US EPA

1031875 

Journal Article 

Clearance of arsenic ingested by man from arsenic contaminated fish 

Freeman, HC; Uthe, JF; Fleming, RB; Odense, PH; Ackman, RG; Landry, G; Musial, C 

1979 

Yes 

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
ISSN: 0007-4861
EISSN: 1432-0800 

NIOSH/00173955 

22 

1-2 

224-229 

English 

465780 

WOS:A1979GV55800038 

The clearance of organic arsenic following ingestion was studied in six volunteers who each ate 385 grams of contaminated flounder (13.6 micrograms of arsenic per gram wet weight) divided between two consecutive meals. Their total urine samples were collected and analyzed during the next 9 days. Approximately 12 percent of the ingested arsenic was excreted within the first 2 hours after the first meal; 2 days after consumption, more than 50 percent of the arsenic had been excreted. The rate of clearance then started to level off; when the urine collection was stopped approximately 77 percent of the ingested arsenic had been excreted. A comparison with other studies showed similar excretion rates. The organic arsenic compound was apparently stored in the body and excreted unchanged. Vigorous digestion with sodium-hydroxide produced dimethyl and trimethylarsenic acids, but the parent compound has not been identified. The authors conclude that much work remains to be done before a detailed toxicological assessment of arsenic in marine organisms can be done 

DCN-161704; Arsenic compounds; Excretory system; Food contaminants; Contaminated food; Chemical analysis; Analytical chemistry; Fishing industry