfire in California the water that would be

used to spray it down would contain arsenic which would not take out the fire or any fire

for that matter. Everyone needs water to live so within a week many people would get

sick through drinking the contaminated water. No one would be a able to plant crops

without soil, water and air. Fires would start all the time and everywhere. Chaos every

all the time. That’s why people should keep their arsenic levels to a minimum.