If someone is exposed to arsenic, several factors will determine whether harmful health effects will occur and what the type and severity of the effects will be. Factors such as how much gets into the body, how long someone is exposed, other chemicals someone is exposed to and individual characteristics like age, lifestyle and general health status can influence whether someone will experience adverse health effects from arsenic exposure. Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in the environment. High doses of arsenic can cause death.
Lower doses can irritate the stomach and intestines, causing pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
Food and water are the major sources of arsenic exposure to most people. There is no good evidence that lower levels of arsenic exposure can injure pregnant women or their fetuses. Long-term oral exposure to low levels of arsenic can cause skin changes, such as darkening of the skin and the appearance of warts on the palms, soles and torso. These changes are not dangerous in themselves, but can indicate an increased risk of skin cancer from arsenic exposure. Ingesting arsenic can also increase the risk of liver, kidney and bladder cancer.