Arsenic is a natural element found in soil and minerals. Arsenic compounds are used to preserve wood, as pesticides, and in some industries. Arsenic can get into air, water, and the ground from wind-blown dust. It may also get into water from runoff.

You may be exposed to arsenic by

• Taking in small amounts in food, drinking water, or air
• Breathing sawdust or burning smoke from arsenic-treated wood
• Living in an area with high levels of arsenic in rock
• Working in a job where arsenic is made or used

Exposure to arsenic can cause many health problems. Being exposed to low levels for a long time can change the color of your skin. It can cause corns and small warts. Exposure to high levels of arsenic can cause death.

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is widely distributed in the Earth’s crust. It is found in water, air, food, and soil.

There are two general forms of arsenic:

• Organic
• Inorganic

Scientists, pediatricians, and public health advocates are increasingly concerned about the more subtle and long-range health effects of low-level exposures to humans, especially for infants and children exposed to arsenic in water and some foods, such as rice-based products, during sensitive windows of development.

Where is arsenic found?

Arsenic is found just about everywhere. It can leach into groundwater through rocks and soil, and is used in pesticides, wood preservatives, and tobacco. It is also released into the environment by volcanoes and mining processes.

Arsenic in groundwater is a widespread problem. Arsenic levels tend to be higher in drinking water that comes from ground sources, such as wells, than from water from surface sources, such as lakes or reservoirs.

How does arsenic get into the body?

Most arsenic gets into the body through ingestion of food or water. Arsenic in drinking water is a problem in many countries around the world, including Bangladesh, Chile, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, India, and the United States.

Arsenic may also be found in foods, including rice and some fish, where it is present due to uptake from soil and water. It can also enter the body by breathing dust containing arsenic, or through the skin, though this is not a major route of exposure.

How much arsenic can be in drinking water?

The maximum level of inorganic arsenic permitted in U.S. drinking water is 10 parts per billion (ppb). This standard was set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Some states, such as New Jersey, have more stringent drinking water standards for arsenic than 10 ppb. There are no arsenic water standards for private wells.

Because arsenic is tasteless, colorless, and odorless, testing is needed for detection. Approximately 7 percent of wells in the U.S. are thought to have arsenic levels above the current EPA standard of 10 ppb.

Arsenic levels in the U.S. tend to be higher in rural communities in the Southwest, Midwest, and Northeast. The levels of arsenic in countries like Bangladesh have been measured at over 3,000 ppb.

How can I find out whether there is arsenic in my drinking water?

If your home is not on a public water system, you can have your water tested for arsenic. Your state certification officer should be able to provide a list of laboratories in your area that will perform tests on drinking water for a fee.

How do I remove arsenic from my drinking water?

Do not try to remove arsenic by boiling it. Additionally, chlorine bleach disinfection will not remove arsenic. You may wish to consider water treatment methods such as reverse osmosis, ultra-filtration, or ion exchange. Contact your local health department for recommended procedures.

How does arsenic affect people?

Arsenic affects a broad range of organs and systems including:

• Skin
• Nervous system
• Respiratory system
• Cardiovascular system
• Liver, kidney, bladder and prostate
• Immune system
• Endocrine system
• Developmental processes

Ways to reduce arsenic risk

• Test your drinking water.
• Eat a well-balanced diet for good nutrition, and eat a wide variety of grains, to try to minimize the negative health effects that could come from eating an excess of any one food.

Arsenic, a naturally occurring element, can combine with either inorganic or organic substances to form many different compounds. Inorganic arsenic compounds are in soils, sediments, and groundwater. These compounds occur either naturally, or as a result of mining, ore smelting, or when using arsenic for industrial purposes. Organic arsenic compounds exist mainly in fish and shellfish.

In the past people used inorganic forms of arsenic in pesticides and paint pigment. People also used them as wood preservatives and as a treatment for a variety of ailments. Today laws restrict using arsenic-containing pesticides, wood preservatives, and medicines.

How People Are Exposed to Arsenic

People are most likely exposed to inorganic arsenic through drinking water. This is especially true in areas with water sources that naturally have higher levels of inorganic arsenic. People can also be exposed to inorganic arsenic by eating such foods as rice and some fruit juices. Other sources of inorganic arsenic exposure include contact with contaminated soil or dust, or with wood preserved with arsenic compounds.

Exposure to organic arsenic compounds happens when people eat seafood. These forms of arsenic are considered to be non-toxic or considerably less toxic than inorganic arsenic.

