ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how drinking arsenic-contaminated water develops various pathological manifestations in the human body. It examines dose-related trends for arsenic-related skin lesions and a number of arsenic-induced nonmalignant and malignant diseases at levels below 100 µg/L in the populations of Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, India, Taiwan, China, and some other arsenic-contaminated areas around the globe. The toxicity of arsenic has been known for centuries, and research during recent years has shown that arsenic is a potent human carcinogen. The evidence for arsenic exposure and different cancers in terms of skin, liver, lung, bladder, and kidney suggests a similar dose-related trend in South Asia, Mexico, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, and the USA. The relevant database indicates a role for genetic variation in arsenic metabolism.
