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Re: inorganic vs organic arsenic

Title: Re: [GWL] inorganic vs organic arsenic
Am I allowed one question?
 
Are you saying that arsenic in the form of chromated copper arsenate is more toxic than forms of arsenic found naturally in foods and water? Or is that unknown and you're just throwing that argument up against the wall to see if it sticks?
 
D
 
On Mon, 22 Mar 2004 08:11:00 -0800 "Lon J. Rombough" <l*@hevanet.com> writes:
I'm going to interject here to stop this from going flame war on the list.  
   While an element may be toxic, the form in which it exists can make a big difference in how toxic it can be in the body.  For example, the calcium compound of many elements is more stable, and less poisonous, than, for instance, the sodium compound.  That's because sodium is more active chemically and is more likely to release the other element in the body to latch onto an element that makes a more stable compound.  So pure (inorganic) arsenic is more toxic because it "wants" to tie up to something else to make a more stable compound. If it's in the body, that means it will find something to attach to there.  Organic arsenic is simply tied up in compounds that are relatively stable compared to the pure element, and less likely to release free arsenic into the body.  That doesn't mean that such compounds are NOT toxic, only that in the body less of the toxic substance can get into the system than the pure element could.  
   Go read a basic organic chemistry book.
-Lon Rombough
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