Arsenic is a heavy metal that is found in small quantities all over the Earth’s crust. It is also produced by industrial activities and was previously used in agriculture as a pesticide.
Marine fish contain arsenic in over ten different chemical compounds, the majority of which are organic compounds that are not poisonous.
Inorganic arsenic compounds such as arsenic trioxide are carcinogens, and they also affect our nervous system. The oceans contain organic compounds of arsenic that are soluble in water.
The main compound found in fish and other seafood is arsenobetaine, which is a non-toxic form of arsenic. Humans absorb arsenobetaine, but they excrete it unchanged.
Published: 27.03.2019 Updated: 12.06.2019
