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Arsenic poisoning is a medical condition caused by elevated levels of arsenic in the body. The dominant basis of arsenic poisoning is from ground water that naturally contains high concentrations of arsenic. Symptoms of arsenic poisoning begin with headaches, confusion, severe diarrhea, and drowsiness. As the poisoning develops, convulsions and changes in fingernail pigmentation called leukonychia striata may occur. Aldrich Mee's lines (leuchoparonychia) on nails are also seen. When the poisoning becomes acute, symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, blood in the urine, cramping muscles, hair loss, stomach pain, and more convulsions. The organs of the body that are usually affected by arsenic poisoning are the lungs, skin, kidneys, and liver. The final result of arsenic poisoning is coma and death. Arsenic is related to heart disease (hypertension related cardiovascular), cancer, stroke (cerebrovascular diseases), chronic lower respiratory diseases,and diabetes. Arsenic may be measured in blood or urine to monitor excessive environmental or occupational exposure, confirm a diagnosis of poisoning in hospitalized victims or to assist in forensic investigation.
About the author
Dr. Olugbenga Solomon BELLO hails from Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. He bagged his B. Tech degree in Chemistry in 1997 at LAUTECH, Ogbomoso. He completed his MSc and PhD in the field of Physical Chemistry at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in 2002 and 2008 respectively. Presently, he is an Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry in LAUTECH.
