Arsenic Urine Testing
Heavy Metals · Heavy Metals overview
Occupational arsenic exposure requires speciated urinary arsenic measurement to separate inorganic arsenic (the regulated species) from dietary organoarsenicals such as arsenobetaine.
Why speciation matters
Dietary intake — particularly seafood — produces high urinary total arsenic from non-toxic arsenobetaine and arsenocholine. Total arsenic measurement therefore over-estimates occupational exposure dramatically and is unsuitable for biomonitoring. Speciated urinary arsenic (sum of inorganic As, monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid) is the recommended biomarker.
Reference value
ACGIH BEI is 35 µg/l for the sum of inorganic As + MMA + DMA, end-of-shift end-of-week urine. HSE has not published a numeric BMGV at present.
Sectors
Copper and lead smelting, semiconductor manufacturing (GaAs), wood-preservation treatment (historical CCA), pesticide manufacture, and glass and pigment production.
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