Arsenic Test

Arsenic is a chemical that occurs in many minerals. It exists in several nontoxic and toxic forms. When exposed to arsenic, its level in the blood is enhanced for a short while. As time passes, it disappears into the tissues due to its affinity towards tissue proteins. Its half-life in blood is 4–6 hours after exposure. Extreme levels indicate significant exposure; however, it can be detected only at once after exposure. In 2-day-old blood specimens, arsenic levels cannot be detected. Some symptoms that follow acute arsenic poisoning are nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, hemolysis, hypotension, headache, diarrhea, mental status changes, fever and seizures.

Patient preparation: do not consume seafood for 48 hours before the collection of the blood sample. Specimen preparation: the area is cleaned carefully before drawing blood from the vein. 4ml (minimum volume 2ml) of blood is drawn from the patient and collected in a sterile test tube. Worksite sample collection is not preferred to prevent false-positive results. The stability of the specimen lasts for 10 days when left at room temperature or refrigerated. However, a frozen or clotted specimen is not acceptable.

Arsenic blood test aids in detecting acute arsenic poisoning.

Inductively coupled plasma/mass spectroscopy is the preferred methodology for arsenic blood test. It is used for monitoring the level of blood arsenic. The normal value for both men and women of all age groups is 0–12 ng/ml. If it is higher than the normal value (>12 ng/ml), it shows a significant exposure.