Arsenic

CAS Number: 7440-38-2

SERIOUS
health hazard

MODERATE
health hazard

FEW OR NO
health hazards

0 79

80 89

90 100

Sources of exposure:

cleaning products and household care

food

industrial uses

Arts & crafts, CCA treated wood, batteries, electronics, construction and building materials

Description:

Arsenic is a naturally occurring heavy metal found in the environment. Inorganic arsenic compounds have industrial uses, including wood preservatives, herbicides, paints, dyes, and semiconductors, while organic arsenic compounds occur naturally in plants and animals and are generally less toxic. Arsenic is heavily regulated in food, drinking water, and occupational settings.

Health concerns:

Cancer

Known or suspected to increase cancer risk in humans.

Genotoxicity

May cause mutations or damage DNA in cells.

Irritant

May cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation.

Ecotoxicity

May be toxic to ecosystems and wildlife.

Banned/restricted lists:

European Commission Annex II prohibited substances. International and National Regulations and Guidelines Applicable to Arsenic and Arsenic Compounds.

References

HOW MILLION MARKER SCORES CHEMICALS

Million Marker's Ingredient Hazard Scoring uses multiple chemical databases and a science-backed scoring system to compute hazard scores for thousands of chemicals found in consumer products and listed on ingredient labels.

We identified key chemicals based on a database compiling dozens of authoritative sources, screening tools, and QSAR models.

Hazard scores within 11 different health categories (carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, reproductive toxicants, developmental toxicants, genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, organ system toxicity, immunotoxicity, respiratory toxicity, skin/eye/respiratory irritants, and ecotoxicity).

They are weighted based on several factors, including strength of evidence for adverse impacts in humans, severity, and potential contamination.