When taken over the course of many years, arsenic can result in lung, bladder and skin cancers, as well as heart disease, diabetes and neurological damage. In the U.S., many locations are known to have groundwater containing arsenic concentrations in excess of the new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard of 10 parts per billion.
But new research suggests that the EPA’s supposedly “safe” level of arsenic allowed in water supplies for public consumption isn’t safe at all. In fact, water laced with the federally-approved amount of arsenic could be causing high blood pressure and artery-clogging atherosclerosis.
A study has shown that arsenic at EPA-approved levels for drinking water causes pores in liver blood vessels to close, potentially leading to cardiovascular disease and hypertension. This study calls into question whether present Environmental Protection Agency standards are stringent enough.