Web Extras
The Dangers of Chronic Exposure to Arsenic

Arsenic has long been known to be toxic at high doses. But researchers have found that long-term exposure to low doses of arsenic also poses serious health risks. In New England, many people receive such exposure through private wells. The Dartmouth Toxic Metals Research Program has been at the forefront of efforts to identify and assess the risks of low doses of arsenic. They created a short video—available online at www.insmalldoses.org—that discusses those risks and outlines what homeowners can do to test their wells for arsenic, and to treat their water if arsenic is found. To read about a recent Dartmouth Medical School study of the relationship between arsenic and the ability of the immune system to fight off diseases, see "Arsenic might be a factor in H1N1 severity," from the Winter 2009 issue of Dartmouth Medicine.
View video
If you'd like to offer feedback about these articles, we'd welcome getting your comments at DartMed@Dartmouth.edu.
These articles may not be reproduced or reposted without permission. To inquire about permission, contact DartMed@Dartmouth.edu.