How Arsenic Affects People’s Health

Unusually large doses of inorganic arsenic can cause symptoms ranging from nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea to dehydration and shock. Long-term exposure to high levels of inorganic arsenic in drinking water is associated with certain medical conditions. These conditions include skin disorders, an increased risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, and several types of cancer. Inorganic arsenic and arsenic compounds are considered to be cancer-causing chemicals.

Studies have not found organic arsenic in seafood to be toxic to humans.

Levels of Arsenic in the U.S. Population

In the Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals (Fourth Report), CDC scientists measured total arsenic, and seven different forms (or species) of arsenic. They measured these substances in the urine of 2,557 participants, aged six years and older, who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 2003–2004. By measuring arsenic in urine, scientists can estimate the amount of arsenic that has entered people’s bodies within the past two or three days.

• The body converts inorganic arsenic into the breakdown product (metabolite) called dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). DMA is also found in such foods as fish, poultry, fruits and grains. NHANES results found DMA and arsenobetaine to be the major components of urinary total arsenic levels. Arsenobetaine is a non-toxic inorganic arsenic form that comes from fish and seafood.

Finding measurable amounts of arsenic in urine does not mean those levels cause an adverse health effect. Biomonitoring studies on levels of arsenic provide physicians and public health officials with reference values. These reference values help experts determine if people have been exposed to higher levels of arsenic than are found in the general population. Biomonitoring data can also help scientists plan and conduct research on exposure and health effects.

What is arsenic?

Arsenic is an element in the Earth’s crust, and is present in water, air, and soil. It occurs both naturally in the environment and as a result of human activity, including from erosion of arsenic-containing rocks, volcanic eruptions, contamination from mining and smelting ores and previous or current use of arsenic-containing pesticides.

Are there different types of arsenic?

There are two general types of arsenic: organic and inorganic (these together are referred to as “total arsenic”). The term “organic” in this context has nothing to do with types of farming; it refers to chemical elements. If arsenic atoms bond with carbon, the compound is organic. If there’s no carbon present, it’s inorganic. Of the two types, the inorganic forms of arsenic have been more closely associated with adverse health effects.

How does arsenic get into foods?

Arsenic is present in water, air and soil and is absorbed by some food crops as they grow. It is not an additive or ingredient in these food crops and cannot be completely eliminated from food.

What about arsenic in rice?

Rice, a staple of the global diet, is a leading dietary source of inorganic arsenic, both because of how commonly it’s consumed and because as rice plants grow, the plant and grain tend to absorb arsenic more readily than other food crops.

Do organic foods have less arsenic than non-organic foods?

Because arsenic is naturally found in the soil and water, it is absorbed by plants regardless of whether they are grown under conventional or organic farming practices. The FDA is unaware of any data that show a difference in the amount of arsenic found in organic rice versus conventionally grown rice.

What are the health risks associated with arsenic exposure?

Long-term exposure to high levels of arsenic is associated with higher rates of skin, bladder and lung cancers, as well as heart disease. The FDA is currently examining these and other long-term effects.

Does the FDA test for arsenic in foods?

The FDA has been testing for total arsenic in food, including rice, through its Total Diet Study program. The agency also monitors the level of arsenic in selected domestic and imported foods under the Toxic Elements in Foods and Foodware program. In 2011, after new methods to differentiate the forms of arsenic became available, the agency expanded its testing to help better understand and manage possible arsenic-related risks associated with food consumption in the United States.

What is FDA recommending to consumers about eating rice and rice products?

Based on the currently available data and scientific literature, the FDA’s advice for consumers, including pregnant women, is to eat a well-balanced diet for good nutrition and to minimize potential adverse consequences from consuming an excess of any one food. Additionally, parents should follow the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics and feed their infants and toddlers a variety of grains as part of a well-balanced diet.

Based on the FDA’s findings with respect to inorganic arsenic in rice,the agency offers the following advice to parents and caregivers of infants.

• Feed your baby iron-fortified cereals to be sure she or he is receiving enough of this important nutrient.
• Rice cereal fortified with iron is a good source of nutrients for your baby, but it shouldn’t be the only source, and does not need to be the first source. Other fortified infant cereals include oat, barley and multigrain.
• For toddlers, provide a well-balanced diet, which includes a variety of grains.

Is it ok for me to eat rice and give it to my children?

Consumers can certainly eat rice as part of a well-balanced diet. Based on our scientific assessment, we think it would be prudent for parents and caregivers to feed their infants a variety of fortified infant cereals, rather than to rely solely on infant rice cereal. We also encourage pregnant women to eat a variety of foods, including varied grains.

