Arsenic Discovered by Albertus Magnus

 Although it can cause skin cancer there are some positive effects of it such as a special ointment made from diluted arsenic and used in small amounts can be used to treat cancerous growths and tumors (Arsenic).   It is classified as a semi-metal or metalloid. This means it has some properties of metals, and some properties of non-metals. Arsenic comes in 3 different solid type forms(Arsenic). One is a brittle, gray metal, a yellow, non-metallic form, which is hardly ever seen outside the laboratory, and black arsenic that can be prepared by cooling arsenic vapor at 100 (Mineral). Arsenic is a plentiful metalloid seen in the earth’s crust. That is why it is commonly seen in rock, soil, water, and air. Although most arsenic is created as a by-product in the treatment of gold, silver, copper, and other metal ores (Mineral).  All the metallic arsenic and arsenic compounds that the United States consumes are imported from various countries such as China, Chile, Mexico, and Peru .Very little is recycled, except in waste from factories that make arsenic compounds (Mineral).

The world depends on this key element because Arsenic is a semiconductor as a metalloid, like silicon (Mineral). Since it can only conduct some electricity about 1/10 % of arsenic is consumed in the manufacture of gallium arsenide semiconductors for use in LED (Arsenic). Glass-making is another key use for arsenic. Arsenic is also used in the leather tanning industry as a preservative (Buzzle). Widely used as a weed killer, it is often sprayed from a small aircraft over fields to destroy any kind of invasion (Buzzle). Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is the majority of U.S consumption (Arsenic). CCA is a chemical used as a wood preservative for telephone poles, fence posts, pilings, and foundation timbers (Arsenic). The CCA considerably lessens the act of rot and eliminates wood devastation by termites, ants and other insects (Arsenic) .

Although arsenic causes toxicity, it can also present an important role in very small concentrations such as the ability to produce medicines and pesticides (Buzzle). Housewives and practitioners still use arsenic and are often successful in their treatments (Buzzle). Weaker compounds of arsenic are often used to increase strength and endurance, and remedy anemia. This chemical element cause also improves the skin and fur of animals (Buzzle).

There are also negative impacts of this element especially on human lives, particularly potent poisons. For example, this is important because there are numerous water supplies that are near mines. Arsenic messes up (ATP) production through several mechanism (Arsenic). These intrusions can lead to death from multi-system organ failure or a severe hemorrhage (Aresnic).

To protect people from Arsenic, congress passed The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply (Buzzle). It was amended in 1986 and 1996 (Mineral). And in 2001the Republican-controlled Congress said the Environmental Protection Agency needs to establish a new drinking-water standard to try to limit people’s exposure to arsenic (Mineral). The law requires a plethora of actions to protect drinking water. But research has shown that the standards are still causing more problems.