Isnt any level of exposure to metals and arsenic too much?
People everywhere are exposed to chemicals, like metals and arsenic, as part of their daily lives. This exposure comes predominantly from food and drinking water. Soil is an additional exposure pathway. The effects of exposure to any substance depend on the type of exposure (oral, inhalation, or skin contact), the quantity of exposure, type of substance and its concentration, and the length of time of exposure. Additional factors that must be considered are a persons age, gender, diet, family traits, lifestyle and health status. Many metals are essential nutrients and arsenic is a naturally occurring substance in seafood. The body naturally regulates levels of metal and arsenic, which are readily excreted unless excess exposure occurs. Removal of exposure of a person to excess levels of many metals allows the body to eliminate these substances, and levels in the body will generally return to normal. Based on the current understanding of soil metal and arsenic levels in Sudbury, and hea