Many infants with esophageal reflux tendencies rely on infant rice cereal as it is relatively easy to keep down. What does the FDA recommend for these infants instead of rice?

Wheat, barley and other grain-based infant cereals also readily absorb liquid and are similarly effective for infants with esophageal reflux tendencies. FDA recommends that children eat a well-balanced diet for good nutrition and to minimize potential adverse consequences from consuming an excess of any one food. Parents of such infants may wish to consult with their child’s pediatrician on which infant cereals would best meet their child’s needs.

Can the consumer do anything to offset or reduce the arsenic in rice?

Published studies, including research by the FDA, indicate that cooking rice in excess water (from six to 10 parts water to one part rice), and draining the excess water, can reduce 40 to 60 percent of the inorganic arsenic content, depending on the type of rice. The FDA recognizes that consumers do not typically prepare rice in this manner, similar to preparing pasta, and some may not wish to do so. Such preparation has been shown to lower the nutritional value of enriched polished and parboiled rice (reducing the levels of folate, iron, niacin and thiamin by 50 to 70 percent; these nutrients are added to polished and parboiled rice as part of the enrichment process).

The new FDA research also shows that rinsing rice before cooking has a minimal effect on the arsenic content of the cooked grain. Rinsing does, however, wash off iron, folate, thiamin and niacin from polished and parboiled rice. The tables below provide additional information on the study’s findings.

Percent reduction with rinsing

Percent reduction with cooking in excess water (averaged 6:1 and 10:1 ratios)

​​​​​​What is Arsenic?

Arsenic is a naturally occurring substance that can be found in air, water, and soil. It can also be released into the environment by certain agricultural and industrial processes, such as mining and metal smelting. Arsenic comes in two forms (organic and inorganic); the inorganic form is more toxic than the organic form.

How are people exposed to arsenic?

People in the general population may be exposed to arsenic by smoking tobacco, being around tobacco smoke, drinking contaminated water, or eating food from plants that were irrigated with contaminated water. Inorganic arsenic is naturally present at high levels in the groundwater of certain countries, including the United States. Exposure to arsenic in contaminated drinking water is generally thought to be more harmful to human health than exposure to arsenic in contaminated foods.

In the past, people were exposed to arsenic during certain medical treatments and through contact with pesticides. Inorganic arsenic compounds were widely used as pesticides until the mid-1900s and were found in some medicines until the 1970s. In the 1990s, research showed that an arsenic compound, arsenic trioxide, was effective in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Inorganic arsenic is naturally present at high levels in the groundwater of certain countries, including the United States.

Which cancers are associated with exposure to arsenic?

Prolonged ingestion of arsenic-containing drinking water is associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer and skin cancer, and medical exposure to arsenic has been clearly associated with skin cancer in epidemiological studies. In addition, cancers of the lung, digestive tract, liver, kidney, and lymphatic and hematopoietic systems have been linked to arsenic exposure.

How can exposures be reduced?

Access to a safe water supply for drinking, food preparation, and irrigation of food crops is the most important way to prevent exposures to arsenic.

Tips to limit exposure to Arsenic

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Check your well water

If your drinking water comes from a well, test your water in the spring or early summer to make sure arsenic levels do not exceed 10 parts per billion (.01 milligram per liter), the federal standard for safe drinking water. Visit https://www.epa.gov/privatewells for information on private well testing.

Eat a varied and nutritious diet

Eating a variety of age-appropriate healthy foods is good for nutrition and for food safety. This approach helps you and your children get important nutrients and may reduce exposure to and potential harmful effects from contaminants that foods can absorb from the environment.

Learn about juice recommendations for children

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, recommends:

• Infants under 1 year of age should not drink juice.
• From birth to about 6 months of age, babies should only be given breastmilk or iron fortified infant formula. No other drinks or foods.
• Wait until babies are at least a year old to give them cow’s milk, fortified soy beverages, or fruit juice.

For more juice tips, see What You Can Do to Limit Exposure to Arsenic and Lead from Juices or MyPlate.

Get strategies for rice and infant rice cereal

Rice tends to absorb arsenic more readily than other crops, however, consumers can certainly eat rice as part of a well-balanced diet. For infants, this includes infant rice cereal. The AAP advises parents to feed infants and toddlers a variety of grains as part of a well-balanced diet. Rice cereal fortified with iron is a good source of nutrients for your baby, but it shouldn’t be the only source and does not need to be the first source. Other iron fortified infant cereals include oat, barley and multigrain. In addition to being nutritious, they are similarly effective as rice for infants with esophageal reflux tendencies.

