Arsenopyrite, E nvironmental Health and Arsenic in Groundwater.

Author.

 Hayk S. Arakelyan. Full Professor in Medicine,

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Ph.D , Grand Ph.D .

Senior Expert of Interactive Clinical Pharmacology , Drug Safety,

Treatment Tactics, General Medicine and Clinical Research.

“Environmental pollution is an

incurable disease. It can only

be prevented.”

“Barry Commoner”

Introduction.

Arsenopyrite is an iron arsenic sulfide (FeAsS). It is a hard (Mohs 5.5-6) metallic, opaque, steel grey to silver white mineral with a relatively high specific gravity of 6.1.[1] When dissolved in nitric acid, it releases elemental sulfur. When arsenopyrite is heated, it produces poisonous sulfur and arsenic fumes which can be fatal if inhaled in large quantities. With 46% arsenic content, arsenopyrite, along with orpiment, is a principal ore of arsenic. When deposits of arsenopyrite become exposed to the atmosphere, the mineral will slowly oxidize, converting the arsenopyrite into an iron arsenate, a relatively stable compound. Arsenopyrite is generally an acid consuming sulfide mineral unlike iron pyrite which can lead to acid mine drainage. Arsenopyrite is unstable in most environments of Earth’s surface. It easily alters from its silver-white or steel-gray color to yield a pink, bronze, or brown tarnish that is sometimes iridescent.

The crystal habit, hardness, density, and garlic odor when struck are diagnostic. Arsenopyrite in older literature may be referred to as mispickel, a name of German origin.

Arsenopyrite also can be associated with significant amounts of gold. Consequently, it serves as an indicator of gold bearing reefs. Many arsenopyrite gold ores are refractory, i.e. the gold is not easily cyanide leached from the mineral matrix.Arsenopyrite is found in high temperature hydrothermal veins, in pegmatites, and in areas of contact metamorphism or metasomatism.

Arsenopyrite By Other Names.

The name "arsenopyrite" is a contraction of "arsenical pyrites," an archaic name used for the mineral. "Mispickel" is another archaic name for arsenopyrite that was commonly used in Europe.

Arsenic in Groundwater.

In some parts of the world, groundwater contains enough dissolved arsenic to make it  harmful for human use. The two main ways that arsenic enters the groundwater are: 1) moving groundwater in contact with hazardous wastes, and, 2) moving groundwater dissolving arsenic from the rocks which it flows through. In the second case, the arsenic-bearing minerals are often arsenopyrite. Arsenic in water has no smell and no taste, so a person might drink water containing arsenic without realizing it. The only way to determine if your well water contains arsenic is to have it tested and specifically ask the testing company to analyze for arsenic.

Health effects of dissolved arsenic in drinking water.

Health effects of dissolved arsenic in drinking water include:

 Discoloration of the skin.

Digestive problems that include: stomachache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

 Numbness in extremities.

If you have any questions concerning “Arsenopyrite, E nvironmental Health and Arsenic in Groundwater”, interactive clinical pharmacology , or any other questions, please inform me. 

      Prof. Hayk S. Arakelyan