Billions of years ago, life on Earth was mostly just large slimy mats of microbes living in shallow water. Sometimes, these microbial communities made carbonate minerals that over many years cemented ...

In contrast, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces a strict limit of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for arsenic ...

Arsenic’s potent effect on humans has been known since at least the Roman Empire. For centuries, it was a popular poison for murderers because it can’t be seen, smelled or tasted in food or water.

“One hundred or so years ago, one of the most common pesticides was lead arsenate, and for example, it was fairly commonly used in apple orchards, which is one of the reasons why apple juice becomes ...

Now in his 60s, former shopkeeper Shahaz Uddin has been looking forward to becoming another white-bearded grandfather enjoying retirement. But there’s a signal that may be complicated—a warning sign ...

Unfortunately, toxic elements are everywhere in our environment and our food supply, arising from both natural and artificial sources. Lead, arsenic, and cadmium are regularly found in fruits, ...

Last week I described how and why mercury and chromium are toxic, and this week I will focus on two other noto rious elements: arsenic and lead. Arsenic is a metal loid, which means it has the ...

At the Pic du Midi mountain observatory it is raining from all directions – ideal for exploring the pathways of arsenic in the atmosphere. Left: Device for collecting aerosol samples at low ...