Published studies, including research by the FDA, show that cooking rice similar to how pasta is cooked can reduce 40 to 60 percent of the inorganic arsenic content, depending on the type of rice. However, this method of cooking rice in excess water—using 6 to 10 parts water to 1 part rice and then draining the excess water—also results in lowering the nutritional value of enriched polished and parboiled rice. Specifically, cooking in excess water reduces the levels of folate, iron, niacin and thiamine, nutrients that are added to polished (white) and parboiled rice as part of the enrichment process, by 50 to 70 percent.

The FDA research also shows that rinsing rice before cooking has a minimal effect on the arsenic content of the cooked grain and will wash off iron, folate, thiamine and niacin from polished and parboiled rice.

Seems like almost everyone is carrying a bottle of water these days.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates bottled water products, working to ensure that they’re safe to drink.

The FDA protects consumers of bottled water through the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), which makes manufacturers responsible for producing safe, wholesome, and truthfully labeled food products.

There are regulations that focus specifically on bottled water, including:

• “standard of identity” regulations that define different types of bottled water
• “standard of quality” regulations that set maximum levels of contaminants—including chemical, physical, microbial, and radiological contaminants—allowed in bottled water
• “current good manufacturing practice” (CGMP) regulations that require bottled water to be safe and produced under sanitary conditions

Types of Bottled Water

The FDA describes bottled water as water that’s intended for human consumption and sealed in bottles or other containers with no added ingredients, except that it may contain safe and suitable antimicrobial agents. Fluoride may also be added within the limits set by the FDA.

The agency classifies some bottled water by its origin. Here are four of those classifications:

• Artesian well water. This water is collected from a well that taps an aquifer—layers of porous rock, sand, and earth that contain water—which is under pressure from surrounding upper layers of rock or clay. When tapped, the pressure in the aquifer, commonly called artesian pressure, pushes the water above the level of the aquifer, sometimes to the surface. Other means may be used to help bring the water to the surface.
• Mineral water. This water comes from an underground source and contains at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. Minerals and trace elements must come from the source of the underground water. They cannot be added later.
• Spring water. Derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface, this water must be collected only at the spring or through a borehole that taps the underground formation feeding the spring. If some external force is used to collect the water through a borehole, the water must have the same composition and quality as the water that naturally flows to the surface.
• Well water. This is water from a hole bored or drilled into the ground, which taps into an aquifer.

Bottled water may be used as an ingredient in beverages, such as diluted juices or flavored bottled waters. However, beverages labeled as containing “sparkling water,” “seltzer water,” “soda water,” “tonic water,” or “club soda” aren’t included as bottled water under the FDA’s regulations. These beverages are instead considered to be soft drinks.

It May Be Tap Water

Some bottled water also comes from municipal sources—in other words, public drinking water or tap water. Municipal water is usually treated before it is bottled. Examples of water treatments include:

• Distillation. Water is turned into a vapor, leaving minerals behind. Vapors are then condensed into water again.
• Reverse osmosis. Water is forced through membranes to remove minerals.
• Absolute 1 micron filtration. Water flows through filters that remove particles larger than one micron—.00004 inches—in size. These particles include Cryptosporidium, a parasitic pathogen that can cause gastrointestinal illness.
• Ozonation. Bottlers of all types of waters typically use ozone gas, an antimicrobial agent, instead of chlorine to disinfect the water. (Chlorine can add residual taste and odor to the water.)

Bottled water that has been treated by distillation, reverse osmosis, or another suitable process may meet standards that allow it to be labeled as “purified water.”

Ensuring Quality and Safety

Federal quality standards for bottled water were first adopted in 1973. They were based on U.S. Public Health Service standards for drinking water set in 1962.

The 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act gave regulatory oversight of public drinking water to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The FDA subsequently took responsibility, under the FD&C Act, for ensuring that the quality standards for bottled water are compatible with EPA standards for public drinking water.

Each time EPA establishes a standard for a contaminant, the FDA either adopts it for bottled water or finds that the standard isn’t necessary for bottled water.

In some cases, standards for bottled water and public drinking water differ. For example, because lead can leach from pipes as water travels from water utilities to home faucets, EPA has set its limit for lead in public drinking water water at 15 parts per billion (ppb). For bottled water, for which lead pipes aren’t used, the lead limit is set at 5 ppb.

