Umweltbundesamt
Click to enlargeArsenic is toxic and can have metallic or non-metallic characteristics. It rarely occurs elementary but most of the time bound to other substances. In ambient air arsenic is measured bound to particulate matter.
Arsenic emissions are mainly of anthropogenic origin, e.g they occur when stone coal, brown coal or mineral oil is combusted. Another source is the metal industry. Arsenic can also be emitted at volcanic eruptions.
Arsenic can be absorbed through the lungs and the gastrointestinal tract. After chronic absorption through the lungs the mucous membranes and airways are damaged and lung cancer may occur.
There is an Europe-wide target value of 6 ng/m³ as annual mean that is valid since 1 January 2013.
Since 2007 the target value was exceeded at only one station in the vicinity of a mining industry. The average pollution in urban and rural areas is between 0.5 and 1 ng/m³. Slightly higher concentrations are measured close to industrial areas, here the average value was about 2 ng/m³. The lowest concentrations are measured at the very remote stations of the Environment Agency (0.4 ng/m³). Compared to other European countries, the arsenic pollution in Germany is quite low.
The UBA’s motto, For our environment (“Für Mensch und Umwelt”), sums up our mission pretty well, we feel. In this video we give an insight into our work.
