Lewisite: Its Chemistry, Toxicology, and Biological Effects

Arsenic is a metalloid member of group V elements in the periodic table, which combines chemically with most nonmetals to form a variety of both inorganic and organic compounds, and is pervasively distributed in nature. Several pertinent reviews are extant that attest to its ubiquitous presence in the earth’s crust, air, and aquatic environments. It is likewise present in industrial emission (Pinto and Nelson 1976; Landrigan 1981), is used in agricultural production, and appears in food and in food chains (Gates et al. 1946; NAS 1977; Pershagen 1983; Squibb and Fowler 1983; Fielder et al. 1986; Hindmarsh and McCurdy 1986; Irgolic 1986a, 1986b; Pershagen 1986).