For bottled water production, bottlers must follow the CGMP regulations that are specific to processing and bottling drinking water, put in place and enforced by the FDA. Water must be sampled, analyzed, and found to be safe and sanitary. These regulations also require proper plant and equipment design, bottling procedures, and record keeping.

In addition, bottled water processors are generally required to register with the FDA as food facilities. Domestic and foreign facilities that are required to register as food facilities must comply with the requirements for risk-based preventive controls mandated by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) as well as the modernized Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) of this rule that cover all human food facilities (unless an exemption applies). 

Furthermore, the FDA oversees inspections of bottling plants. The agency inspects bottled water plants under its general food safety program and has states perform some plant inspections under contract. (Some states also require bottled water firms to be licensed annually.)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are both responsible for the safety of drinking water. EPA regulates public drinking water (tap water), while FDA regulates bottled drinking water.

FDA has set Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) specifically for bottled water. They require bottled water producers to:

• Process, bottle, hold and transport bottled water under sanitary conditions;
• Protect water sources from bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants;
• Use quality control processes to ensure the bacteriological and chemical safety of the water;
• Sample and test both source water and the final product for contaminants.

FDA monitors and inspects bottled water products and processing plants under its food safety program. When FDA inspects plants, the Agency verifies that the plant's product water and operational water supply are obtained from an approved source; inspects washing and sanitizing procedures; inspects bottling operations; and determines whether the companies analyze their source water and product water for contaminants.

Americans like bottled water. According to the International Bottled Water Association, bottled water was the second most popular beverage in the U.S. in 2005, with Americans consuming more than 7.5 million gallons of bottled water - an average of 26 gallons per person. Today, only carbonated soft drinks out-sell bottled water.

Defining "Bottled Water"

Under FDA labeling rules, bottled water includes products labeled:

• Bottled water
• Drinking water
• Artesian water
• Mineral water
• Sparkling bottled water
• Spring water
• Purified water
  • distilled
  • demineralized
  • deionized
  • reverse osmosis water

Waters with added carbonation, soda water (or club soda), tonic water and seltzer historically are regulated by FDA as soft drinks.

Flavored Water and Nutrient-Added Water Beverages

New types of flavored and/or nutrient-added water beverages have begun to appear in stores and on food service menus. Some are simply bottled water with flavoring, others may also contain added nutrients such as vitamins, electrolytes like sodium and potassium, and amino acids. The bottled water ingredients of these flavored and nutrient-added water beverages must meet the bottled water requirements if the term "water" is highlighted on the label as in, for example, a product named Berry Flavored Spring Water Beverage. In addition, the flavorings and nutrients added to these beverages must comply with all applicable FDA safety requirements and they must be identified in the ingredient list on the label.

Text Version of the Sample of a Flavored Spring Water Beverage Label:
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 8 fl oz (240g)
Servings Per Container about 2

Not a significant source of calories from fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium or iron.
* Amount Per Serving
** Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Americans spend billions of dollars every year on commercially bottled water. People choose bottled water for a variety of reasons including taste, convenience, as a substitute for other beverages, or because of perceived health benefits.

Bottled Water Regulation

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the safety of bottled water and bases its standards on the EPA standards for tap water. If these standards are met, water is considered safe for most healthy individuals. The bottled water industry must also follow FDA’s good manufacturing practices for processing and bottling drinking water.

Read the label on your bottled water to learn where the water comes from and how it has been treated to make it safe for drinking.

While there is currently no standardized label for bottled water, labels may tell you about the way the water is treated. Check the label for a toll-free number or web page address of the company that bottled the water to learn more.

Bottled Water and People with Weakened Immune Systems

People with weakened immune systems, such as people with HIV, diabetes, organ transplants or going through chemotherapy, should take special precautions with the water they drink. The parasite Cryptosporidium can cause chronic or severe illness and even life-threatening symptoms in people with weakened immune systems. Healthy people would be more likely to develop a mild illness from this parasite.

Look for the following types of treatments for bottled water that protect against Cryptosporidium:

• Reverse osmosis
• Distillation
• Filtration with an absolute 1micron filter

Bottled Water and Outbreaks

Although illness outbreaks associated with bottled water are rarely reported, they do occur. It is important for bottled water manufacturers, distributors, and consumers to do these things:

• Protect and properly treat water before bottling
• Maintain good manufacturing processes
• Protect bottled water during shipping and storage
• Prevent contamination after consumers purchase bottled water

If you suspect an illness resulting from drinking bottled water, contact your local public health department.

Contaminated bottled water can harm your health, including causing gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Infants, young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems may be more likely to get sick from some contaminants.