UNMSM/FQIQ/EPIQ/DAADP/INGLÉS TÉCNICO/EF1/2020-

I
SELECTED ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS

A number of environmental pollutants have already been discussed in the context of air,
water, and food. A few of them have been selected for further study in this chapter in order to
illustrate better why certain substances become environmental pollutants, how different
pollutants behave in the environment and how their physicochemical properties and toxicity
characteristics determine their pollution potential. The principal sources ought to be
determined, and emphasis has to be put on known and suspected effects on the community of
low-level, long-term exposure to environmental pollutants, as well as on the mechanism of
biological action and the signs of excessive exposure. Arsenic: It occurs in almost all soils in
small amounts and is also found in variable quantities in natural waters and, in very small
concentrations, in air.

Environmental pollution by arsenic may arise from agricultural practices –weed-

killers, fungicides, sheep dips, rodenticides, insecticides- and from industry. Arsenic in
topsoils is exposed to atmospheric oxygen and is usually present in pentavalent form.
Industrially produced arsenic is in the more toxic trivalent form.

Arsenic is not an essential element for human physiology, but it is regularly found in
human tissues in very small quantities. It is not only a cumulative but also a potent
protoplasmatic poison that inhibits SH-groups in enzymes. Unlike the salts, elemental
arsenic is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract but it is absorbed through the lungs
and skin.

In short-term and long-term studies in experimental animals, a variety of arsenic

compounds have been administered orally or by inhalation. The results have generally
paralleled toxic reactions in man. Chronic poisoning leads to loss of appetite and weight,
alternating diarrhoea, gastrointestinal disturbance, peripheral neuritis, conjunctivitis,
hyperkeratosis and melanosis of the skin, and sometimes skin cancer. Late stages are
characterized by necrotic cirrhosis of the liver, and an unusually high incidence of malignant
tumours of the skin and internal organs (e.g., liver, lung, bile ducts, and oesophagus).

A. Translate the text into Spanish.

CONTAMINANTES AMBIENTALES SELECCIONADOS

Un número de contaminantes ambientales ya ha sido discutido en el contexto de aire, agua y,
comida. Algunos de ellos han sido seleccionados para su posterior estudio en este capítulo con
el fin de ilustrar mejor por qué ciertas sustancias se convierten en contaminantes ambientales.
cómo se comportan los diferentes contaminantes en el medio ambiente y cómo sus
propiedades fisicoquímicas y características de toxicidad determinan su potencial de
contaminación. Deben determinarse las principales fuentes, y debe hacerse hincapié en los
efectos conocidos y sospechosos en la comunidad de la exposición de bajo nivel a largo plazo a
los contaminantes ambientales, así como en el mecanismo de la acción biológica y los signos
 de exposición excesiva.
arsénico: Se produce en casi todos los suelos en pequeñas cantidades y también se encuentra
en cantidades variables en aguas naturales y, en concentraciones muy pequeñas, en el aire.

La contaminación ambiental por arsénico puede surgir de las prácticas agrícolas (herbicidas,
fungicidas, salsas para ovejas, rodenticidas, insecticidas) y de la industria. El arsénico en las
capas superiores del suelo está expuesto al oxígeno atmosférico y generalmente está presente
en forma pentavalente. el arsénico producido industrialmente está en la forma trivalente más
tóxica.

El arsénico no es un elemento esencial para la fisiología humana, pero se encuentra

regularmente en tejidos humanos en cantidades muy pequeñas. No es solo un veneno
acumulativo sino también un potente veneno protoplasmático que inhibe los grupos SH en las
enzimas. A diferencia de las sales, el arsénico elemental no se absorbe en el tracto
gastrointestinal, sino que se absorbe a través de los pulmones y la piel

En estudios a corto y largo plazo en animales experimentales, se ha administrado una variedad

de compuestos de arsénico por vía oral o por inhalación. Los resultados generalmente han sido
paralelos a las reacciones tóxicas en el hombre. La intoxicación crónica conduce a pérdida de
apetito y peso, diarrea alterna, trastornos gastrointestinales, neuritis periférica, conjuntivitis,
hiperqueratosis y melanosis de la piel, y a veces cáncer de piel. Las etapas tardías se
caracterizan por cirrosis necrótica del hígado y una incidencia inusualmente alta. de tumores
malignos de la piel y los órganos internos (p. ej., hígado, pulmón, vías biliares y esófago).

B. Extract and synthesize schematically the main concepts included in the text.

Biological mechanism of action Health

(significant amounts of As) Loss of appetite and weight,
-Protoplasmic poison that- alternating diarrhea,
Inhibits SH groups of enzymes gastrointestinal disorders, etc.

It becomes an environmental
pollutant due to anthropogenic It is present in nature (air, soil,
activity and water) and in the human
-Agricultural activity (As2O3) body in small amounts (tissues)
-Industrial activity (As2O5)
SELECTED
ENVIRONMENTAL
POLLUTANTS:
ARSENICO
C. Answer the following questions:

a) Read the introduction and say what is the purpose of the chapter.

The purpose is to show how certain elements found in nature can become environmental
pollutants, how they behave (biological action mechanism) when they are present in
significant amounts in the body and what effects they have on health.

b) In what quantities is arsenic found in the different media mentioned?

In the soil in small quantities, also in natural waters in variable quantities and in very small
quantities in the air.

c) What determines the different oxidation state of arsenic in the soil and what comes from
the industry?

Atmospheric oxygen determines the oxidation state.

d) What effects of arsenic have been detected on the skin?

 Melanosis on the skin

 Skin cancer
 Peripheral neuritis
 Hyperkeratosis
 Malignant skin tumors

e) What is the toxic mechanism of arsenic in humans?

It is a protoplasmic poison that inhibits SH groups in enzymes.

D. Indicate True or False, as appropriate (correct false statements)

a) Environmental pollutants have been studied at ground and water level, mainly. (True)
b) Arsenic in great quantity is a powerful protoplasmic toxic, but in very small quantities it is
essential for the tissues. (False)
c) Arseniacal salts are absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. (True)
d) The results of studies in experimental animals are similar to those observed in humans.
(True)
e) There is a high correlation between arsenic poisoning and different kinds of tumors. (True)