[NHCOLL-L:1172] Arsenic Danger

[Bob Glotzhober]

I am looking for information on what varying amounts of concentrations of
arsenic are dangerous.  I know this is a debated field -- but does anyone
have numbers that mean something?

We have been using the EM Quant Arsenic Test to test mounted animals to
determine if they are safe to use inside plexiglass boxes as loan kits for
local schools.  Any specimen that tests even a trace of arsenic is not used
in the loan kits.  The EM Quant Arsenic Test kit measures in  mg/l of
As3+/5+ on a scale from 0.0 to 3.0.  If we get even 0.1 (one part in 10,000)
the specimen is not used as we feel we must be 100% confident that these
kits are safe.  This eliminates any old specimens (almost all old ones have
arsenic), but "better safe than sorry."

Recently we have had reason to test some old burials.  The date of these
burials (although clearly Caucasian) is unclear yet.  We have gotten mixed
results varying from 0.0 to 0.1 from the bone and from the dirt surrounding
them -- associated with an orange deposit which I would have assumed was
iron oxide.  Someone told one of our archaeologists that undertakers in the
mid 1800s treated bodies with arsenic, and that this arsenic leaves orange
deposits on and around the bones.  Does anyone have a reference to that?
Also, I know that in the 19th century arsenic was used as a medicine to
treat ringworms etc. -- would such treatment have left similar deposits?
Also, has anyone tested soils with these kits, or suspect water -- do trace
amounts in "normal" soil show up in the EM test? --and if so, at what
levels.   Right now the kit I just used up has an expiration date of October
31,2000 (although it has been refrigerated constantly).  My view is that
until a fresh kit arrives (on order), all our measurements are inconclusive
(even though controls still test 0.0).  Naturally, in the meantime there is
concern about handling these bones.  What level of concentration might be
expected in bones of people who used arsenic as a treatment?  What level of
arsenic in or around such bones is dangerous -- and more importantly, to
what extent is it dangerous.  Is use of latex gloves and dust masks during
handling and/or excavation  a.)sufficient,  b.) not enough of a safeguard,
or  c.) over-blown concern?


> ===========================================
> Robert C. Glotzhober		bglotzhober at ohiohistory.org
> Curator of Natural History		phone  614 297-2633
> Ohio Historical Society		fax       614 297-2233
> 1982 Velma Avenue
> Columbus  OH  43211-2497
> 
> Visit the Web Site of the Ohio Historical Society at
> http://www.ohiohistory.org/
> 
> See our "Curators Curiosities" web page at
> http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/collect/curator/index.html
> 
> Visit the Web Page of the Ohio Odonata Society (dragonflies & damselflies)
> at
>    http://mcnet.marietta.edu/~odonata/index.html
> 
>