Arsenic and Mercury Exposure - Essay Example

Topic - Arsenic and Mercury Exposure Mercury and Arsenic are chemicals when exposed to human body results in fatal conditions. The mercury comes in many forms and people can get exposed to it under many circumstances. The mercury is mostly more dangerous to children than adults. As per (Arnold,2011)“Exposure to even small amounts of mercury over a long period may cause negative health effects including damage to the brain, kidney, lungs, and the developing fetus”. .Moreover, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea and abdominal cramps is also immediate symptoms of mercury exposure.

On the contrary the exposure to arsenic on human body can have negative impact on skin and can result in skin cancer in long term. Some studies have also revealed that arsenic can also affect the bladder, colon, liver and kidney of a person. According to (Wisconsin, 2010)“Arsenic exposure can cause a certain pattern of skin changes that resemble warts, called "hyperkeratosis."  Fingernails may show ridges and yellowing”. Arsenic can also affect the nervous system of the person exposed to it, and can give results like tremors, numbness and headaches.

These chemicals are very dangerous and fatal to both human and animals and show varied symptoms on the body. The mercury exposure can result in abdominal cramps, nausea, and diarrhea and eye irritation whereas arsenic cause skin irritation. Arsenic effect the heart and can cause heart diseases while mercury does not create heart diseases. Arsenic can have impact on the nails of human but mercury does not show any symptom on nails. Arsenic cause diabetes and cancer and Mercury exposure cause weight loss and illness to nervous system.

References Arnold, D.T. (2011). Mercury spills. Retrieved from http://www.idph.state .il.us /env health/factsheets/mercuryspills.html. Wisconsin Department of Health Service. (2010, July 12). Arsenic. Retrieved from http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/chemfs/fs/arsenic.html.