Analysing the king of poisons

“Arsenic in water: the role of spectroscopy in problem identification and solution provision. The toxicity of arsenic in combination with its lack of taste, colour and odour made it an ideal homicidal agent from the time of the Roman Empire through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
The so called “king of poisons” continues to threaten public health, however chronically – with low dose ingested over long periods through drinking water. Arsenic in drinking water has been reported, for example, from Taiwan, Chile West Bengal (India), Mexico, China, UK, USA, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Vietnam as well as other regions in the world. Those who are most exposed live in South Asia, particularly in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal. Irony is that the respective governments have so far failed to adequately address this matter. The scale of human exposure to arsenic is unprecedentedly huge, with latest estimates claiming more than 200 million people around the world are still exposed through drinking water.”

(Citaat: Ahmad, A. (KWR) – Analysing the king of poisons – AWE International (2017)45-50 – Website 19 January 2018)